Palm oil output affected

Sector hit by floods and scarce labour.

KUALA LUMPUR: Palm oil production in Malaysia is being dealt a double blow from a shortage of workers to harvest the crop and torrential rains that have triggered floods in key growing areas of the world’s No 2 supplier.

Relentless heavy rain and thunderstorms have led to flash floods in parts of Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Pahang and Perak – the biggest palm oil-producing states in the country. While palm trees are typically water-loving and resistant to wet weather, prolonged floods could prevent harvesting – leading to overripe fruit and poor oil quality – and disrupting the transport of fruit to mills.