BALING: The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) will provide assistance to 140 rubber smallholders in the district affected by the July 4 floods.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif said the 140 rubber smallholders owned a combined total of 98ha of rubber estates in the area.
"The assistance includes replanting rubber trees destroyed by the floods, repairing estates damaged during the disaster and repairing damaged access roads to the estates.
"Each of them is entitled to aid worth up to RM7,710 for each hectare," he said after visiting the flood-ravaged sites today.
He said the 140 affected rubber smallholders were among the 13,121 rubber smallholders who owned 13,988ha of rubber estates in Baling.
"It is crucial for Risda to extend assistance to the affected rubber smallholders, since Baling is among the biggest rubber producers in the country. We have also provided assistance to six Risda entrepreneurs affected by the floods," he said.
Salim said the Risda Foundation also gave RM1,000 cash aid to 17 families whose homes were completely destroyed or seriously damaged by the disaster.
He said the foundation also presented 1,000 food baskets worth RM100,000 to the victims.