RICE PEST AND DISEASE ISSUES IN MALAYSIA

RICE GROWING IN MALAYSIA are an important industry in agriculture sector after Oil Palm and Rubber. Rice (Oryza sativa) was grown mostly in granary area with good infrastructure and governments subsidies. There are pests and diseases across Malaysian rice granaries and other non-granary area. Pests and diseases such as the rice blast disease, bacterial leaf blight, tungro and brown plant hopper are constant threats to the rice production systems in Malaysia. In 2015 reported by Department of Agriculture  Malaysia (DOA) in which accounting for 43% of total rice disease incidence and reported blast disease as the most predominant disease affecting rice cultivation. Blast disease caused by the Pyricularia oryzae Carava or Magnaporthe grisea (Herbert Barr) fungus is categorized into two types based on host preference known as (i) foliar blast; infects at the rice seedling stage and (ii) panicle blast; infects the panicle during the reproductive stage. The disease occurrence, distribution and infestation is weather-driven. The first incidence of blast disease in Peninsular Malaysia was reported in 1945 following a 70% yield loss observed on Jaya, a susceptible rice variety in which involves varieties such as Jaya, Sekencang and Setanjung too succumbed to panicle blast which reduced grain filling, panicle breakage and subsequent yield loss. In 2011 reported by DOA in which the blast resistant MR219 succumbed to panicle blast in MADA granary while in 2017 also reported that a total of 1,453 ha and 957 ha of rice fields were infected by leaf blast and panicle blast, respectively. The most infected granary was KADA followed by MADA and IADA BLS. MARDI had since then released MR253, MR263, MR269 and MR284 with improved disease resistance. Besides these varieties, MR297 also known as Siraj conferred blast resistant, tungro resistant and BPH moderate resistant. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I would like to write a report regarding the rice and disease issues in Malaysia.

The Bacterial Leaf Blight Disease (BPH) that was caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is assumed to be the oldest and most important disease in rice history including in Malaysia (See photo above). BPH is characterized with wilting of paddy seedlings and/or yellowing or drying of the leaves. Farmers first encountered BPH in 1980s however, over the decade there is no reports of the disease incidence were observed. In the recent years in which the disease re-emerged and reared its ugly head on at least 12,080 ha of rice fields in Peninsular Malaysia (Source: DOA, 2019). Similar to blight disease in which DOA reported about 30 - 50% potential loss of yield due to bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease infection. The most severe leaf blight disease outbreak in the last 30 years occurred in the paddy field of Sekinchan, Selangor, in 2016 causing 50 - 70% loss of yield. During the outbreak from the report that the farmers had planted the new variety MR284 that was released just a year ago. In 2017 the report shows that there are another type of blight, namely Bacterial Panicle Blast (BPB) caused by Burkholderia glumae showed up at Ache River, Penang and a year later in Kelantan. BPB infected rice plants have upright panicles, florets with darker basal portion of the glumes, and reddish-brown border across the florets. According to MARDI in which for the granaries in various states in Peninsular Malaysia have recorded up to 50% losses due to BPB. As for sheath blight (ShB) or caused by Rhizoctonia solani is the soilborne necrotrophic fungal causative agent that is responsible for yield loss of up to 45%. The symptoms are the formation of lesions on the sheath leading to softness and lodging of the sheath and inhibition of grain filling. Besides blast and blight, the rice plants have always been prone to tungro disease (Penyakit virus merah) that is transmitted by green leafhopper also known as Nephotettix virescens. The disease results from an infection by two distinct viruses, Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). Although the symptoms of yellow-orange leaf discoloration, plant stunting and reduced yield were recognized since 1934, but its viral nature only came to light in 1965. Despite the significance of tungro disease, very little work has gone into understanding it except for the first genome sequencing of RTBV undertaken in 1999. Annually almost US$1.5 billion is lost worldwide while in Asia about 10% of loss in rice yield had been attributed to this disease.

