Doppa: 58,000 Sarawak oil palm smallholders risk losing market access under EUDR
18/10/2026 (The Borneo Post), Miri - About 58,000 independent oil palm smallholders in Sarawak could face threats to their livelihoods under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), scheduled for implementation next year, should they fail to meet its requirements.
Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) president Dr Napolean R Ningkos said many smallholders cultivated oil palm on Native Customary Rights (NCR) land without formal documentation to prove their land status, potentially hindering compliance.
He said requirements for precise land mapping, geolocation and traceability could prevent smallholders from accessing international markets, even if their plantations were not linked to deforestation.
“Without the necessary documentation, smallholders risk losing market access not because of links to deforestation, but because they lack the evidence required to demonstrate compliance,” he said in a statement.
Napolean said compliance costs, including geolocation, certification and record-keeping, could also burden smallholders, who lacked access to the necessary technology, expertise and resources.
“These costs could be passed down the supply chain, reducing smallholders’ earnings and increasing financial pressure on their operations.”
To address the challenges, Doppa called for a shared-responsibility approach involving governments, palm oil companies and consumer markets to provide smallholders with financial and technical support.
Napolean said the support should be tailored to smallholders’ different circumstances rather than adopting a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
“In Sarawak, community-based strategies could help reduce compliance costs by drawing on local knowledge of land and the environment.
“Involving communities in planning and decision-making would also encourage greater participation in sustainability initiatives,” he added.
He called for closer collaboration between European Union member states and palm oil-producing countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, to ensure that the transition to deforestation-free supply chains would not disproportionately burden smallholders.
“Companies should invest in compliance efforts, while governments establish support mechanisms and consumer countries contribute financially to the transition,” he said, adding that Doppa also proposed integrating the existing Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification system into the EUDR compliance process to simplify procedures and reduce duplication.
Napolean said building on existing national certification frameworks could ease administrative and financial burdens while helping smallholders meet international requirements.
“The successful implementation of the EUDR hinges on an inclusive approach that does not exclude smallholders.
“With the right support systems, financial assistance, and recognition of existing frameworks, smallholders in Sarawak and beyond can transition to deforestation-free supply chains,” he said.