KUCHING: The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities will be reviewing the support programme for small pepper farmers to help them grow their farms and earn more money.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the ministry understands that the cost of farming has gone up since the Russia-Ukraine conflict last year.
He said that the ministry will make changes to the pepper farming programme to assist small farmers.
“In the past, the New Pepper Planting Scheme provided RM26,000 per hectare, but now we have increased it to RM46,000 per hectare.
“The Mature Pepper Crop Scheme has also been increased from RM13,000 to RM25,000 per hectare,” he explained.
He said this during his speech at the opening ceremony of the Malaysian Pepper Board’s Field Research Station in Jalan Penrissen here today (July 15).
With an allocation of RM50 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the initiative aims to help small pepper farmers sustain their work and remain in the pepper industry.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) will implement the Agri Commodity Policy 2030 to ensure the production of high-quality and disease-resistant pepper seeds that meet market demands.
“We need to consider agricultural inputs, such as organic fertilisers, that are safe for the environment and human health. This will help us meet the current market demands, especially in terms of food safety and environmental awareness,” he said.
He added that these efforts will not only increase productivity but also improve the quality of pepper and increase the income of small farmers.
Also present were the Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli and MPB shairman Datuk Anyi Ngau.
