MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Soppoa to Focus on Productivity, Sustainability
Soppoa to Focus on Productivity, Sustainability
11/08/2014 (Borneo Post) - Following the success of a workshop on Good Agricultural Practices held in Bintulu recently, Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) will continue to focus on productivity and improving performances in the overall activities of the palm oil industry.
During the workshop, areas of concern were also discussed and these issues mainly relate to limitation of land areas for planting, pest and diseases controls, productivity and performances as well as sustainability under the proposed Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standards for the industry in Malaysia.
In light of these weaknesses, the association requests Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to assist its local plantation companies in carrying out joint-studies to identify the causes and to find ways for improvements so that the Sarawak oil palm industry can realise its full potential.
“While Sarawak is viewed as the last frontier for palm oil industry in Malaysia, there are limitations which have to be addressed.
“Growth of new planted areas is expected to slow down over the next few years due to limited land available for planting.
“Significantly, there are also serious concerns of substantially lower fresh fruit bunches ( FFB) yields for Sarawak, which in year 2013 recorded an average of only 16.23 tonnes per hectares compared to 20.88 and 19.26 tonnes per hectares for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia respectively, due to age profile of planted oil palms and other factors,” a spokesperson for Soppoa said in a press statement.
Soppoa believed that there were gaps that needed to be closed through improvements in plantation management.
Although the percentage of oil extraction rates (OER) in Sarawak are comparable to the rest of the country, OER in the state has been on a declining trend over the years, in particular for those plantations located along the coastal region, Soppoa highlighted.
As such, Soppoa has requested MPOB to assist its local plantation companies to improve the palm oil industry in Sarawak.
Towards this end, Soppoa has also called for growth in production through the improvement in plantation management and mills performance.
It added that it would also be actively promoting the best plantation management practices to both its members and small holders/farmers to realise the yield potentials.
At the same time, Soppoa called for the second push for growth of the industry by focusing on productivity and sustainability of the industry.
“It must also be emphasised that Soppoa is working closely with the relevant authorities in improving the productivity and performances in Sarawak by adopting Good Agricultural Practices as prescribed, and collaborating with fellow planters in areas of pest and diseases control as well as improving FFB yields and OER.
“In this connection, SOPPOA is requesting for more MPOB research and development (R&D) activities in Sarawak to bring the industry’s performances to the levels achieved in other states,” Soppoa’s spokesperson lamented.
According to the spokesperson, the main areas which will warrant more research are nutrients management for the estates, pest and disease controls, better labour management and adoption of the proposed MSPO for the production of sustainable palm oil in the industry here.
It also noted that POB will be holding a seminar for smallholders on this issue in the state in the near future and this is expected to benefit these smallholders/farmers to better manage their estates.
On the just concluded workshop in Bintulu, Soppoa said, its participants from companies under the association were updated by MPOB scientists and experts on the latest findings from research activities conducted in the state, sharing of experiences by members on good practices on pests and diseases controls, mills management and effluent management, MSPO guidelines and implementation principles, as well as weed management, nutrients management and related activities.
Soppoa is committed to enhancing the industry’s performances and will continue to hold such activities on a regular basis to boost the productivity and performances of the palm oil industry here.
During the workshop, areas of concern were also discussed and these issues mainly relate to limitation of land areas for planting, pest and diseases controls, productivity and performances as well as sustainability under the proposed Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standards for the industry in Malaysia.
In light of these weaknesses, the association requests Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to assist its local plantation companies in carrying out joint-studies to identify the causes and to find ways for improvements so that the Sarawak oil palm industry can realise its full potential.
“While Sarawak is viewed as the last frontier for palm oil industry in Malaysia, there are limitations which have to be addressed.
“Growth of new planted areas is expected to slow down over the next few years due to limited land available for planting.
“Significantly, there are also serious concerns of substantially lower fresh fruit bunches ( FFB) yields for Sarawak, which in year 2013 recorded an average of only 16.23 tonnes per hectares compared to 20.88 and 19.26 tonnes per hectares for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia respectively, due to age profile of planted oil palms and other factors,” a spokesperson for Soppoa said in a press statement.
Soppoa believed that there were gaps that needed to be closed through improvements in plantation management.
Although the percentage of oil extraction rates (OER) in Sarawak are comparable to the rest of the country, OER in the state has been on a declining trend over the years, in particular for those plantations located along the coastal region, Soppoa highlighted.
As such, Soppoa has requested MPOB to assist its local plantation companies to improve the palm oil industry in Sarawak.
Towards this end, Soppoa has also called for growth in production through the improvement in plantation management and mills performance.
It added that it would also be actively promoting the best plantation management practices to both its members and small holders/farmers to realise the yield potentials.
At the same time, Soppoa called for the second push for growth of the industry by focusing on productivity and sustainability of the industry.
“It must also be emphasised that Soppoa is working closely with the relevant authorities in improving the productivity and performances in Sarawak by adopting Good Agricultural Practices as prescribed, and collaborating with fellow planters in areas of pest and diseases control as well as improving FFB yields and OER.
“In this connection, SOPPOA is requesting for more MPOB research and development (R&D) activities in Sarawak to bring the industry’s performances to the levels achieved in other states,” Soppoa’s spokesperson lamented.
According to the spokesperson, the main areas which will warrant more research are nutrients management for the estates, pest and disease controls, better labour management and adoption of the proposed MSPO for the production of sustainable palm oil in the industry here.
It also noted that POB will be holding a seminar for smallholders on this issue in the state in the near future and this is expected to benefit these smallholders/farmers to better manage their estates.
On the just concluded workshop in Bintulu, Soppoa said, its participants from companies under the association were updated by MPOB scientists and experts on the latest findings from research activities conducted in the state, sharing of experiences by members on good practices on pests and diseases controls, mills management and effluent management, MSPO guidelines and implementation principles, as well as weed management, nutrients management and related activities.
Soppoa is committed to enhancing the industry’s performances and will continue to hold such activities on a regular basis to boost the productivity and performances of the palm oil industry here.