OIL PALM SMALLHOLDERS URGED TO REGISTER AS KPSM MEMBERS - MPOB

KUCHING, July 1 (Bernama) -- More oil palm smallholders are urged to register as members of Koperasi Penanam Sawit Mampan (KPSM) to grab the benefits that can be derived from cooperative activities, said Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Jugah Muyang today. 

He said since the establishment of the cooperative in 2010, a total of 69 KPSM cooperatives have been formed nationwide as of May 2022, comprising 24 cooperatives in the peninsula, 27 in Sabah and 18 in Sarawak.

“KPSM can carry out business activities that have direct impact on smallholders' income such as selling of fresh fruit bunches in group and buying of inputs in bulk. 

"The cooperatives can also get involved in other businesses to strengthen their financial standing which later could be distributed as dividends to the members.

“I am very confident that by capitalising on the benefits provided by the government and the readiness of smallholders to respond to the call to implement oil palm planting sustainably, the smallholders would get lucrative returns and income,” he said in his speech at the launch of KPSM Weighing Centre at KPSM Lubok Antu Bhd in Engkilili, about 220 kilometres from here.

Meanwhile, Jugah recommends that plantation operators and smallholders cooperate with MPOB officers to get exposure to the use of technology and new techniques in the industry to increase their productivity and income. 

He also informed that as at May 31, 2022, some 32 Sustainable Palm Oil Clusters in the state had obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification involving 32,140 private smallholders.

Also present at the event were KPSM Lubok Antu chairman Selutan Angie, MPOB Sessang research station head Dr Mohd Arfan Johari, and MPOB head of Sarawak region Murphy Solomon. 

-- BERNAMA