Palm oil sector faces new wave of biological, environmental threats: MPOB chief

Malaysia’s palm oil industry is confronting a growing wave of biological and environmental threats that experts warn could erode yields, undermine decades of progress and put the long-term sustainability of the nation’s plantations at risk. Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said these challenges, if left unmanaged, risk undoing decades of progress built by the sector. He said among the most pressing concerns is basal stem rot caused by the aggressive Ganoderma boninense fungus, which he described as one of the most destructive diseases affecting oil palm. Other threats include leaf spot and a range of emerging pathogens that continue to weaken plantation resilience. On pest infestations, Mohamad Helmy said the bagworm as one of the most damaging leaf-eating pests, capable of causing severe defoliation and significant yield losses when not properly controlled. “At present, both basal stem rot and bagworm infestation remain the two most ...