Oil Palm Bulletin No. 50 (May 2005) p24-30

Oil palm planting in marginal soils: selected cases

MOHD ARIF Simeh

Marginal soils were usually discounted in the past for planting of oil palm. Currently, the en-croachment into these areas is phenomenal as there is no more prime land for oil palm planting in the country. Innovations to counter such limitations have been successful for the cultiva-tion of oil palm but the cost can be high. Nevertheless, on the part of the investors, the higher cost can be offset by the higher returns from oil palm compared to those from other crops. This paper evaluates the potential of selected marginal soils, namely deep peat, tin tailings and steep lands, for the cultivation of oil palm. Specifically, the study assesses the establishment cost of an estate and to a lesser extent the investment viability.

Abstrak: Disebabkan beberapa kekurangan dari segi keperluan pertumbuhan pokok, tanah pinggiran pada masa dahulu telah disisihkan untuk penanaman sawit. Kini penggunaan tanah tersebut untuk penanaman sawit telah mula meningkat berikutan kekurangan kawasan baru. Masalah kekangan fizikal bagi tanah tersebut telah dapat diatasi melalui beberapa innovasi tetapi dengan kos yang tinggi, namun tarikan harga yang lumayan menyokong keputusan pelaburan. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk meninjau kekurangan fizikal tiga jenis tanah pinggiran yang biasa digunakan untuk penanaman sawit, iaitu tanah gambut dalam, lereng bukit dan tanah lombong.

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