soil fertility – OIL PALM BULLETIN

Oil palm planting in marginal soils: selected cases

mpob_admin — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 11:13:51 +0000

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.

Impact of increases in fertilizer prices on long term-term economic vialibility of palm oil production

mpob_admin — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 11:13:37 +0000

Surges in fertilizer prices in recent years have led to a sudden increase in the production cost of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of oil palm as the share of fertilizer cost in the overall field cost has escalated from 30%-35% in 2007 to as high as 50% in 2008. This phenomenon created concerns among industry members because net revenue from FFB production was cost-squeezed to payback the initial capital outlay and to finance field operations. Increases in fertilizer prices can affect investment viability and the economic attractiveness of oil palm planting and replanting. This article attempts to give an overview of and evaluate the impact of rising fertilizer prices on the long-term viability of palm oil production in Malaysia. Evaluation of various scenarios of fertilizer price increases on investment payback period and on production cost (per hectare and per tonne of FFB), as well as the determination of threshold crude palm oil (CPO) prices for viable cultivation and replanting of oil palm were undertaken using system dynamics – a programmable master schedule known as e-FA (e-Fertilizer Application).

Peningkatan harga baja secara mendadak sepanjang tempoh 2007-2008 telah menyebabkan peratus kos pembajaan dalam keseluruhan kos pengeluaran buah tandan segar (BTS) meningkat dari 30%- 35% pada tahun 2007 kepada 60% pada tahun 2008. Fenomena ini telah menyebabkan industri sawit negara mengalami kemerosotan pulangan akibat pengeluaran BTS terjejas untuk membayar balik pelaburan awal dalam pembangunan lading atau penanaman semula dan juga untuk membiayai kos operasi di ladang. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk memberi perspektif ekonomi kesan peningkatan harga baja ke atas daya saing pengeluaran minyak sawit untuk tempoh jangka panjang. Beberapa senario peningkatan harga baja dan kesannya terhadap pulangan pelaburan, kos pengeluaran BTS serta tahap harga minyak sawit mentah (MSM) yang berdaya maju telah dianalisis dengan menggunakan analisis kos faedah.

Biochar as Soil’s Best Friend – A Review

mpob_admin — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 11:13:09 +0000

In order to deal with environmental sustainability issues such as global climate change, food and energy crisis as well as environmental pollution, biochar had been widely used as a tool to combat these problems. It might act as soil carbon sink to restore soil organic carbon (SOC) larger than its inherent capacity, thus reducing the emission of greenhouse gasses (GHGs). The high soil carbon storage, available nutrient elemental composition, high aromatic structure, high porosity, and high alkalinity of biochar are factors for it to act ideally as potential soil improver. Studies thus far have shown the properties of biochar and its effect on crops and ecosystems vary, mainly because of differences in biomass sources and production processes. The aim of this review paper is to summarise the benefits of applying the biochar from various sources in soil in order to overcome climate change and improve soil properties thereby increasing crop productivity.

Dalam usaha untuk menangani isu-isu berkaitan kelestarian alam sekitar seperti perubahan iklim global, bio-arang telah diberi pendekatan secara meluas sebagai satu kaedah untuk mengatasi perubahan iklim. Ia mampu bertindak sebagai penyimpan/penyerap karbon tanah secara lebih banyak daripada secara semulajadi bagi memulihkan karbon organic tanah (SOC), sekaligus dapat mengurangkan pelepasan gas rumah hijau (GHG). Sifat-sifat bio-arang termasuk penyimpan karbon tanah yang tinggi, terdapat komposisi unsur nutrien yang tersedia, terdapat struktur aromatik, tahap keliangan dan tahap kealkalian yang tinggi adalah antara faktor-faktor yang membolehkan bioarang sesuai bertindak sebagai pembaik tanah yang berpotensi. Kajian-kajian sepanjang masa ini telah menunjukkan keputusan yang berbeza terhadap sifatsifat bio-arang serta implikasinya terhadap tanaman dan ekosistem, sebahagian besarnya berpunca daripada sumber biojisim dan proses penghasilan yang berbeza. Oleh itu, tujuan rencana ini adalah untuk merumuskan kelebihan penggunaan bioarang daripada pelbagai sumber dalam tanah untuk mengatasi perubahan iklim, memperbaiki sifat-sifat tanah di samping meningkatkan produktiviti.