File photo for illustration purposes only.
KUCHING (July 9): The Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) will pay out a second net proceeds payment (NPP) or dividend for the year 2020 to its project participants in the middle of this month.
In a statement today, Salcra said the second payment amounting to RM16.97 million involves 12,994 participants.
The first payment was made in early January this year.
“Participants who will receive this NPP are advised to check and ensure that their bank account number is accurate and the same as that registered with Salcra to ensure that the payment is entered correctly.
“We hope this payment can help ease the burden of our participants in facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Salcra said.
The authority said the productivity performance of oil palm production has been slightly affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic, especially for the first six months of this year.
Strict border control directives by the government have affected the recruitment of foreign labour required, either for new recruitment or to replace workers whose permits already expired, said Salcra.
“This caused operation of the plantation to be affected, especially the production of fresh fruit bunches (FFB). So far, the farms are only functioning with a strength of 53 per cent of the workforce,” it said.
To reduce the labour gap, Salcra is now working to hire local workers as harvesters as well as fill job vacancies at plantations, in addition to increasing the use of machinery.
It said that this effort to some extent also helps to cover the income of local workers affected by the pandemic.
Salcra has also appointed local contractors, apart from planning and implementing several initiatives to increase FFB production.
“It is hoped that this effort will be well received by the workers. Salcra management also would like to invite local workers and contractors to take advantage of the opportunities provided.
“Salcra will continue to work to increase productivity on the plantations this year. If the Covid-19 pandemic infection can be curbed, then operations can run smoothly as usual,” said the authority.