PADANG TERAP: The Rural Development Ministry has distributed over RM50 million in allocation to develop the rubber industry in Kedah.
Caretaker Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the allocation, which was distributed through the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda), has benefited 73,642 smallholders in the state.
Risda, he said, has implemented a number of initiatives to increase the household monthly income and elevate the livelihood of rubber smallholders in Kedah.
"The Latex Incentive Scheme (SIL) with assistance amounting to RM479,000 has benefited a total of 165 smallholders in the Baling, Sik, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu, Langkawi and also the Padang Terap areas," he told reporters after the state-level Risda Small Rubberholders Prosper event here today.
Present were Risda deputy director-general of development, Ali Sabuddin Abd Samad and Risda Kedah director, M Azmi Mohd Mohid.
Mahdzir said Risda has also rolled out a slew of development programmes namely the Rubber Replanting Programme, the Productivity and Marketing Programme, the New Product Programme and the Entrepreneurship Programme.
He also shared the development of the rubber replanting programme by Kedah Risda involving 1,327 smallholders in the state.
To date, he said, 1,551 hectares of plantation had been replanted with rubber trees.
"To support the rubber replanting programme, Risda provides Agricultural Input Transport Assistance such as rubber seeds and fertilizers to the rural areas of Langkawi and Pulau Tuba," he said.
He said the ministry has also set aside RM10.59 million to carry out Mature Rubber Scheme under the Productivity and Marketing Programme, which benefited 5,801 smallholders this year.
