05/10/2011 (Borneo Post) - The Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) would help oil palm plantation smallholders who have to endure long queues at the mills when selling their fresh fruit bunch (FFB).

THE RIGHT WAY: A smallholder Salimah Kanawang from Rumah Mok, Ulu Lasi in Julau shows how she cuts the oil palm leaves.

DCCI deputy president Dato Sri Celestine Ujang Jilan said they would bring the problem to the attention of the authority concerned.

“We wish to do our part to help the smallholders,” he said at a seminar on ‘Products and Services by Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and Malaysian Rubber Board’ in Julau on Friday.

The guest-of-honor at the function was Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang.

Ujang noted most of the smallholders were Dayak, particularly those from the Central Region areas.

Earlier news reports highlighted the problem of limited number of oil palm mills there.

The smallholders suffered losses when their FFB were rejected after their value degraded due to the long queue.

The fact is that FFB must be processed as soon as it is harvested to maintain its quality.

In the case of a mill in Mukah, some lorries carrying FFB had to wait no less than two days to get the fruits processed.

On a similar matter, he said DCCI would try to find ways to help Dayak rubber smallholders on rubber marketing.

“So there will not be any more cases of rubber price being manipulated by unscrupulous dealers or individuals,” he said.

On politics, Ujang, who is former Kemena assemblyman, said the people of Julau should not listen to the propaganda of the opposition.

He said they were lucky to have Salang as their MP.

“I am sure Julau will continue to prosper if the people remain united under the Barisan Nasional,” he said.

About 700 farmers from Julau, Meluan, Pakan and as far as Kapit attended the half-day seminar which was held at Julau community hall.

It was organised by DCCI and RISDA.