LUBOK ANTU: The palm oil industry in Sarawak is becoming more sustainable, expanding beyond crude oil production to include high-potential downstream activities.

This approach not only adds value to the industry but also contributes to increased income from the crop.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, stated that the palm oil industry was initially focused solely on oil sales. However, advancements in palm oil technology now enable the production of biofuel for aircraft and animal feed.

He emphasized that this initiative aligns with Sarawak’s circular economy development policy, which promotes material reuse to minimize excessive waste that could negatively impact the environment.

“Sarawak is now heavily focusing on the ‘waste-to-energy’ industry, where waste is converted into renewable materials that can be sold in various product forms.

“Earlier, I observed that we have two key by-products from palm fruit waste—biofuel and animal feed, including fertilizer,” he said.

He made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the Kernel Crushing Plant (KCP) today.

According to him, eco-friendly products now command premium prices in global markets, making this effort a new source of revenue for Sarawak.

He reiterated that Sarawak places great emphasis on producing environmentally friendly products through circular economy practices, which convert waste into valuable downstream goods.

In a separate development, Abang Johari, during a press conference after the event, encouraged farmers and livestock breeders in Sarawak to explore new ideas to enhance the value of existing commodities.

He noted that if these initiatives are successfully implemented, Sarawak’s vision of increasing household incomes and becoming a leading exporter of agricultural and livestock products by 2030 could be realized.

“Many of our farmers own around two hectares of land, and if their crops are unaffected, they could utilize the space between palm oil trees for livestock farming.

“Currently, we no longer rely solely on grazing fields to feed livestock. Instead, alternative feed sources such as Napier grass mixed with palm oil waste are being used.

“This will boost farmers’ incomes as they will have two new revenue streams—palm oil and livestock,” he explained. -UKAS