Besides Green Planthopper reported that the other insect known as the Brown Planthopper has been a constant menace. Nilaparvata lugens causes the notorious brown plant hopper (BPH) disease that is touted to cause a loss of 90,000 ton/season which is valued at about RM 72 million. BPH reported that it directly feed on rice plants and transmits the grassy stunt disease. As for brown spot disease, the causal agent is Bipolaris oryzae (or known as Cochliobolus miyabeanus). It affects direct seeded rice plants and could potentially lead to 90% yield loss if water supply is scarce or limited and there is an inadequate supply of nitrogen. Although brown spot is commonly observed on the leaves and glumes (grain husks) it could also affect other plant parts, namely leaf, coleoptile, sheaths, panicle branches and grain. According to the pathogen causes brown to dark brown lesions on panicle stalk at the joint of flag leaf to stalk. As the disease progresses, the pathogen retards plant growth, forms visible grain discoloration, reduces the number of grains per panicle and grain weight, and increases the number of empty grains. However, the common disease management approach is cultural practices and use of chemical but often times it fails to combat the disease at the bud. It is imperative to use disease resistant rice varieties as host resistance is the best strategy to cut yield losses and ensure the sustainability of rice and paddy industry. Additionally, the use of certified quality seeds is mandatory to curb yield losses. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Senior Agronomist,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(August 2023).

PALM OIL PRICES IN FUTURE

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS OF PALIM OIL PRICE in future? It was an important topic discussed in both from Malaysia and Indonesia as world leaders in these industries. There are reports in which Indonesia and Malaysia push biofuel to offset palm oil price downturn. The falling prices hurt companies and their risks loom from El Nino and EU deforestation law. Due to the weak prices for palm oil so called as a worsening outlook and a backlash against the commodity over deforestation concerns are pushing Indonesia and Malaysia as the world's biggest producers of palm oil to boost domestic use through developing jet fuels and expanding biodiesel programs. Widely used in Indonesia and Malaysia for cooking oil and also for applications such as personal care and cleaning products, palm oil is an important sector in Southeast Asia's largest economy with the industry employing millions of workers. Indonesia is the world's largest exporter, and it is the country's top export commodity in Indonesia apart from coal. Palm oil is similarly important in neighboring Malaysia as the world's second-largest producer and exporter. The benchmark crude palm oil (CPO) price in Malaysia ranged from RM3,500 (USD755) to RM4,200 per tonne between January and June 2022. That is compared to the all-time high in April 2022 of almost RM7,000 per tonne, following the launch of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in which sent prices of all edible oils skyrocketing. That run-up in prices for palm oil, traditionally the cheapest among vegetable oils, was a continuation of one caused by pandemic-related disruptions since late 2020. This report elevated inventories in India and mainland China as an expected increase in global soybean production through the 2023/24 season, and the upcoming September-October period of peak palm fruit yields. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" presents the palm oil price trends in future.

The BMI forecast an average price of RM3,800 per tonne for Bursa Malaysia-listed third-month palm oil futures contracts in 2023, down from the average of RM4,910 per tonne last year. It also forecast prices will continue to fall, reaching RM2,400 a tonne in 2027 on par with a five-year pre-COVID pandemic average of close to RM2,420 per tonne. The declines have hurt incomes of major palm oil producers after many enjoyed record profits in 2021 and 2022. In Malaysia, a state-owned conglomerate Sime Darby Plantation reported that second-quarter net profit fell by 54% to RM380 million from the same period in 2022. As for FGV Holdings, also government linked company did saw its plantation sector plunge 97% to RM13.76 million mainly due to the lower average CPO price compared to the previous year and on top of lower CPO sales and 37% higher CPO production costs. In Indonesia, the net income at top producers Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology, Astra Agro Lestari and Salim Ivomas Pratama declined 85% rwcorded as 54% and 71% respectively, in the first half of 2023, to Rp284.3 billion (USD18.7 million), Rp367.6 billion and Rp128.4 billion respectively. Indonesia is running trials to use sustainable aviation fuel derived from palm oil in aircraft.  Political issues also weigh on producers. A European Union regulation on deforestation-free supply chains entered force on June 29. S&P Global said in August that combined with the EU's renewable energy directive, which limits the use of palm oil for biofuel in EU markets starting in 2030 as the new law is "seen as another layer of restrictions by palm oil producing countries." Indonesia and Malaysia account for about 85% of global palm oil trade while the EU is typically the third largest importer after China and India. Indonesia, Malaysia and the EU have reportedly agreed to form an ad hoc task force to hash out issues related to the implementation of the deforestation regulation. To deal with the market and political pressures, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur are seeking new ways to utilize the commodity. State-owned airline Garuda Indonesia in August announced the start of a static test on a "sustainable aviation fuel," or "bioavtur," on an engine used in its Boeing B737-800 NG fleet, with ground and flight tests to follow. Garuda's bio jet fuel is jointly developed by Indonesian state oil company Pertamina and the Bandung Institute of Technology.

