Penguang (front row, fifth right) in a photo call with participants of the programme.
MIRI: A total of 10,319 oil palm smallholders here who have yet to obtain the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification will face difficulty selling their produce by Jan 1 next year, said Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Datu Dr Penguang Manggil.
He said this is because after Dec 31, fresh fruit bunch (FFB) that are not MSPO-certified will not be accepted at factories or any collection centre, and advised smallholders to join the Sustainable Palm Oil Cluster (SPOC) implemented by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) as one of the strategies to help them obtain MSPO certification easier.
Penguang revealed that up to Sept 30, 944,792 hectares or 59.86 per cent of oil palm planted areas in Sarawak were MSPO-certified, encompassing 918,744 hectares from plantations and 26,048 hectares from smallholders.
“Miri division recorded the largest number of smallholders in Sarawak with a total of 12,375 with an area of 78,157 hectares until Sept 30 this year.
“However, of that amount, only 2,056 oil palm smallholders or 6.62 per cent with an area of 12,978 hectares under seven SPOCs in Miri division have obtained the MSPO certification,” he said at a briefing on the development of native customary rights (NCR) land and the implementation of MSPO certification for oil palm smallholders in Beluru, here yesterday.
Penguang said the achievement was very small, and therefore smallholders who have not been certified with MSPO are asked to work with the relevant agencies, especially MPOB, to do so by Dec 31 this year to ensure the sale of their FFB will not face any trouble.
He urged smallholders to support the efforts undertaken by the government to achieve increased productivity and quality of palm oil especially on its production.
The programme held at Beluru community hall was organised by the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development in collaboration with MPOB, Beluru District Office, Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa), Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), Land and Survey Department, and the Forest Department.
Penguang stressed that smallholders’ continued participation in such programmes as well as their willingness to implement the MSPO certification scheme for their oil palm plantations will ensure the country’s oil palm industry remains competitive and sustainable.
He emphasised through ongoing SPOC advice and guidance to smallholders, it would bring a positive impact on a more systematic management of oil palm plantations with the harvesting, fertilisation and weed control are carried out in accordance with the MPOB recommended programme.
“Through SPOC management, the concept of planting, maintaining and cultivating is fully practised by smallholders through the advice and guidance and ongoing monitoring by SPOC and MPOB officials.
“Therefore, I encourage smallholders to join SPOC for MSPO certification by Dec 31. FFB of the oil palm plantations that are not MSPO-certified after Dec 31 will not be accepted at factories or in any collection centre.” Over 900 people attended yesterday’s programme.