KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 17): The government promotes and widely disseminates information on schemes and assistance provided under the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, especially in the rural and interior areas of Sarawak,  through the relevant agencies, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah, who is also the plantation and commodities minister, said the ministry had also made announcements of schemes and assistance in programmes or activities, such as exhibitions and lectures, organised by other departments or agencies.

He said they include the Agriculture Outreach Programme (AgriCorp) organised by the Sarawak Department of Agriculture (JPS).

"JPS also organises development activities involving courses, training, workshops and study tours with smallholders in Sarawak," he told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.

He was responding to a question from Roy Angau Gingkoi (Gabungan Parti Sarawak-Lubok Antu) regarding efforts by the government to widely spread information on schemes and assistance provided under the ministry in the rural and interior areas of Sarawak.

For the oil palm sector, he said, information on the schemes and the assistance provided under the ministry is disseminated through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), while for the pepper sector, it is done by the Malaysian Pepper Board.

In another development, he said, the government has allocated RM10 million to implement a pilot project on the use of stimulant gas, which is capable of increasing rubber production up to threefold.

This initiative is expected to further increase the income of rubber smallholders and the country's rubber production, he added.

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