Plantations to operate as usual if MCO re-enforced

Work to go on as usual in plantations if MCO 2.0 is enforced.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (KPPK) has given an assurance that oil palm plantations will be given permission to operate as usual if the government implements the Movement Control Order (MCO) 2.0.

Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said this was important to ensure that palm oil production was not interrupted and the country could continue its commodity exports to the rest of the world.

"We have gone through the MCO 1.0 phase in March 2020 and today we have been through it for almost one year. Of course, we have learned the best way for us to manage the plantations more prudently.

"Besides that, workers in oil palm plantations have always practised social distancing and their jobs require them to distance themselves. Hence, the spread of COVID-19 can be avoided," he told a press conference in conjunction with the Palm Oil Economic Review & Outlook (R&O) today.

Mohd Khairuddin said his ministry was optimistic that the palm oil trade performance would be better this year due to the positive forecast of the country's economy, as well as productivity, which is expected to increase due to good agricultural practices that formed the basis of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MPSO) certification scheme.

He said as at Dec 31,2020, a total of ​​5.2 million hectares or 88.25 per cent of the 5.9 million hectares under oil palm cultivation in Malaysia have obtained the MSPO certificates.

A total of 434 mills or 96.02 per cent of the 452 palm oil mills have also obtained the MSPO certificates.

Meanwhile, he said Malaysia has decided to file legal action with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union's (EU) restrictions on palm oil-based biofuel. - Bernama