MIRI: The Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) has appealed to the state government to issue titles to Native Customary Rights (NCR) land planted with oil palm.
Doppa secretary Incham Serdin said the association also highlighted foreign worker recruitment and other critical issues during a courtesy call on Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas on July 25, led by president Dr Richard Mani Banda.
“The committee members expressed their desire for the government to issue land titles on land already planted with
oil palms, introduce FFB (fresh fruit bunches) pricing control to address regional disparity, and other critical issues faced by smallholders,” he said.
He said permits for foreign labour would be the most critical issue as lack of labour has left smallholders with harvesting headaches. Incham also pointed out disparities in FFB prices for planters in the Central Region.
“The FFB prices at the mills and collection centres are about 25 per cent lower than in Northern Region,” he said.
Doppa will hold its annual general meeting in Bintulu on Saturday (Aug 5).