14 Companies Approved to Restore Abandoned Rubber Areas

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) has approved 14 Estate Management Companies (EMCs) to implement the Abandoned and Untapped Mature Rubber Consolidation Programme to restore rubber areas with the potential to resume tapping as of September.

The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities said 7,576 hectares are currently involved in the programme.

“Of the 14 companies, eight EMCs are carrying out restoration works on 3,719.47 hectares of abandoned land, with the works being implemented in stages beginning in July 2026,” the ministry said in a written reply published on Parliament’s website.

According to the ministry, the programme, which has been implemented since 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2027, involves plantations owned by government agencies and their subsidiaries, private plantations including rubber forest plantations, as well as smallholder farms.

It said the programme aims to restore 3,000 hectares of abandoned and untapped mature rubber areas in 2027.

“The programme is being implemented so that these areas can resume tapping and contribute to increasing the country’s rubber production.

“Once these areas resume tapping, rubber production is expected to increase gradually towards the target of an additional production of at least 4,500 metric tonnes of natural rubber annually.

“This programme will also create employment opportunities for rural communities, particularly the younger generation, as well as opportunities for cooperatives and rubber entrepreneurs to participate in the programme through EMCs,” the ministry said.

Berita Harian