A total of RM70 million is allocated to improve the palm oil industry’s sustainability, including encouraging the recycling of palm waste material, Minister of Finance Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said.
“The government will also intensify efforts to promote and campaign to deal with global anti-palm oil movement,” he said at the tabling of Budget 2023 at the parliament today.
He said the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification has covered 98 per cent of palm oil cultivation.
On foreign workers levy, he said a multi-tiered levy for foreign workers is targeted to be implemented by 2023.
The budget also presented other forms of allocations for the agriculture sector and to improve the nation’s food security, as follows:
RM10mil allocated for AgroPenjara programme involving convicts going into agricultural activities and involving 70ha of land in Malaysian prisons.
RM256mil for rainy season assistance for rubber smallholders will benefit some 320,000 farmers.
RM1.8bil allocation for subsidies and incentives for paddy farmers, fishermen and smallholders.
Government to introduce an agriculture protection scheme.
RM228 million in aid for padi farmers. This will benefit 240,000 people.
Additional tax deductions for employers who hire former residents of juvenile detention centres.
RM1 billion to fund agro-food programmes.
RM56 million to support sustainable farming.
Government to support automation initiatives in the plantation sector.
RM70 million to support the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification programme.
RM40 million to encourage smallholders to diversify their crops.
RM315 million to rubber planting programmes.
RM56 million to support sustainable farming.
RM228mil assistance to benefit 240,000 paddy farmers.
