Top palm oil producers raise concerns over pertinent issues

Long-term permit: Lee suggests that the government have a different policy for foreign workers in the plantation sector

TWO of Malaysia’s top planters have raised concerns over Malaysia’s long-standing oil palm-related issues such as stagnating yields, skilled worker woes and low interest in value-added downstream activities, as well as the urgent need to address the negative perception on palm oil in the world markets.

At the recent “Malaysia: A New Dawn” conference, IOI Corp Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Lee Yeow Chor pointed out that the country’s palm oil yields have remained stagnant for the past 15 years.