MPIC refining applications from smallholders for oil palm replanting grant

KUALA LUMPUR: Applications from smallholders for grants through the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Stimulus Scheme approved under Budget 2022 are being refined, said Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) Datuk Willie Mongin.

He said the government had approved an allocation of RM35 million under Budget 2022 to help smallholders start their replanting activities.

"Applications (from smallholders) under this scheme are being refined," he told a press conference in Parliament today.

Besides the grant allocation, the government would also provide quality oil palm seedling clones as well as fertilisers to enable the smallholders to increase production from their estates.

Earlier, Willie held a briefing with the Members of Parliament (MPs) to table the performance of the country's agricommodity sector.

During the meeting, Willie said the ministry took note of several proposals by the MPs to empower the agricommodity sector in improving the strategies and programmes tailored for smallholders nationwide.

"The briefing was an engagement session implemented by the ministry to provide exposure to the direction of achievements, issues, and challenges in the agricommodity sector as well as to gather input to improve the ministry's strategies and programmes, and the involvement of MPs is important in its efforts to further develop the strategies and programmes continuously," he said.

-- BERNAMA