RISDA PREPARES CABINET PAPER ON IMPLEMENTATION OF HARGA GETAH BERMARUAH INITIATIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) has completed a Cabinet paper proposing the implementation of the Harga Getah Bermaruah initiative, aimed at stabilising rubber prices in the country.

RISDA chairman Manndzri Nasib said that the Cabinet paper would be submitted to the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, expressing hope that it would be tabled in a Cabinet meeting soon.

He said that, once the proposal was approved, the rubber price would be set at RM5 per kilogramme for scrap rubber and RM15 per kilogramme for latex.

“The Harga Getah Bermaruah initiative involves three ecosystems, namely, RISDA as the sole buyer of rubber, a policy of prioritising the purchase of Malaysian latex, and the imposition of a fee on imported rubber.

“If these ecosystems are established, the rubber price can be increased,” he said when met at the RISDA Hari Raya Aidilfitri Celebration here today.

Manndzri also said that RISDA was currently carrying out rubber replanting in abandoned areas under the Abandoned Rubber Recovery Programme, with a target of 10,000 hectares per year beginning last year.

“Last year, we only planted 4,600 hectares, and within the first four months of this year, we have planted 7,000 hectares. With that progress, I hope we can achieve the target of 10,000 hectares this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Manndzri said RISDA was working with state governments to implement the Large-Scale Rubber Planting Programme (TGBB), covering 5,000 hectares, in an effort to increase the agency’s assets and boost rubber production in the country.

He said the programme, which began in Melaka earlier this year, would be extended to Johor, while in other states, RISDA was still awaiting feedback from the respective state governments, as planting could only be carried out on land gazetted for commodities.

Manndzri said many private companies had ceased rubber planting activities, and as such, it was time for RISDA to take on the responsibility itself while continuing its role in assisting and empowering the country’s 510,000 smallholders.

--BERNAMA