02/10/2012 (Bernama) - About 700,000 smallholders nationwide will continue to receive benefits from the 2013 Budget announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently.

Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said his ministry received an allocation of RM2.9 billion to provide various forms of assistance and incentives to those involved in the commodity sector.

"The allocation is also for the continuation of the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) projects involving oil palm and rubber to increase the productivity and income of smallholders," he said after opening the Smallholders and Commodity Entrepreneurs National Conference at the Melaka International Trade Centre, here, Tuesday.

Also present were the ministry's secretary-general Datin Paduka Nurmala Abd Rahim and Malaysian Palm Oil Board chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.

The one-day inaugural conference was attended by about 1,000 smallholders and those from the primary commodity industry from throughout the country.