KUALA LUMPUR: The Plantation and Commodities Ministry will uphold rigorous standards in oil palm cultivation to prevent the industry from experiencing the same decline as the country's rubber and cocoa sectors.
Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the oil palm industry now emphasised sustainability and adhering to international environmental standards and labour practices.
"We are focusing on ensuring that no country can block our oil palm products, as we adhere to environmental standards, labour practices and international standards.
"We must ensure good plantation processes using high-quality materials, such as fertilisers and oil palm seeds, to manage plantations effectively," he said at Umno' s PenTalk, in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly here, today.
Johari said Malaysia was once a global leader in rubber production, had become the largest importer of natural latex due to inadequate management of the industry.
"We now need to import RM6 billion of natural rubber to support our industry."
He said many of Malaysia's rubber plantations were underperforming, leading to a current production of only 1.1 millio tonnes of rubber.
Johari said addressing the management of large plantations and workers was crucial in reversing this trend.
Johari said the country also faced a similar challenge with cocoa, with Malaysia importing 500,000 metric tonnes of cocoa every year, at a cost of RM7.8 billion.
He said reducing the amount of imported rubber and cocoa would significantly boost the country's economy.
"With better policies and private sector management, we can reduce our reliance on imported rubber and cocoa.
"This will strengthen our currency, as less money will flow out of the country, leading to more efficient commodity production.
"It will also have a positive economic impact, create jobs, and in turn, benefit the government," he added.