Baharuddin (seated left) poses for a group photo with the oil palm and pepper smallholders before the dialogue commences.
SIBU (Sept 24): Twenty-five oil palm and pepper smallholders from Pasai Siong affected by the massive price hike of fertiliser and pesticides are asking the government for assistance.
Chairman of Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB), Baharuddin Dato Mokhsen, said from the information given by the planters, the price of 50kg bag of pepper fertiliser has increased from RM50 to between RM220 and RM250.
As for fertiliser for oil palm, he was made to understand that the price hike had jumped from RM1,400 per metric tonne to RM3,500 per metric tonne.
“This massive price hike is illogical. Recently, the prices of items increased maybe because of the war in Ukraine and Russia.
“However, I am of the opinion that there might be some fertiliser and pesticides sellers who are trying to take advantage of these planters.
“That is why these planters also asked the government to check whether it is true that the price has increased up to threefold or fourfold,” he told reporters after a dialogue with 25 oil palm and pepper smallholder at Malaysia Pepper Board, Upper Lanang yesterday.
He described such price hike as ridiculous.
He also said that these planters are asking for assistance because maintenance cost especially for oil palm is high, and they just could not cope with the expensive fertiliser and pesticides.
“So, they are asking for government’s assistance particularly Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) to consider some assistance or subsidies to help them as soon as possible,” he said.
According to him, planters in Sarikei also faced the same predicament.
“So, basically, it is a consistent complaint, so I think it is time for the government to look into it and I will bring up even though it is not directly under my portfolio, but I will bring this issue to the ministry so that they can decide the kind of assistance they can provide to these smallholders affected so much by the price hike,” he said.
Baharuddin also said that he explained to these planters on the government’s policy involving the ministry.
He suggested that these smallholders get together to make it easier for the government to provide assistance.
He also said that the planters requested the government to ease the application process for foreign labour as they are facing shortage of manpower.
He also said that the price of pepper is currently stable though still lower than expected, adding that black pepper price is about RM14 to RM15 per kg while white pepper is about RM24 to RM25 per kg.
“There is another pepper known as creamy white pepper and there is demand, we can sell up to RM50 per kg and it can only be planted at several places in Malaysia and basically we can grow it in Sarawak and process it,” he said.
He added that creamy white pepper is reckoned to be the best in the world.