KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 ― The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) and the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) have planned various programmes and initiatives to continue empowering the country's rubber industry through several platforms.
In a statement today, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said in the latest development, MPIC through MRB held a Rubber Forum 2021 to share information and engage in interaction sessions with various stakeholders.
He said the latest issues and problems were discussed to strengthen the nation's rubber industry in both the upstream and downstream sectors.
“Among the government's plans shared with the participants were related to Rubber Industries Transformation Project with an allocation of RM6 million, involving production of rubber crip compared with rubber scrap which will give value-added income to the smallholders.
“Smallholders who are interested to take part in this project can set up rubber cooperatives in their respective areas in preparation for their participation,” he said.
Mohd Khairuddin said besides that, the development of the east cost latex corridor with an allocation of RM16 million will be implemented this year, targetting an increase of 5,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes of latex annually, with a contribution of up to 30 per cent to the smallholders’ monthly income.
In addition, several discourse topics were deliberated encompassing achievements by the rubber industry, prospects for 2021, certification of rubber clone seeds for 2021, and others, he added.
In 2020, the rubber industry contributed RM48.54 billion to the country’s export earnings, up RM17.6 billion or 57 per cent compared with RM30.92 billion in 2019. ― Bernama
