High-yielding rubber planting in Sarawak starts

Photo grab from PanoramioMALAYSIA’s Modernisation of Agriculture Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Alfred Jabu announced that Penan and Kelabit communities in the remote area of Baram, Sarawak have already started with the planting of high-yielding rubber.

Introduced early last year and launched by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the 520 hectares project, which is part of the Government’s programme to stave off poverty, has a total of 72 Penan families in Long Beruang and 60 Kelabit families in Long Peluan participating.

He said, the project aims to help participants generate sustainable income through rubber plantation on reaching maturity after four years.

The expected earning is at least RM2,000 per month per family once the rubber trees reach maturity for tapping, he said.

Jabu, who is also Rural Development Minister, explained that the project is inplemented in phases, with the first phase involving the clearing of land, building of infrastructure (road to the estate and nursery for rubber saplings), and followed by planting.