Environmental News: Malaysian Palm Oil Company Promises to Suspend Some Forest Clearing

Palm Fruit Photo courtesy of: World Bank Photo Collection
Palm Fruit Photo courtesy of: World Bank Photo Collection

Palm oil production is an integral part of Malaysia’s economy. On second thought, make that a vital part: the country is the commodity’s second largest producer in the world, after neighboring Indonesia, producing nearly 20 billion tons of palm oil annually. The industry, which accounts for up to 6% of the country’s GDP, employs close on half a million Malaysians, affording essential jobs and incomes to numerous hard-up rural communities in the process.

Yet whereas palm oil production is a boon to many producers’ wallets, it can be a curse on the environment. As with other commodities, private profits often come before the common interest. Prudence and environmental responsibility? Bah, who needs them?

But now in a welcome development, another Malaysian palm oil company has decided to lead by good example – sort of. Jaya Tiasa Holdings Bhd, a publicly listed company that owns nearly 70,000 hectares of cultivable land in Sarawak, has pledged to leave a small part of its property untouched That uncultivated portion of land won’t be much (a mere 280 hectares), but one has to start somewhere, doesn’t one?

This excerpt from a news article appeared in and is courtesy of Clean Malaysia and can be read in its entirety here.

OC Perspective:  There are two ways to look at this: 280 hectares is only a drop in the bucket when you are talking about an area they control that is an enormous 70,000 hectares  (that’s .004 of their land). In that regard it seems like a ploy for good publicity and not much else. But on the other hand, it is a step, and journeys of change begin with steps. We at the Orangutan Conservancy hope to see much more land protected by this company and other agro-growers that also have promised to do more for the environment. Consumers are increasingly showing that they will seek out and pay more for a product that is grown sustainably, and growers that understand that and make real efforts – not just PR moves – will ultimately end up with more global customers who demand the protection of the rainforest.

Share this post:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related post

Last year, The Orangutan Conservancy provided funding for Sintang Orangutan Center (SOC) to purchase an X-ray machine for their clinic and rehabilitation center in West Kalimantan.
Back in 2020, The Orangutan Conservancy funded Borneo Nature Foundation's (BNF) 1,000-meter boardwalk. This boardwalk is 20cm wide, made of Banaus wood, and allows for access for seedling mobilization, planting, and monitoring by the BNF team.
Last year, The Orangutan Conservancy provided funding for Sintang Orangutan Center (SOC) to purchase an X-ray machine for their clinic and rehabilitation center in West Kalimantan.
Back in 2020, The Orangutan Conservancy funded Borneo Nature Foundation's (BNF) 1,000-meter boardwalk. This boardwalk is 20cm wide, made of Banaus wood, and allows for access for seedling mobilization, planting, and monitoring by the BNF team.
Previous
Next

Subscribe to our newsletter!