The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) is committed to implementing various programmes and assistance to develop a total of 409,172 hectares of untapped mature rubber tree farms involving 221,859 smallholders across the country.

Its Productivity and Marketing Division director Noor Azan Mohd Noor said among them are the Replanting Programme, Group Replanting Assistance (TSB), Additional Economic Activities Programme (AET) as well as Agrofood Programme and Mature Rubber Scheme Programme (SGM).

“Abandoned or untapped farms will be identified while smallholders will be given exposure related to assistance and programmes organised by Risda.

“We hope that the total area of untapped mature farms throughout the country can be reduced from time to time in addition to being able to increase the productivity of rubber plantation in this country,” he told reporters here today.

Noor Azan said this year alone an allocation of RM9,270,509 had been channelled by Risda to fund various programmes and assistance and as of October, only RM6,870,460.15 had been spent.

Meanwhile, he said Risda is carrying out the 2023 Rubber Smallholders Census from July 1 until Dec 31.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency