18/11/2011 (Borneo Post) -  Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has taken various steps to address the problems faced by oil palm smallholders in Mukah.

MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May said in statement that among the steps to be taken is the setting up of a centre to enable the smallholders to easily sell their fresh fruit bunch (FFB), without having to sell them to the factories.

Choo said the matter had been discussed with the smallholders, and the centre is expected to be completed within three months.

MPOB had also put one additional enforcement officer to help with the grading of the FFB at Sarawak Plantation Agriculture Development (SPAD).

“We view the dilemma faced by the oil palm smallholders (in Mukah) with great concern, and we are taking immediate remedial actions,” Choo assured.

At present, the smallholders in Mukah have to wait long hours to sell their FFB, and compounding to their problem is that the seven mills offer different prices for their FFB.

With the seven mills offering different prices, the smallholders have no other options but to sell the FFB to SPAD, which currently offers the best prices.

Choo explained that the long queue at SPAD was because of the large quantities that it received due to the peak in production of FFB, which is between July and October.

Based on FFB production in the state, the peak period is between July and October, where the production increased by between 20 and 30 per cent.

In Mukah alone, the FFB production saw an increase of 37 per cent.

Recently, the situation hit a bad patch due to the malfunctioning of SPAD for 75 hours, which resulted in more than 3,000 tonnes of FFB not being processed.

On the difference of FFB prices in Mukah, Choo explained that prices depended on the FFB grade. For instance, SPAD paid RM608 per tonne for Grade I (more than 10 kg) and RM489 per tonne for Grade IV (less than five kg).

Choo said MPOB would intensify efforts to educate the smallholders about the price mechanism and the quality FFB.

MPOB observed the situation at SPAD on Oct 4 and found that the situation had improved to the extent that the waiting time was slashed from 48 hours to three.

The plight of the oil palm smallholders in Mukah was highlighted last September, where it was reported that they had to wait for two days in front of SPAD to sell their FFB at a reasonable price.