Dayak Community Key Pillar Of Sarawak’s Oil Palm Industry - Huang

SARIKEI, June 13 (Bernama) -- The Dayak community continues to be a key pillar of Sarawak’s oil palm sector, making up about 80 per cent of the state’s 54,984 smallholders, said Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii.

He said that of the total, 43,916 smallholders from the Dayak community were involved in oil palm cultivation across part of the 285,034 hectares of smallholder-owned oil palm plantations in Sarawak.

Huang said oil palm cultivation served as more than a source of economic gain, providing livelihoods, funding education and helping secure a better future for future generations.

“Oil palm cultivation and the Dayak community in Sarawak are closely intertwined, as the community constitutes the largest group of smallholders in the state,” he said when officiating the closing ceremony of the Aram Besawit 2026 Programme organised by the Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (DOPPA) at Dewan Suarah Sarikei today.

The programme attracted about 300 oil palm smallholders from Sarikei, Mador and the surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, Huang said smallholders must continue to enhance their knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices to remain competitive and meet global market requirements, including compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

He said the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification had become a crucial requirement for ensuring the country’s palm oil products gain access to premium international markets.

In this regard, he urged smallholders to make full use of the Sustainable Palm Oil Cluster (SPOC) initiative introduced by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to obtain MSPO certification free of charge.

Huang commended DOPPA for organising the Aram Besawit Programme 11 times since 2017, describing it as a significant platform for empowering smallholders through the sharing of the latest knowledge and technological advancements in the oil palm industry.

He also expressed appreciation for the Sarawak government’s commitment to developing the downstream palm oil sector, including waste-to-energy initiatives, which could add value to the industry and generate economic benefits for smallholders.

--BERNAMA