Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has commercialised more than 200 technologies in the country's palm oil and agri-commodity sectors to date, thereby contributing to the sustainability and progress of the sector. MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir highlighted the diverse range of technological advancements which include farm mechanisation, automation, oil palm biotechnology, genomics, crop protection, processing, and manufacturing technology.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Ahmad Parveez stated that the technologies developed by MPOB have been significantly adopted by the industry, opening opportunities for companies to evaluate and employ these innovations to boost productivity. Among the technologies is a system introduced two years ago that uses drones and DNA to detect fruit ripening and assess tree conditions.

Dr Ahmad Parveez shared these insights with reporters during the MPOB National Agricultural and Food Engineering Convention (NAFEC) 2026, themed 'Revolutionising Field Operations: Automation, Digitalisation, AI and Future Ready Technologies'. This year, MPOB has launched nine new technologies through the palm oil technology transfer programme, focusing on both plantation and industrial applications.

The new technologies include oil palm-based mayonnaise suitable for vegans, red palm oil-based food technology, and oleochemical innovations like lubricating oil for data centres. MPOB's research is now concentrating on data-driven field operations, incorporating Internet of Things, drones, and artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, ensure consistent production quality, optimise input usage, and strengthen supply chain transparency.