{
  "id": 16183923,
  "title": "58,000 S’wak oil palm smallholders risk losing EU market access, says Nanta",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/58-000-swak-oil-palm-smallholders-risk-losing-eu-market-access-says",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-23T11:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/23/58-000-s-wak-oil-palm-smallholders-risk-losing-eu-market-access-says-nanta"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sarawak's oil palm smallholders, numbering around 58,000, face the potential loss of EU market access due to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) according to Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi. The issue lies in the absence of formal land documentation for native customary rights (NCR) land held by these smallholders, which makes it challenging for them to meet the EU's requirements on land legality and traceability. Works Minister Linggi emphasized that many of these smallholders risk being left behind as their NCR land lacks proper documentation. The Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association raised concerns about this issue, prompting Kapit MP Nanta to stress the need for the state government to act swiftly to ensure these rural communities continue to benefit from developing their land. Nanta highlighted the hard work of these smallholders who are striving to productively utilize their land for income and family support. An exemption from the EU for NCR land under the EUDR has been sought by the Minister of Food Industry, Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, in collaboration with the federal plantation and commodities ministry and the Malaysian palm oil certification council. Nanta urged the state government to keep the public informed about the appeal and any response from the EU, stressing that efforts to secure an exemption should be pursued concurrently with faster land surveys, documentation, and title issuance.",
  "summary": "Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi says the state government must resolve land titles issue before deforestation regulation kicks in.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}