Another report releases a condition last month in which that Indonesia expanded its mandatory B35 biodiesel program as it was produced by Pertamina as a nationwide, after a partial introduction in February 2022. B35 has a higher palm oil content in the diesel mix than the B30 launched in early 2020. Indonesia is next targeting B40 for 2030. Indonesia is pushing the biodiesel program expansion as palm oil prices have fallen from the record highs. Malaysia is also exploring its own biofuel efforts. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board and state energy giant Petronas signed an agreement in August to study using cooking oil and palm oil waste as sustainable aviation fuel. In the second phase of the National Energy Transition Roadmap launched late last month, the government included a B30 biodiesel mandate on heavy vehicles by 2030 after rollout by 2025. According to the Yusuf Rendy Manilet as an economist at Indonesian think tank Center of Reform on Economics, sees Indonesia's biofuel policy as ultimately viable. The Indonesian government's goal is to reduce dependency on imports of oil by leveraging biofuels in order to improve the trade balance," Manilet told Nikkei Asia. In the long run there are more biofuels becoming available and oil imports reduced as fuels will become more affordable and lead to improving purchasing power. BMI said increasing biofuels uptake could pose a "major upside risk" to its price outlook for edible oils overall. "An increase in the rate of diversion of palm oil to the manufacture of blended biofuels as the greater diversion of alternative edible oils, such as soy oil, to biofuels in which it would tighten the supplies of edible oils for food consumption. It added that the developing El Nino weather phenomenon, marked by drier and hotter weather in Southeast Asia, poses another major upside risk to its palm oil price outlook over the next 12 to 18 months although "much depends on the eventual strength of the El Nino event itself." BMI said the 2014-16 El Nino, one of the most severe of modern times, led to double-digit annual declines in percentage terms for crop yields in both Malaysia and Indonesia over the 2015-16 season in which resulted in palm oil prices rising by 1,000 ringgit per tonne during the period. 

In other report titled 'Palm oil prices may rise above RM4,300 in 2024 on supply, output woes said MPOC' relevant with this topic. In a local news reported that Malaysia's crude palm oil prices will trade at RM3,700 - RM4,200 a metric ton in the second half of 2023, and will remain supported in the long term, state agency Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said on Tuesday. Heading into 2024, there is a strong possibility that prices may rise above RM4,300 a metric ton, MPOC deputy director Mohd Izham Hassan said in a webinar. This is due to market uncertainties including those surrounding Black Sea sunflower oil supply and Malaysia's palm oil production that has remained below expectations. Production in the world's second-largest producer during the first half of 2023 was nearly 3% lower than in the same period last year, Mohd Izham added. Malaysia's benchmark crude palm oil futures have declined 7% so far this year. They traded around RM3,882 on Tuesday, as traders weighed a decline in rival soft oil prices and supply concerns. On demand he forecast largest buyers India and China to import a combined total of 16.5 million tonnes of palm oil by December 2023, up from 15 million tonnes in 2022. ASEAN and MENA regions will also see higher demand for palm oil due to insufficient domestic production and competitive price of palm oil. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Malacca,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).

