Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is committed to continue leading the development of the country's oil palm industry towards a smarter, more sustainable and competitive one, in line with the national agenda of empowering the green economy and digitalisation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chairman Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha announced that various strategic initiatives are being and will be implemented by MPOB to strengthen the oil palm industry's ecosystem. These initiatives include the development of palm biodiesel as an environmentally friendly alternative energy and the production of palm-based oleochemical products that meet green standards and global market demand.
Mohamad Helmy emphasized MPOB's ongoing commitment to supporting the nation's aspirations by developing a more inclusive, sustainable, and competitive oil palm ecosystem. He made these remarks during the MPOB Silver Jubilee Gala, attended by notable figures including Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, the ministry's secretary general Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof, and MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir.
The MPOB has played a vital role since its establishment on May 1, 2000, serving as the core agency for the development of the country's palm oil industry through science, technology, and innovation. In research and development, MPOB has successfully commercialized over 200 high-impact technologies covering sectors such as biotechnology, manufacturing, biomass, biodiesel, oleochemicals, and food product formulation.
These innovations have generated a market value exceeding RM5.9 billion, enhancing the quality, productivity, and added value of Malaysia's oil palm industry. Key achievements include the production of superior planting materials like Palm Series (PS 1.1) and Clonal Palm Series (CPS), palm fruit harvesting machines such as Cantaz and Cantaz Electro, and the biopesticide product Walbac, which effectively controls cotton bollworm attacks in oil palm plantations.
MPOB is exploring nutritional and health products like tocotrienol (palm vitamin E) and red palm oil, along with high-value oleochemical products that are now penetrating international markets, including the United States and China. In market expansion efforts, MPOB collaborates with the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities in negotiating free trade agreements, such as the Malaysia-Turkiye Free Trade Agreement (MTFTA), ASEAN-India FTA, and the Malaysia-India Economic Comprehensive Trade Agreement (MICECA).
In conjunction with MPOB's 25th anniversary celebration, Mohamad Helmy acknowledged the significant contributions of industry players, particularly smallholders, who are considered the pulse of Malaysia's oil palm industry. Over 219,000 private oil palm smallholders are licensed with MPOB, cultivating more than 829,000 hectares of plantations nationwide.
MPOB continues to empower the smallholder sector through initiatives like oil palm planting advisory services, incentive and assistance schemes such as the Oil Palm Smallholder Replanting Financing Scheme, and the establishment of Sustainable Oil Palm Growers Cooperatives (KPSM) and Sustainable Palm Oil Clusters (SPOC) for the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification (MSPO).
The MPOB Silver Jubilee awards were presented today as part of the 25th anniversary celebration, where appreciation was extended to strategic partners, industry figures, MPOB figures, MPOB smallholder figures, MPOB icons, and media partners. Mohamad Helmy expressed hope that the oil palm industry will continue to symbolize Malaysia's strength and sustainability on the international stage.