15/6/06 (The Star)  - KUALA LUMPUR: The Fifth International Planters Conference 2006 in Putrajaya has so far attracted over 1,000 participants from 13 countries.

Conference organiser Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) chief executive Daud Amatzin said the overwhelming response reflected the continued strong interest in the plantation sector.

This was despite the rising operational costs attributed by the higher crude oil prices and the not-so-rosy crude palm oil prices, he said.

Daud said the conference on June 26-27 titled Higher Productivity and Efficiency Practices for Sustainable Plantation Agriculture was aimed at addressing the impact and urgency in which adjustments had to be made by plantation players in the face of globalisation.

“We are focusing on enhancing the professionalism, good agriculture practices and sustainability issues across the board - from top planters, small- and medium-sized planters to smallholders,” Daud told a press conference yesterday.

He said it was vital for the players to sustain their competitive edge in the global market by strictly practising sustainable plantation agriculture, given the sector's strategic contribution to the economy.

Topics to be discussed include current and future prospects of the palm oil industry, trade issues in agriculture, renewable energy, supply chain for sustainable palm oil, Felda smallholders in plantation agriculture and oil palm smallholder sector in Africa. 

According to Daud, Malaysia's top 20 plantation players will attend the conference. 

They include Felda, Felcra, Risda, Golden Hope Plantations Bhd, Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd, IOI Corp Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, PPB Oil Palms Bhd and United Plantations Bhd.

“It is also encouraging to see the growing number of foreign participants, particularly from African countries and Indonesia,” he said.

He added that many were interested to know more about Malaysia's oil palm and rubber plantations.

“Some (foreign participants) have even indicated that they wanted to emulate Felda group's success in developing the smallholder scheme,” Daud said. 

The ISP conference is held once every three years