SUCCESS STORY OF PITAYA FARMERS

THE SUCCESS STORY OF A FARMER known as Liew Anh Luk, who came to China in 2002 from his home country in Malaysia, answers visitor queries on pitaya at his plantation in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, in November 2020 (See photo above).  After four decades of working as a farmer, Liew Anh Luk (70) came to China in 2002 from his home country Malaysia and continued his pursuit of a personal vision to plant pitaya or dragon fruit. His interest in planting pitaya was based on my wife's habit becauseshe loves eating the fruit. But he could not find a place in Malaysia with rich soil for planting the fruit. A small strip of land in China was found to be best suited for cultivation of pitaya. So, Liew came to South China 18 years ago, to plant red pitaya in Qinzhou, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which has the right temperature and humidity for cultivation. After several years of planting, Liew set for himself an ambitious goalthat was to enter the agro-processing sector to make pitayabased products. People's knowledge of pitaya is limited. In 2015, Liew went to Suixi county in Zhanjiang located at a coastal city in neighboring Guangdong province to set up his agro-processing business.  Located south of the Tropic of Cancer, Suixi's geographical features are similar to Qinzhou's. There, Liew set up Guangdong Meichen Bio-Technology Co Ltd in which focuses on breeding pitaya seedlings, planting, agro-processing, sales and agricultural tourism. He also visited a maar volcanic lake in Zhanjiang, which was formed 140,000 to 160,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption. The geology here has rich soil for planting pitaya. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I share a report from globalchinadaily.com for our happy readings today.

Reported that in Liew's eyes that dragon fruit has great value because it can be used to make pulp, juice, or easily peeled to eat, with the peel itself having certain uses. A fruit like pitaya can be used to make a variety of products that can produce higher economic value. "Nothing in dragon fruit is wasted as he said. In the exhibition hall of Meichen Bio-Technology, vinegar, wine, juices and cosmetics, which are made of dragon fruit, attract visitors' attention. Only through agro-processing can agriculture be developed in a sustainable way. The company's sales reached more than 30 million yuan (USD4.56 million) last year, after over 10 varieties of products made of dragon fruit were promoted to the market. He have plans to promote more than 30 varieties of products to the market. The company's business was affected in the first half of this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but sales have grown moderately since August and his business of making pitaya-based products went well beyond his wife's habits－and has helped change the traditional way of planting the fruit. Later the company has dual goalsthat was to promote the dragon fruit and to help local farmers make more money. We are teaming up with the local government to help farmers earn more. Reported in Suixi county, on the Leizhou Peninsula he faces Hainan province in the south, and has a population of 1.09 million. Most are farmers. According to Li Qiang, director of Suixi county's agricultural bureau, the farming land of pitaya has increased from 2,000 hectares in 2016 to more than 6,000 hectares last year since the establishment of Liew's company.  The increase in farming land was mainly due to the agro-processing of dragon fruit over the past few years. Most of the fruit grown locally is made into fermented products or beverage products. In the past most farmers' incomes  depend mainly on planting and selling the fruit. Now with the advent of Liew's company, farmers are willing to plant more dragon fruit and, eventually, they will likely make more money. As part of a new cooperative, local farmers have been selling their dragon fruit to Meichen Bio-Technology since 2016. They receive a relatively high price. "Farmers no longer hesitate to plant more fruit without worrying about sales. On other report stated that  Zhou Chengfu (67) as a farmer of Naixian village in Suixi has plans to build a new house after three years of working as a technician at a planting base of Meichen Bio-Technology. He earns a monthly salary of more than 3,000 yuan. His family also plants dragon fruit on a land of about 0.3 hectare, which could help me earn about an additional 20,000 yuan a year. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).

Updated November 2023.

