Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad highlights that smallholders contribute 88.7 percent of Malaysia’s natural rubber production.
SIK: Smallholders contributed 88.7 percent to the country’s natural rubber production up to last June, proving their vital role in ensuring the sustainability of the commodity industry.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said that therefore, the well-being and needs of smallholders have always been a priority for the ministry, including ensuring they have easy access to information, assistance, advisory services, and technology.
“The rubber industry is not just about production and export value; rather, it also involves the role played by smallholders,” she said in her speech at the launch of the Getah Untuk Rakyat (GeRaK) Counter Service here today.
Noraini said the implementation of the GeRaK Counter through a one-stop center concept can bring government services closer to smallholders by gathering various services in a single location.
She noted that this enables smallholders to obtain information, advisory services, and submit applications related to the rubber industry much more easily.
“To date, a total of 44 one-stop center programmes have been held across Peninsular Malaysia, including eight programmes implemented in Kedah.
“We want them to come not just to ask questions, but we want their matters resolved and every issue raised to be followed up with action,” she said.
Commenting on the selection of Kedah as the launch location, Noraini said the Sik district has a large community of rubber smallholders, with 8,761 Rubber Transaction Authority Permit (PAT-G) holders cultivating rubber across an area of more than 10,800 hectares.
She added that throughout Kedah, there are 47,855 PAT-G holders with the total cultivated rubber area reaching over 59,000 hectares.
In a related development, Noraini said the implementation of the New Model Pilot Project for the Latex Production Incentive Plus (IPL+) in Kedah since 2024 involves 111 smallholders across four clusters.
“As of August 2026, this project has produced more than 110,000 kilograms of latex and generated a cumulative income of around RM1.37 million.
“This achievement shows that smallholders are capable of increasing their yields when provided with the right incentives, technology, and market access,” she said.
