Techno-economic aspects of large-scale oil palm planting [in Malaysia]
1982
Jamaludin Lamin
The increase in oil palm planting in Malaysia since the early sixties has been, to a considerable extent, a public sector phenomenon and the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) has played a major role in the expansion of the area planted. Certain dimensions of the economic scene facing the industry in the early eighties initially cast doubt on the wisdom of continuing with further new planting. Most notable of these aspects are the extensive hectarage under development or planted for oil palm but not yet in production, the growing shortage of labour in the estate sector, and the escalating costs of development in ever more remote areas. Yet the crop has, by and large, been holding its own in world markets in real terms and a consideration of technical possibilities and their economic implications lead to a more optimistic viewpoint. Improvement of planting materials, better crop zonation in terms of soil and rainfall characteristics, more accurate fertiliser recommendations and better pest control have all their roles to play alongside mechanisation and intensification of land use to raise the productivity of the land, and hence of the settlers dependence upon it. This paper concludes that there is adequate scope for technical improvement to offset the potential economic difficulties that may beset the industry in the next decade
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