Malaysia bets on barn owls to control rats in palm plantations

United Plantations has also looked at using leopard cats to catch the rats. Research published last year said that rat-eating macaques could also come to the aid of palm oil firms. (File picture shows a barn owel.)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil companies should try to boost the numbers of barn-owls living in their plantations to tackle a rat problem rather than using snakes or macaques, the Malaysian palm Oil Board said on Wednesday.

Rats thrive in palm plantations and can reduce oil yields by 5% to 10% by feeding on the palm fruit, according to industry estimates, a headache for the world's second biggest producer and exporter of palm oil after Indonesia.