KUCHING: The government will find more effective and innovative approaches to improve the income of smallholders.

Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said there were more than 500,000 smallholders nationwide, and their average income was RM1,200 to RM2,500 per month.

“The income of commodities smallholders relies very much on the current market price. When the price depreciates, their earnings will be affected.

“Therefore, our main agenda for the commodities sector is to look for more effective approaches to ensure the income of smallholders is not less than RM4,000 per month,” he said at the National Smallholders and Commodities Entrepreneurs Conference 2015 (NSCEC), officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) yesterday.

Malaysia currently has 571,938 smallholders, of which almost 200,000 are from Sarawak – involved in the palm oil, rubber, cocoa and pepper sectors.

On NSCEC, Uggah said more than 5,000 smallholders and commodities entrepreneurs from throughout the country were participating in the conference.

“Sarawak was picked to host this year’s NSCEC due to its commodity plantations acreage, high number of smallholders, potential to expand commodity plantations, business opportunities, and potential to generate growth of commodity-based industries.”

Organised by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, the conference aimed to disseminate information on advancement in the commodities sector covering palm oil, rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper, ‘kenaf’ and sago.

This will indirectly increase knowledge and awareness of the community, particularly the target groups of smallholders, youth, and commodities entrepreneurs, innovation in the commodities sector as well as facilities and assistance provided by the government.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities stated that RM382 million had been allocated to assist the nation’s smallholders and commodities entrepreneurs in facing the challenging economy this year.

The ministry had allocated RM112 million for Sarawak this year, where the state’s smallholders and commodities entrepreneurs would be assisted through commodities replanting and new plantation programme involving palm oil, rubber, cocoa, pepper and sago.

In addition, RM43 million would go towards road projects at smallholders’ plantations for convenience of transporting their produce.

Present at NSCEC 2015 were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi and Assistant Minister of Industrial Estate Development Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie.