Labour curbs seen costing Malaysia's palm industry US$3bil in annual revenue

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 (Reuters): Malaysia's palm oil sector stands to lose an estimated 11.83 billion ringgit (US$2.89 billion) in revenue for each year that pandemic curbs restrict the supply of workers, an industry grouping said on Monday.

The world's second largest palm producer relies on foreigners for 70% of its plantation workforce, but the flow of workers from nations such as Indonesia and Bangladesh has dried up since border closures in the middle of March last year.