Plantations industry badly in need of stability

Photo: Reuters

THE plantations industry has always been an important economic asset for the country with rubber and oil palm being the dominant crops. Though rubber has lost some of its earlier shine, it still offers the potential to remain a vibrant source of economic wealth. Oil palm, now more than 105 years old, is still riding high.

However, the oil palm sector has been under a lot of pressure from competition from other oils in the global edible oils business – it has to compete with 17 other oils.