Govt Focuses On Replanting To Boost Productivity, Smallholders' Income - Noraini
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 24 (Bernama) — Oil palm replanting efforts, particularly to replace ageing trees, remain a key government focus for boosting productivity and income of smallholders.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said ageing oil palm trees needed attention because they are directly linked to yields and, consequently, smallholders’ incomes.
“One of the government's key focus areas — driven by the Plantation and Commodities Ministry and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) — is the replanting of oil palms. We also provide various benefits and incentives to smallholders, including replanting support and help managing tree disease.
"Crucially, we need to increase the income of smallholders. How do we boost their earnings? One way is by producing high-quality oil palm fruit. At the same time, traceability — facilitated through MSPO — is a key focus to open up greater access to international markets," she told reporters after officiating the 2026 National Oil Palm Smallholders Conference here today.
Noraini said efforts to replace ageing oil palm trees are being carried out through initiatives such as the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Financing Incentive Scheme (TSPKS), which helps smallholders replant using high-quality planting materials.
She said the effort was important to establish more productive plantations to increase smallholders’ incomes. At the same time, traceability has become increasingly important to meet international market requirements.
The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification has become a key instrument in strengthening industry sustainability, with about 253,000 private smallholders nationwide having obtained the certification for more than 723,000 hectares (ha) of planted area.
In Sabah, 30,384 smallholders have been MSPO-certified with more than 188,000 ha planted, or 97.17 per cent of the total oil palm planted area.
She hopes that efforts to strengthen the commodity industry, including initiatives to empower smallholders, will continue to receive attention.
Noraini said RM63.5 million was allocated under Budget 2026 to strengthen markets, promote sustainable certification among smallholders and address the global anti-palm oil campaign.
The two-day conference, which began yesterday, brought together nearly 800 participants nationwide. It served as a platform for the ministry and MPOB to share technology and initiatives, as well as industry players’ experiences.
The conference, held every two years on a rotational basis, selected Sabah as this year’s host. The previous conference was held in Melaka and focused on the smallholders’ challenges and solutions to improve their yields and incomes.
Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar was also present at the conference.
--BERNAMA