Oil palm planting on peat : Progress and future direction in research and development and commercial venture. - (:unkn) unknown (Bangi, Selangor : MPOB, 2002)
The Oil palm industry in Malaysia has made very significant progress since the first commercial planting of the crop in 1917. This is both in terms of planted area expansion and productivity. Area under oil palm in 2000 totalled 3,376,664 hectares producing 10,842,095 tonnes of palm oil making Malaysia currently the world's leading producer of the product. The total oil palm area in 2000 represents 10.34 per cent of the total land area in Malaysia, 33.29 per cent of the total land area suitable for agriculture (Classes 1, 2 and 3) and 23.82 per cent of the total land area suitable for agriculture plus the marginal soils (Classes 1, 2, 3 and 4). Malaysia has about 2.5 million hectares of peat out of which slightly over 120,000 hectares have already been planted with oil palm or 4.80 per cent This is still relatively small considering the total peat area available in the country. The small size of peat area planted with oil palm is indicative of the cautious approach taken by the growers including the big timers in the industry to invest planting oil palm on this marginal soil. This is perhaps in consideration of the many limitations to plant oil palm on this soil from the physical and chemical points of view. Some of these constraints include the poor drainage of the naturally occurring peat (i.e high water-table), low bulk density, low pH, shrinkage/subsidence property (upon drainage and cultivation), irreversible drying (if excessively drained) and low fertility status. Several workers had contributed over the years useful information on peat and their management implications particularly in the area of land-preparation technique, water-management/drainage-design, and nutrition. 1t is through the adoption of these findings that some of the serious problems and limitations of peat have been overcome. Recent experiences have shown that with the right management inputs, growth and yield performances of oil palm on peat could be comparable, if not better than some of the mineral soils in the country. Continued research works on peat especially carried out by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board have generated new findings which help make planting of oil palm on peat more technically and economically sound proposition. These include information on palm response to different water levels in peat, use of fertilizers to reduce the basal stem rot disease caused by Ganoderma and high oil palm planting density. Additional information have also been obtained on the long-term effects of peat compaction on oil palm performance, comparative effects of muriate of potash and bunch ash as sources of potassium for oil palm, performance of different oil palm progenies on peat and the effect of using lime on oil palm performance. The initial cost for peat development, especially on infrastructure, is high. It is therefore pertinent to reduce the cost of production wherever possible to offset the high development cost. R D must concentrate on optimization of inputs and going for early and sustainable high yields. Preparation must be made right from the start 01 development to prepare lor mechanization. An ideal policy on peat development for oil palm planting is required. This requires concerted efforts from all parties involved to generate more information not only on the optimum agro-management inputs for successful planting of oil palm on peat but also the environmental effects resulting from peat development on biodiversity changes, climate, hydrological cycle and related effects. This again requires comprehensive environmental impact study. In short, oil palm planting on peat must take cognizance of the sustainability of the operation and impact on the environment. Development of oil palm on peat must be sensitive to these issues.
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The Oil palm industry in Malaysia has made very significant progress since the first commercial planting of the crop in 1917. This is both in terms of planted area expansion and productivity. Area under oil palm in 2000 totalled 3,376,664 hectares producing 10,842,095 tonnes of palm oil making Malaysia currently the world's leading producer of the product. The total oil palm area in 2000 represents 10.34 per cent of the total land area in Malaysia, 33.29 per cent of the total land area suitable for agriculture (Classes 1, 2 and 3) and 23.82 per cent of the total land area suitable for agriculture plus the marginal soils (Classes 1, 2, 3 and 4). Malaysia has about 2.5 million hectares of peat out of which slightly over 120,000 hectares have already been planted with oil palm or 4.80 per cent This is still relatively small considering the total peat area available in the country. The small size of peat area planted with oil palm is indicative of the cautious approach taken by the growers including the big timers in the industry to invest planting oil palm on this marginal soil. This is perhaps in consideration of the many limitations to plant oil palm on this soil from the physical and chemical points of view. Some of these constraints include the poor drainage of the naturally occurring peat (i.e high water-table), low bulk density, low pH, shrinkage/subsidence property (upon drainage and cultivation), irreversible drying (if excessively drained) and low fertility status. Several workers had contributed over the years useful information on peat and their management implications particularly in the area of land-preparation technique, water-management/drainage-design, and nutrition. 1t is through the adoption of these findings that some of the serious problems and limitations of peat have been overcome. Recent experiences have shown that with the right management inputs, growth and yield performances of oil palm on peat could be comparable, if not better than some of the mineral soils in the country. Continued research works on peat especially carried out by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board have generated new findings which help make planting of oil palm on peat more technically and economically sound proposition. These include information on palm response to different water levels in peat, use of fertilizers to reduce the basal stem rot disease caused by Ganoderma and high oil palm planting density. Additional information have also been obtained on the long-term effects of peat compaction on oil palm performance, comparative effects of muriate of potash and bunch ash as sources of potassium for oil palm, performance of different oil palm progenies on peat and the effect of using lime on oil palm performance. The initial cost for peat development, especially on infrastructure, is high. It is therefore pertinent to reduce the cost of production wherever possible to offset the high development cost. R D must concentrate on optimization of inputs and going for early and sustainable high yields. Preparation must be made right from the start 01 development to prepare lor mechanization. An ideal policy on peat development for oil palm planting is required. This requires concerted efforts from all parties involved to generate more information not only on the optimum agro-management inputs for successful planting of oil palm on peat but also the environmental effects resulting from peat development on biodiversity changes, climate, hydrological cycle and related effects. This again requires comprehensive environmental impact study. In short, oil palm planting on peat must take cognizance of the sustainability of the operation and impact on the environment. Development of oil palm on peat must be sensitive to these issues.
Keywords: Palma africana; Industria de aceite de palma