Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said there are about 420,000 hectares of rubber plantations owned by smallholders involving mature rubber trees which are no longer productive. Ahmad Zahid said rubber tree logs cut down for replanting can be used as 'timber' to generate side income. 'The timber or wood material can be used to make furniture that can be sold before the treatment process (replanting) is done. 'With an area of ??420,000 hectares, it can provide a lucrative yield of about RM2 billion within 10 years, or RM200 million a year,' he said while officiating at the Karnival RISDA MADANI (KARRISMA) South Zone Level 2024 at Dataran Uptown Kluang here today. KKDW sees the rubber industry in this country as needing new mechanisms to boost export performance and not continue to rely on conventional methods, said Ahmad Zahid. This is because the country's rubber export position has fallen to eighth place this year compared to the first po sition in previous years, he said. 'Latex is also a product of the country that dominated the world market before, but now we have to import it. The two scenarios are a big challenge for the country but I believe Risda has proposed some game changers,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency