MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Oil Palm Industry Urged To Adopt Available Technologies To Boost Growth
Oil Palm Industry Urged To Adopt Available Technologies To Boost Growth
19/06/2014 (Bernama) - The oil palm industry must work in concert to maximise the adoption of available technologies to ensure growth of all the sectors in the industry, says Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He said industry members, government-linked companies and small and medium enterprises must also venture into commercialisation of technologies in the palm oil industry and explore new potential growth areas.
Speaking at the MPOB 20th Transfer of Technology Seminar 2014 here Wednesday, he said the approach would open up new opportunities to create new wealth for the companies, the industry and the country.
Uggah said industry members should continue to develop new technologies to create products such as aviation fuel and other oleo-chemical derivatives that could further diversify palm oil use.
At the same time, further research was needed to be undertaken in the upstream sector where there was a need for new varieties, which could shorten the gestation period as well as enhance efficiency and productivity, he said.
"We need to benchmark against soyabean, where productivity is much higher due to the application of modern and latest technologies. Comparatively we are not developed enough yet," he said.
This has prompted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to urge the oil palm sector to increase the productivity of the country's crude palm oil to six and eight tonnes per hectare from four tonnes, Uggah said.
Uggah said he has also discussed with Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to address the disputes in oil extraction rate.
"Efforts are being made to enable the formulation of a more scientific instruments to measure oil extraction rate to avoid disputes," he said.
In a span of more than 30 years in research and development, MPOB has carried out research in all aspects of the industry and launched more than 500 technologies.
He said industry members, government-linked companies and small and medium enterprises must also venture into commercialisation of technologies in the palm oil industry and explore new potential growth areas.
Speaking at the MPOB 20th Transfer of Technology Seminar 2014 here Wednesday, he said the approach would open up new opportunities to create new wealth for the companies, the industry and the country.
Uggah said industry members should continue to develop new technologies to create products such as aviation fuel and other oleo-chemical derivatives that could further diversify palm oil use.
At the same time, further research was needed to be undertaken in the upstream sector where there was a need for new varieties, which could shorten the gestation period as well as enhance efficiency and productivity, he said.
"We need to benchmark against soyabean, where productivity is much higher due to the application of modern and latest technologies. Comparatively we are not developed enough yet," he said.
This has prompted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to urge the oil palm sector to increase the productivity of the country's crude palm oil to six and eight tonnes per hectare from four tonnes, Uggah said.
Uggah said he has also discussed with Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to address the disputes in oil extraction rate.
"Efforts are being made to enable the formulation of a more scientific instruments to measure oil extraction rate to avoid disputes," he said.
In a span of more than 30 years in research and development, MPOB has carried out research in all aspects of the industry and launched more than 500 technologies.