32 sustainable palm oil clusters in S’wak receive Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification

Oil palm plantation (file photo)

KUCHING, Nov 25: Thirty-two sustainable palm oil clusters (SPOCs) in Sarawak involving 37,945 smallholders with an area of 213,607.51 hectares have received Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, says the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK).

“For the Asajaya area, two SPOCs have obtained MSPO Certification involving  2,645 private smallholders with an area of 14,537.29 hectares,” it said in a statement today.

The ministry said the Sustainable Palm Growers Cooperative (KPSM) Daerah Asajaya Berhad, established in 2013, started selling Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) in January this year with a membership of 118 people.

It also said that KPSM Daerah Asajaya Berhad had recorded an increase in FFB sales that reached 6,531.31 tons until September this year.

“In Sarawak, 46,325 smallholders cultivate oil palm plantations, making the average oil palm plantation area owned by each smallholder in Sarawak an area of 5.5 hectares,” it added.

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has opened 13 Palm Oil Teaching and Advisory Offices (TUNAS) throughout Sarawak, namely in Bau, Sessang, Betong, Sarikei, Serian, Sri Aman, Mukah, Sibu, Miri, Limbang, Batu Niah, Bintulu and Sibuti which provide planting advisory services oil palm and technology transfer to smallholders. — DayakDaily