Government focus efforts on enhancing palm oil operations, yields
29/10/2024 (New Straits Times), Kuala Lumpur - The government is actively implementing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and yields to empower palm oil smallholders across the country.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said among the government's efforts to empower smallholders in the country, including in Sabah and Sarawak, was to assist them in improving the efficiency of their operations and crop yields.
In a Parliamentary written reply, Johari said the increase in crop yields and operations efficiency could be achieved through scheduled replanting.
"Throughout January to September, the replanting rate in Sabah was 1.7 per cent higher than in Peninsular Malaysia at 1.6 per cent, while Sarawak's rate is at 1.4 per cent.
"Other efforts include ensuring that the smallholders have a supply of quality seeds and fertilisers, enough labour, and a mechnisation of farm operations."
The Titiwangsa member of Parliament also said the government fully covered the cost of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification for independent smallholders and also provided subsidies.
He added that the MSPO certification scheme was essential for smallholders to ensure that the crude palm oil (CPO) they produce can continue to be exported.
"With these steps, Malaysian palm oil products will be known as high-quality and environmentally friendly, thus allowing it to be sold at a higher premium.
"The ministry is confident that if we can ensure efficient operations at a competitive cost throughout the supply chain, all stakeholders, including smallholders, can benefit."
He said this in a reply to Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), who asked about the ministry's initiatives to assist palm oil smallholders in Kinabatangan in facing the challenges of price fluctuations, and its plans to promote sustainable farming practices, and encourage crop diversification.
Johari said the price fluctuation for CPO was out of anyone's control as it depended on the production rate and global demand.
"It is also influenced by factors such as geopolitical crisis, competition with other vegetable oils, weather and climate, government policy, food security agendas, and others," he added.