KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK) through the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) is implementing the latex production incentive (IPL) specifically to encourage rubber smallholders to produce latex.
Deputy Prime Minister and Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said this programme would provide opportunities for rubber smallholders to increase income and encourage them to switch to producing latex instead of scrap rubber.
He said the local rubber production in 2021 constituted 395,594 tonnes of rubber scrap (cuplump) and 33,709 tonnes of latex.
“Considering the high demand for latex from the downstream industries and shortage of local supply, the import of latex is high especially from Thailand, valued at RM3.17 billion (337,255 tonnes) in 2021,” he said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Fadillah was replying to a question from Datuk Ahmad Saad @ Yahaya (PAS-Pokok Sena) on the strategic actions undertaken by KPK for the short- and long-term to reduce the burden of rubber tappers following the fall in the price of rubber at present.
Fadillah said each rubber smallholder who participates in this IPL programme will receive a cash incentive of RM1 per kilogramme for 100 per cent dry rubber content.
The participants will also receive assistance in the form of agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides worth RM850 per hectare on a one-off basis, he said.
Apart from that, the ministry has also implemented other incentives to protect the interests of rubber smallholders including rubber production incentive (IPG) and National Rubber Industry Transformation Project (Target). – BERNAMA
