OIL PALM ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA AND R&D PROGRESS IN 2018

Abstract

Staying resilient is probably an understatement for the oil palm industry during the period of 2018. Whilst other sectors such as the electrical and electronics and other manufactured products were experiencing a bullish growth, the export value of palm oil and palm oil-based products was on the decline. This is essentially due to the looming threat of a total ban of palm oil-based biodiesel by the European Union (EU) come 2021 and the higher production from palm oil plantations in Indonesia causing lower demand and oversupply worldwide. In view of the former, Malaysia's export market scene is expected to change in the coming years. Malaysia has since identified several potential new markets in Africa, Central and South Asia. The negative campaigns relating to health, social or environment targeted at the oil palm are not new but the current action led by the West is clearly causing a major dent in the industry. As the most traded commodity, the industry as a whole is constantly subjected to scrutiny with environment being the current key issue warranting the imposition of checks and balances such as the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Rountable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. At the same time, every aspect of the research continues to progress further building on prior knowledge arising directly from working on the oil palm or through model systems. Their progress is briefly highlighted in this review. Clearly the main theme of the research from upstream to midstream and finally downstream are basically aligned with and directed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. This would consequently help further improve the perception of oil palm/palm oil in general.

Treated oil palm frond and its utilisation as an improved feedstuff for ruminants–An overview

“…industry in Malaysia produces large quantities of biomass residues annually that can potentially be used as indigenous feed ingredients for livestock feeding, such as oil palm frond (OPF), oil palm trunk (OPT), palm press fibre (PPF), empty fruit bunches (EFBs), palm kernel cake (PKC), palm oil mill effluent (POME) and decanter cake [1]. Oil palm biomass residues have become increasingly explored and exploited as promising alternatives to conventional feed for their ability to overcome the problem of feed resource waste, promote the sustainability of oil palm cultivation, and does not harm the environment [2]. Current trends in feed science and technology in animal nutrition may provide appropriate means for effectively utilising locally available crop residues in appreciable quantities to maximise the benefits of feed in animal systems.…”

Fate of cypermethrin in Malaysian oil palm plantation

“…1 In 2018, Malaysia produced more than 19.52 million tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO) and 2.30 million tonnes of crude palm kernel oil (CPKO), and exported a total of 24.82 million tonnes of various palm oil products worth RM 65.12 billion. 2 These oils are then further processed to be used in the manufacture of various products for human consumption as well as non-edible uses both in local or overseas markets.…”

Optimization of the Novel Bisulfite Steeping Method by Response Surface Methodology for Natural Starch Synthesis From Oil Palm Trunk Biomass

“…), a well-known monocotyledon perennial oilseed crop that is native to Guinea Coast of West Africa and widely planted across 42 equatorial countries especially Malaysia and Indonesia (Murai and Kondo, 2010). In 2019, Malaysia was the second among the global major palm oil producer countries, produced 20.5 million metric tons of crude oil (Kushairi et al, 2019) with 2.13 metric tons of palm kernel oil while the ultimate plantation area of the palm oil trees was around 6.6 million hectares (Tan and Ho, 2019). Malaysia is continuing to hold its position in the world for palm oil production as well as export, currently attributing to about 11% oil production and 27% of export trade of the world.…”