‘Pepper growers, dealers facing losses due to rejection of berries by marketing board’

KUCHING: Pepper Marketing Board ( PMB) in Serian is currently rejecting a lot of pepper berries brought to them by growers or pepper dealers, claimed DAP Serian branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak.

Addressing reporters during a press conference here yesterday, he said no pepper planters or dealers could recall ever facing such a situation.

“This has caused hardship and loss to pepper growers as well as licensed pepper dealers, especially those in villages who are registered as ‘Usahawan Tani Lada Hitam’.

“According to the dealers, white pepper is now totally unaccepted by the Board office in Serian. The reason given to some was that there was an oversupply and that the huge stock could not be disposed by way of sale or export,” said Edward.

He said according to a pepper dealer, dried processed pepper berries used to be classified into categories or grades, namely AAA, Special Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and FAQ.

“All of these grades used to be accepted,” he added.

AAA, which Edward described as white pepper, is now rejected outright along with Grade 2 and Grade 3. Grade 1 is accepted but subject to a limit of 3 sacks, while FAQ is severely scrutinised that it ends with most of it being rejected.

He went on to highlight two recent occurences at the PMB in Serian.

“In the first case, a grower brought his pepper to the Serian PMB and it was rejected outright.

“The pepper owner, knowing well that his pepper was of good quality, threatened to dispose his pepper berries into the drain and to photograph it and post it on WhatsApp and Facebook. The staff eventually bought it.”

Edward said in the second incident, a pepper farmer went over to the Board’s office with five sacks of pepper. Only two sacks were accepted while the other three were sold at a much reduced price, not to the Board, but to a third party.

“He had no choice but to part with it, at an unreasonably low price than what it should have been.

“The manner in which the PMB is conducting its pepper marketing business requires it to be reviewed. It has caused inconvenience and difficulties to pepper growers.

“Firstly, the cash for buying and cash in the ( Board’s) bank account is so limited that most farmers are unable to get cash upon selling of their pepper,” he claimed.

He added that when the Board runs out of cash, farmers are issued with a cheque which can only be cashed when the Board’s bank account has been replenished with funds.

“There are banks in Serian and the question of availability of cash should not arise.

“Knowing very well that Serian is one of the main pepper producing districts in Malaysia, the Board should have foreseen the need to have sufficient money in the Board’s account for the purpose of purchasing pepper from growers.”

The people, he said, are happy to see a PMB office in Serian and had expected to benefit from it, but are now having to sell their pepper through dealers in town at a lower price.

“One would question why the dealers could purchase the pepper when the PMB couldn’t,” said Edward, adding the present situation has resulted in many pepper growers considering to switching to oil palm growing instead.