OIL PALM ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA AND R&D PROGRESS IN 2019
AHMAD PARVEEZ GHULAM KADIR
Abstract
continue to dominate the palm oil research scene and rightfully so especially when the industry is faced with practice and soil health cannot be relegated as a means towards narrowing yield gaps aside from improving of key technologies at every level of the process value chain with zero waste as the ultimate goal. Apart from driving sustainability, the industry has also doubled its efforts in ensuring that palm oil is safe. It is evident that the natural properties of the palm oil make it a healthier and versatile choice for food and its derivatives, respectively. However, its processing methods though need further scrutiny and transformation to allay concerns of its safety. Moving towards a greener and cleaner future, environment-centric policies have helped accelerate the adoption of bio-based materials fuelling palm oil's divergence further into the becoming effective from 1 January 2020, it is anticipated that demand for certified sustainable palm oil lies beyond forests. In general, 2019 was indeed a challenging year for the palm oil industry as a whole, however, this could be deemed a blessing in disguise as the industry has not only risen to the occasion but has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.