SARAWAK imported 90.2 per cent of natural rubber, mostly in the form of cup lumps, mainly from the Ivory Coast which was then processed into mixed rubber blocks in 2022.
The rubber industry in the state has relied heavily on imported rubber cup lumps to sustain its processing plant operations.
Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi said in view of the supply shortage in natural rubber that is faced by rubber manufacturers in Sarawak, the ministry through the newly established Sarawak Rubber Industry Board (SARIB) will continue to strengthen the development of the rubber industry in Sarawak.
The transformative initiatives will focus on increasing rubber and latex production in Sarikei-Betong-Sri Aman region as well as in the Serian-Kota Samarahan-Bau-Lundu-Sematan region.
Dr Rundi also pointed to an extensive rehabilitation of existing rubber farm through a regenerative agriculture method; adoption of a new rubber tapping system; provision of rubber production incentives (IPG); and enhancing rubber trading regulations.
Dr Rundi said rubber remains as one of the important commodities which contributes to Sarawak’s export earnings.
“In 2022, the export value of rubber was RM203.6 million with a volume of 29,458 metric tonnes. The total areas that have been developed into rubber estates is estimated at 125,263 hectares involving 71,307 smallholders,” he said this during his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Tuesday (Nov28).
Sago, he said, is another high-value commodity that has shown great potential to increase Sarawak’s export earnings.
“As of 2022, the total area of sago has slightly decreased to 32,747 hectares from 33,407 hectares in 2021.
“Despite the reduction in hectarage and production, the export value for sago products increased from RM80.34 million in 2021 to RM107.72 million in 2022. This is mainly due to the increased of sago price in 2022,” he added.
“To develop the sago and nipah industry in Sarawak, the newly established Sago and Nipah Development Board (SNDB) will focus on the following major initiatives — registration of smallholders, sago mills and nipah palm sugar producers, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to determine the total area of sago and nipah palms, empowering the smallholder sector; and introducing a mechanism for determining the price of sago logs,” he said.