SEPANG DRAGON FRUIT - VIRAL

SEPANG DRAGON FRUIT ASSOCIATION recently made a viral story in Malaysia regarding their activity. The Sepang Dragon Fruit Association chairman Lee Chin Heng said the fruit was meant for something bigger following strong support from the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry. Already he said that Sepang (including Sungai Pelek and Salak) had become the hometown of dragon fruits in Selangor and Malaysia with an area of 404.8ha of plantations with a harvest of 1,000 tonnes a month that able generating an estimated RM300 million revenue a year. After uniting dragon fruit farmers in Sepang over the past seven years they believe that it is time for us to add value to dragon fruit by working with other sectors to reach greater heights. They claim that the success story of durian has inspired them in which they believe that by combining agriculture and tourism, we can better promote dragon fruit, which is a life-saver for Sepang as it is a healthy fruit to eat. Lee said this at the Sepang Tourism and Dragon Fruit Carnival in Taman Seri Sepang in Sepang New Village. He added that Sepang could also double up as a tourist gateway for visitors to Malaysia. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I rewrite this report as source of references. Dragon fruit can become a star to promote Sepang's agro-tourism as the produce is of high quality and taste. Through this carnival in which the association hopes to promote dragon fruit as a brand and for Sepang to become synonymous with it. The association was established in 2007 before being officially registered in 2019. At that time most of the dragon fruit had a major virus attack severly and they helped affected farmers. Today the farmers are ushering in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era and they hope dragon fruit farming can offer a new opportunity for the tourism industry and revenue for farmers. Most of them praised the ministry's efforts to introduce good agricultural practices to dragon fruit farmers. Farmers are taking part in the Malaysia Country Road Fun Ride at the carnival. Apart from visiting the carnival, visitors could also travel to tourist attractions in Sepang to experience local customs and culture, while trying out its traditional food and beverages. Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie said to boost Sepang's tourism, he had proposed that dragon fruit be aggressively tagged with the district as a landmark. So he said when people hear about Sepang, they will know it as a dragon fruit centre. He added that the carnival activities allowed visitors to better understand dragon fruits and their surrounding tourism. Among the activities were the Malaysia Country Road Fun Ride, which took visitors through dragon fruit orchards, restaurants and mangrove wharves. Now more visitors can learn more about the environment, enjoy the cool sea breeze along Sunset Paradise on Bayan Lalang beach, take part in leisure activities in Kampung Banghuris, and try out New Village cuisine. The scenic spots and township customs of Sepang and Sungei Pelek can also be explored on bicycle. The Awesome Malaysia Camping at Sunset Paradise offers visitors a two-day, one-night beachside camping experience. Parents and children can watch the sunset, have a seaside campfire and enjoy the amusement park. The Sepang Mars Base Tour is a guided event that allows tourists to enjoy the landscape which is similar to that on Mars. Thanks. Source: NST

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).

DRAGON FRUIT SILICON TECHNOLOGY

POTENTIAL OF SILICON NUTRIENT IN REDUCING FUNGAL DISEASE IN RED-FLESHED DRAGON FRUIT are report released by a group of scientists from University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) few years ago. However below are the report abstracts from their finding. Dragon fruit has a high market value and widely cultivated in many places in Malaysia. Nowadays, the dragon fruit plants are severely infected by fungal diseases causing economic loss to many farmers. This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of silicon treatments in reducing disease incidence and disease severity in dragon fruit plants. For this purpose, three silicon concentrations namely 1.5, 2.5 and 5.0 ml/L were applied as root treatment. Control plant was only irrigated with tap water. Occurrence of disease incidence and disease severity were recorded starting from planting until harvesting period and was later calculated. After harvest the silicon accumulation in both stems and fruits was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Based on the results, plants treated with T3 showed lower disease incidence and disease severity as compared to the other treatments and control. Average silicon accumulations in stems ranged between 28.10 ppm to 42.22 ppm, and between 110.59 ppm to 198.28 ppm in the fruits. A substantial response has been observed on uptake of silicon in reducing disease severity in dragon fruit plants. Thus, the application of silicon nutrient could help to improve plant defence mechanism in many agricultural crops in which could become a good strategy in controlling the diseases. For detail report better ask the scientist at UMT. 

