PITAS: The issue of extremely low sale prices for fresh oil palm fruit bunches, affecting over 300 smallholders in this district, has been resolved.
There has been an increase in price of RM50 to RM70 per tonne, effective last Saturday.
The increase came following the intervention of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), which stepped in to address the long-standing pricing issue faced by smallholders here.
In a statement, MPOB said the price increase was achieved after reaching an agreement with the Pitas smallholder community.
"This price adjustment resolves the problem of fresh fruit bunch sales from smallholders to buyers for the long term, benefiting oil palm farmers.
"Previously, Pitas smallholders reported a price of RM530 per tonne for fresh fruit bunches, which was significantly lower than in other districts," it said.
MPOB also plans to propose to the relevant ministry the establishment of a fresh fruit bunch weighing centre in Pitas to facilitate smallholders.
"MPOB also encourages Pitas smallholders to join the Sustainable Palm Oil Growers Cooperative (KPSM) to ensure greater financial transparency, with oversight by both MPOB and the Malaysian Cooperative Commission," it added.
In addition, MPOB advised Pitas smallholders to sell their fresh fruit bunches to KPSM, as it offers better prices than other weighing centres.
Previously, more than 300 oil palm smallholders in the district claimed that buyers often deceived them by not following government-set rates.