KETUM, banned in Malaysia for its stimulant properties, is said to be one reason for a professional cycling team’s victory in four stages of the prestigious Le Tour de France recently.

“Ketones” drink was used as an energiser for cyclists in the race.

It is not on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list.

However, on – or even in – Malaysian soil, the ketum plant is considered hazardous under the Poison Act, with the government not showing much interest in taking advantage of its properties.

Known by its scientific name Mitragyna speciosa, this tropical tree is found in several Southeast Asian countries.

Former Rubber Industries Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) chairman Zahidi Zainal Abidin said ketum is in demand abroad, especially in the United States.

The Padang Besar MP was one of the founding fathers who promoted to small farmers the selling of ketum when he chaired the agency.

With a kilo fetching RM400 to RM500 on the international market, its production and marketing is valuable to locals.

“The country can benefit from this, especially in rural areas. If this is allowed, it can help the poor.

“The prices of palm oil and rubber have dropped drastically but ketum maintains its value and it’s easy to take care of it,” Zahidi told The Malaysian Insight.

When he was at Risda, Zahidi said he tried helping smallholders grow vegetables for additional income. However, it did not work out.

“We gave RM30 million to kick start their business but it failed due to the marketing system and also because the soil in the villages was not suitable.

“However, ketum is suitable and I hope the government can consider allowing the plantation of ketum for commercial purposes.”

Zahidi said the government can impose a tax on its sale that will then be beneficial to each state.

“Funds from the sale can be used to combat drug abuse and misuse of ketum. From the tax, we can give up to RM3 million to RM4 million to the states each year to fight drug addiction.

“Anti-drug agencies are facing a tough battle against drug abuse because they are not well funded.

“A ketum business will give the country a large income and will help rural folk.”

Zahidi added that Indonesia earned RM10 million a month from growing ketum in Kalimantan.

“We lose RM100 million each year because we prohibit growing ketum for commerce.

“Our trees are far better than those of Indonesia or Thailand,” he said.

For every acre (0.4ha) of the plant, a farmer can reap up to RM20,000 a month, he said.

He then compared ketum to the palm oil industry where for the same size of land, a farmer can only grow 60 oil palm trees, with a maximum income of RM1,000 each month.

He estimated that 300 ketum trees could be planted in 0.4ha and each tree can produce 5kg of leaves during harvesting period.

Ketum farmer Abdul Manaf, 68, from Penang said his income was meagre from the rental of his land to padi farmers.

It was not enough for him working as a sub-contractor.

“I was a sub-contractor and my monthly income was RM10,000 but after paying my bills, I only kept RM3,000 to RM4,000.

“Since planting ketum, I am able to buy a car, buy a small piece of land.

“I was a poor man, to send my kids to school was also hard,” said Abdul, who started growing ketum in 2000.

He is now able to save up to RM10,000 per month.

He also hires people to pick ketum leaves at his farm for RM5 a kilo.

The father of nine said he also sells seeds for RM15 a plant.

“I hope the government can do more extensive research. Ketum has been used for many years and it also has medicinal values.

“Do not ban it straight away.”

Another farmer told The Malaysian Insight that he was able to get RM1,500 from 100 ketum trees on his 0.2ha.

“Ketum is said to be addictive but it’s not. It has its own benefit for many illnesses.

“I have been growing ketum trees for the past seven years.”

Abdul Halim Iberahim from the Persatuan Pencinta Herba Pulau Pinang (PPHPP) said ketum could be sold as juice or sold for its leaves.

“In the US, they turn ketum into pills to help heroin addiction as a substitute for methadone.

“There are many products from ketum that we can find on the internet but we do not know the ingredients used.

“That is why we want enforcement so that we can control its sale. We do not want fake products flooding the market,” he said.

Putrajaya has yet to decide on amending the Poison Act to help fight the abuse of, or promote, ketum.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye was reported as saying that the amendments will help solve the issue of exporting and cultivation.

However, the amendments are not going to promote large scale plantation of ketum.

A week ago a man in Teluk Intan was arrested for distributing ketum leaves weighing as much as 225kg for RM12,250. – July 23, 2019.