Cutting edge oil palm harvester impresses Premier

MIRI: Sarawak Plantation Berhad (SPB) has developed a new oil palm harvesting machine marking a significant advancement in the mechanisation of the sector.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the monumental achievement in transforming the palm oil industry with cutting-edge technology is a game-changer for the industry.

“Earlier, I saw how this machine can harvest the fruits so rapidly via remote control. Furthermore, all the fruits are collected and placed in one bin.

“I timed how long it took to load the fruits into the bin, and it only took two minutes. That means, 1.2 tons of oil palm fruits took just two minutes to be loaded into the bin. If done manually, it would break a person’s back due to the weight,” he said.

Abang Johari delivers his speech.

He said this  during the launching of the oil palm harvesting machine at Subis Estate here on Wednesday.

He said that when he took over the administration from the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, he had envisioned transforming the way the state harvested oil palm, and that now SPB has turned that vision into reality.

“I am glad SPB has found a collaborative partner in China to fabricate our own machine capable of harvesting our oil palm. And today, we see the success. Congratulations to SPB,” he added.

He noted the potential for innovation beyond the current machine, suggesting that leaves could also be collected during harvesting for use as biomass, thus maximising productivity and minimising waste.

“The leaves could be recycled as biomass.In this way, there would be no waste, and SPB could generate another source of income. So, in addition to the main machine, you could have one arm for collecting fruit and another for the leaves, which would be gathered simultaneously into their respective bins.

“These leaves could then be transported to a central bin, and from there, you could use them as fertiliser or biomass,” he said.

He said the leaves could be processed like the Napier grass system.

“As you know, Napier grass is collected, the moisture is extracted, and then it is processed to produce grass pellets which is meant for power plants.

“And there’s a possibility maybe the leaves can be a basic biomass and SPB you can have your own power plant. You know, to produce electricity for domestic electricity consumption,” he added.

Abang Johari also stressed the importance of continued investment in research and development to ensure the industry’s sustainability and productivity.

“In terms of research funding, we have the Research Council under the Ministry of Education,Innovation and Talent Development. There is also an endowment fund available to research institutes.

“Mechanisation can also be supported by this fund. I believe there are many ways this machine can be further improved in terms of materials, making the machine lighter and easier to use in challenging areas,” said Abang Johari.