Incentives for rubber production and cuplumps revised - Uggah

The Rubber Production Incentive has been increased to RM5.10 from RM4.60 per kilogram for the SMR 20 FOB rubber with effect from this month.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the incentive for cuplumps was also raised to RM2.00 per kilogram exit farm price.

The revisions were endorsed by the cabinet on Aug 26, he said after visiting a rubber block planting project in Kampung Stabut, Siburan near here today.

He said the revisions would benefit 300,388 smallholders from 206 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.

Uggah said with the new rates, the smallholders' income would not fall below the poverty level if rubber price were to decline.

"We hope the revision helps motivate smallholders to continue tapping rubber, instead of stopping, as it is the usual case, when the price drops," he said.

He urged rubber smallholders in the peninsula to register with the Malaysian Rubber Board, Sabahans with the Sabah Rubber Industry Board and Sarawakians with the Sarawak Agriculture Department to enable them to get a card to claim the incentives.

On rubber production, he said the government strived to achieve an annual production of not less than 700,000 tonnes to reduce import of the commodity.

"Last year, we imported 905,039 tonnes of natural rubber worth RM5.83 billion to support our downstream industries, particularly for rubber gloves," he said.

Uggah said the rubber industry contributed RM30.61 billion to the country's gross national income last year, while the export was worth RM23.6 billion.