Kuala Lumpur: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced a final distributable profit for 2024 amounting to RM192.51 million for Felcra Bhd’s participant project. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, stated that the profits were generated from 583 profitable projects and would be distributed in stages starting today to 68,400 participants.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid highlighted that this year’s profits represent an increase of 154 per cent, or RM116.73 million, compared to the same period in 2023. “This is proof of the dedication and hard work of the entire team in empowering the rural economy,” he mentioned during his speech at the Santunan Kasih Ramadan event in Kampung Kuala Akob.

Ahmad Zahid further explained that the higher profit had resulted in an increase in the average annual net income per participant to RM4,420. This improvement was attributed to several key factors, including a 9.23 per cent increase in oil palm plantation yields through the Consolidation and Rehabilitation Plantation Management programme, equating to 1.44 tonnes per hectare.

Moreover, the implementation of cost-saving strategies in production contributed to a reduction in costs by over RM401 per hectare. “Felcra’s goal is to ensure that each participant receives a minimum profit distribution of RM150 per acre (0.404 ha) per month, or RM1,800 per acre per year, as a guarantee for the participants’ welfare,” Ahmad Zahid stated.

He also noted that Felcra had made a first interim payment amounting to RM96 million to participants in June 2024, followed by a second interim payment in September 2024 totalling RM129 million. In total, Felcra recorded a distributable profit of RM521.9 million in 2024, marking an increase of 138.4 per cent or RM302.9 million compared to 2023. These figures demonstrate Felcra’s strong commitment to ensuring its participants benefit from the nation’s development, he added.