Felda will pay out RM100,916,600 in productivity incentive bonus to its land scheme settlers nationwide.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said the bonus payment was in appreciation of their contribution to the development of the country's oil palm and rubber industry, besides as an incentive for selling their produce through Felda.

He said the bonus rates were a minimum of RM400 up to the maximum of RM1,200, depending on the amount of produce sent to Felda.

"The bonus payment will benefit 112,635 Felda settlers throughout the country and will be made in cash at the Felda offices in early January, 2011," Najib said in a statement, here, today.

He said the settlers' produce sent through the Felda land scheme management were valued based on that sent in from January to October 2010.

"For the oil palm growers, the minimum requirement is 8.01 tonnes/hectare while the maximum incentive is for those who brought in more than 17 tonnes/hectare of produce.

"For the rubber growers, the minimum is 600.01kg/hectare and for the maximum incentive, more than 1,400kg/hectare."

Spur settlers to work harder

He said 30,611 settlers brought in their oil palm and rubber produce to the Felda management while another 61,170 who were engaged in replanting with Felda would receive the maximum bonus payment of RM1,200 each.

"This year too, Felda also gives special consideration to settlers in a number of land schemes experiencing low productivity due to unproductive crops or were waiting for their turns to replant.

"This also includes settlers' holdings acquired by the government for development projects and those with low crop productivity due to plant diseases or pest attacks."

About 2,000 settlers will be given this special consideration and they will each receive RM400.

Najib said 18,354 settlers or 16.29 per cent did not qualify for the incentive bonus because they did not send in their produce to Felda and were also short of the minimum amount set.

He said settlers who managed their holdings themselves and did not send their produce to Felda would also not be paid the incentive bonus.

"The government hopes that this bonus payment will spur Felda settlers nationwide to work harder to increase productivity.

"I also urge all settlers to participate in the programme with Felda in line with the agency's continuous effort to raise their income through research provision of advisory service," he added.

- Bernama