03/10/2013 (Borneo Post) - Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas will see Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Sarawak next week to resolve complaints about differing prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs).

He said the price of FFBs was usually determined based on the Oil Extraction Rate (OER) and the grade – either Grad A, B or C.

“MPOB will investigate the matter because this (problem) not only happens here (Sarawak). It has been brought up in Parliament too.

“MPOB will look into the matter as soon as possible, especially on getting a transparent system of valuation,” Uggah said yesterday.

He said this in response to complaints by Dayak oil palm smallholders in Bintulu, which was reported yesterday.

The issue, which was raised during a recent seminar organised by the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), had resulted in tonnes of collected FFBs not being sold, and the affected smallholders lost a lot of money.

Uggah said MPOB was trying to get the price setting at the mills as a reference.

“Anyway, I will have a meeting with MPOB Sarawak in Kuching next week to look into the matter in detail,” said Uggah.