Meneroka Refleksi Simpati Rasional Orang Tengah dalam Rantaian Pengeluaran Kelapa Sawit Pekebun Kecil

Abstract

The middlemen remain as an essential element in the value chain of agricultural produce. This study aims to examine the middlemen roles in agriculture produce market based on the Theory of Moral Sentiment. The explanation reflects the implementation of rational sympathy and benevolence of middlemen actions according to Moral Sentiment Theory argument. This study emphasizes the context of palm fruit middlemen (FD) in Malaysia. This study employs in-depth interview with four palm fruit dealers in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia. The finding indicates that the middlemens’ roles have reflected the rational sympathize and benevolence as in the Moral Sentiment Theory. Execution of moral sentiment is found in two aspects, namely the commercial and social aspects. The rational sympathy is translated in the form of pure commercial services such as purchase of raw produces, farm management, selling of farm necessities and transportation. Although they are paid services, the small holders gain advantages from such services. On the other hand, the middlemen also obtain cash advance and farm items credit which reflects FD benevolence to willingly forgo potential of extra profit. Although repayment of credits is deductable from the selling proceeds, small 46 Akademika 87(2) palm holders still gain benefits from the service as it was provided without the need of collateral, compliance of rigid loan application procedures, finance charges and with flexible payback arrangement. Therefore, middlemen activities are in line with the moral sentiment and has explicitly underlies the particular FD context. Policy implications have been proposed such as increasing the numbers of FD in the market and colloboration of information and actions between FD-MPOB.

Keywords

• Orang tengah; pekebun kecil; kepemurahan; simpati; sentimen moral