From my observation regarding the dragon fruit major Diseases of Dragon especially on Fruit, Stem rot caused by Fungus and Bacteria. It is caused by either a bacterium or a fungus infection. It appears as yellowing and rotting of the stem and blades, caused by Xanthomonas and Erwinia, bacteria, or the Colletotrichum known as a fungus. It appears as redding-brown lesions with the center of the lesions becoming white. Spraying with a copper fungicide, mancozeb, and/or metalaxyl product certified for the crop and suitable for the pathogen in weekly intervals can control the infection and protect the plants. Moreover, farmers are advised to prune and destroy the infected plant parts.Stem and Fruit Canker (Neoscytalidium dimidiatum). This fungal disease is the most prevailing in South Florida. Severe problems on dragon fruit plantations have been reported in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North America. The symptoms on the stem with sunken chlorotic spots with a tiny orange center. The sports will turn into larger, convex, orange to reddish-brown sports, which often coalesce to form large brown lesions. The recommendation to control this disease is to maintain cleanliness. The goal of the sanitation program are:To keep the pathogen population at a low level by removing and destroying diseased stems. To increase airflow and fungicide penetration within the canopy. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).

RUBBER INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM AND MALAYSIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA is widely known as the world’s largest region for rubber plantations, with Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia accounting for nearly 80% of the global natural rubber output. This article will cover some important information for companies to consider when thinking about sourcing rubber products in Vietnam and Malaysia, the two fastest-growing markets in the rubber industry worldwide. For an overview of the rubber industry in Vietnam and Malaysia with their natural resources and the global soaring rubber demand in which both markets have the potential to grow further in upcoming years. However, there are distinctive characteristics between the two nations. While Vietnam’s major advantage is in raw materials sales (natural rubber) and Malaysia stands out in the production of synthetic rubber and medical glove production. In 2021, the Vietnamese rubber yield surpassed major manufacturing countries such as India, Thailand, and Malaysia. Vietnam’s estimated rubber output was at 1.2 million tons in the year, accounting for 8.7% of the world’s market share. The industry remains export-oriented, with China, India, Taiwan, South Korea, and the United States being the main export destinations. Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s rubber export turnover in 2021 was up about 36.2% compared to a year earlier. Furthermore, Vietnam is also the 5th largest importer of rubber with a total value of 648 million USD in 2020, and imports mainly from Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Actually, in this article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I would to share an information about both Malaysia and Vietnam rubber industry.

Malaysia ranked seventh in natural rubber production worldwide. In 2021, the total production volume reached 690.4 thousand tons of which natural rubber and synthetic rubber made up 68% and 32% respectively. The output decreased by 4% compared to 2020. Although the plantation hectarage for natural rubber plantations has been decreasing gradually over the last decade. The rubber industry continues to be significant for Malaysia due to its importance as an export product. In 2021, Malaysia’s export of rubber products soared 50.5% (YoY) to reach approximately 14 billion USD, with latex goods as the biggest contributor. The main export markets are the US and the EU which together take up more than 50% of the country’s export value. Reported that the products that can be sourced in Vietnam and Malaysia where Vietnam’s rubber industry development has mainly relied on the export of raw materials. There are three main product groups in the industry, including natural rubber, rubber products, and raw rubberwood or rubberwood products. Specifically, tire production consumes approximately 70% of the total amount of natural rubber, making it one of the fastest-growing rubber products, together with automobile spare parts, mattresses, and shoe soles. As sustainable materials have been rising in recent years, raw rubberwood, which is considered environmentally friendly, has become an important source of raw materials in Vietnam’s timber industry. Malaysia focuses on manufacturing and exporting products from rubber instead of raw and semi-processed rubber. The biggest and most popular export product is rubber gloves, which accounted for 89% total export value of rubber products in 2021. Glove export already doubled in 2020 and continued to increase by 55.4% in 2021. Other rubber export products that can be sourced from Malaysia include new pneumatic tires, latex thread, tubes, pipes, hoses, insulated wire and cables.
Governmental supports

The natural rubber industry is one of Vietnam’s most important agricultural and forestry industries. The Vietnamese government has focused on promoting the industry as a national brand to further push its growth. Ministries and localities have coordinated to implement supply-demand strategies to ensure the rubber supply matches demand. Rubber manufacturers are encouraged to produce natural latex and improve processing technologies to stay competitive in the market. The National Vietnam Value Programme allowed rubber companies to assess business performance and branding strategies, in which quality, innovation, and pioneering capacity are the main criteria taken into account for rubber businesses to be qualified as national brands. The Malaysian government consistently grants support policies to upstream rubber production companies as the industry is considered a key pillar in the economy. The policies range from subsidized gas prices and subsidy packages for high-technology companies, to tax exemption for up to 15 years for foreign companies investing in glove manufacturing. Big local players in the industry have taken advantage of the government policies and invested heavily in this sector. Source: NSTP 

Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).

LOW RUBBERWOOD SELLING PRICES IN FELDA

THERE ARE FEELING SAD when reading a report from NSTP how 'Felda settlers cry foul over low rubberwood selling prices' in September 2023. A report from Padang Terap, Kedah stated that Felda Lubuk Merbau settlers here are unhappy with rubberwood purchase offers by the Felda management in which they claim is set an unreasonably low rate. According to Felda Lubuk Merbau Ladang Lestari project development secretary Mohd Aman Ghazali that the prices offered by Felda for the trees to be cut down to make way for replanting projects is far too low when compared to the actual prices offered by other rubberwood factories (See picture above). He explained that Felda has only offered to buy rubberwood at a price of RM4,500 per hectare, while the real value of the tree's wood are estimated to be around RM11,000 per hectare. The RM11,000 per hectare figure is not a mere estimation, as we have brought in several other parties to assess it. If we can obtain that price, each settler can gain over RM30,000, as each of them owns 3.2 hectares of land. Reported that if the settlers agree to Felda's offered price, the amount we would receive would be approximately RM14,000 only and this amount is further expected to be deducted due to settlers' existing debts as they told reporters here today. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" I will share the reports regarding the low rubberwood selling porces in Felda as references.

Reported that due to the significant price difference one settlers known as Mohd Aman and over 200 settlers are hoping to be given the option to manage the logging activities themselves and sell the wood to any party willing to offer a fair price. When we carried out the logging and replanting process for the first time in (the year) 2000 the practices of this was allowed but now, they seem to have no way out and are told that we must sell rubberwood to Felda. They have no issue selling to Felda but the prices have to be fair and in line with current values. Currently in which most settlers still have debts amounting to tens of thousands of ringgit with Felda, and if the trees can be sold at their true value, settlers can certainly free themselves from the burden of debt. He added that such an offer is highly unreasonable when the cost for the replanting imposed by Felda is very high and it was ranging from RM85,000 to RM90,000. Meanwhile, if they hire other contractors to do the job then the cost is estimated to be around RM30,000 only but Felda imposes charges value of amounting RM85,000 to RM90,000. For this reason the settlers sincerely hope that the issue of wood prices is given attention. Give us the freedom to make decisions. It is understood that some of the more than 400 settlers have agreed to accept the price offered by Felda, while others are still demanding for a higher price. Meanwhile for another settler knwn as Mohd Suhaimi Omar, stressed that the settlers seem to have no choice but to sell the felled tree wood to other parties. Whether they like it or not, it is said that we must accept this price as well. If we don't accept it, it is understood that settlers will not be offered livelihood loans and other facilities in the future, including fertiliser. Source: NSTP.

Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Senior Agronomist,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(October 2023).