
Over 500 expected at TOT MPOB 2025 to explore palm tech innovations in Selangor
KUCHING (June 7): More than 500 participants from the oil palm industry, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) operators and stakeholders interested in technology commercialisation, are expected to attend the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) Oil Palm Transfer of Technology (TOT) Programme 2025, scheduled for June 19 in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor.
According to MPOB in a statement yesterday, the TOT Programme – MPOB's annual flagship event – aims to offer commercialisation opportunities for palm-based technologies developed by MPOB researchers to industry players, local companies, and MSMEs.
The event will be launched by Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, and will present a wide spectrum of technologies across various segments of the oil palm value chain.
In the upstream sector, the programme will feature innovations such as elite planting materials, the applications of artificial intelligence in plantations, and integrated pest management techniques.
For the midstream sector, attendees will be introduced to processing and milling technologies designed for industrial application.
Meanwhile, in the downstream sector, the programme will highlight formulations used in personal care products, health food, and animal feed.
According to MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, the TOT Programme provides a vital platform for industry players to access new technologies and innovations, explore opportunities for research and commercial collaborations, secure intellectual property protection through technology licensing, and foster engagement in a sustainable palm innovation ecosystem.
'TOT MPOB 2025 will also carry a special theme to mark MPOB's 25th anniversary since its establishment on May 1, 2000. We will showcase technologies developed over the past 25 years that align with industry needs and commercialisation potential,' he said.
He added that MPOB's Research, Development and Commercialisation (R&D&C) platform is aimed at building a competitive and sustainable oil palm industry ecosystem.
Industry players, MSME entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, technopreneurs and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the TOT MPOB 2025 or visit the exhibition, which will be open until 5pm.
For more information, visit the official portal tot.mpob.gov.my. lead MPOB palm oil Transfer of Technology
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
5 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Palm falls on concerns over rising output, stocks
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil futures fell on Thursday, extending losses from the previous session, amid concerns over rising inventories and production, while weak export demand further pressured the market. The benchmark palm oil contract for October delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange shed RM29, or 0.68 per cent, to RM4,238 (US$1,003.08) a metric ton at the midday break. Crude palm oil futures traded lower on ongoing concerns over rising output and stocks in the coming weeks, said David Ng, a proprietary trader at Kuala Lumpur-based trading firm Iceberg X Sdn Bhd. "The recent weak export demand is also seen as weighing down on market sentiment." Cargo surveyors estimated July palm oil exports to have fallen between 6.7 per cent and 9.6 per cent. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board is scheduled to release its supply and demand data on Aug 11. Dalian's most-active soyoil contract rose 0.36 per cent, while its palm oil contract shed 0.42 per cent. Soyoil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) gained 0.11 per cent. Palm oil tracks the price movements of rival edible oils as it competes for a share of the global vegetable oils market. Oil prices rose 1 per cent, pausing a five-day losing run, on signs of steady demand in the US, the world's biggest oil user, though uncertainty about the macroeconomic impacts of US tariffs limited gains. Stronger crude oil futures make palm a more attractive option for biodiesel feedstock. Indonesian goods exported to the US will attract a 19 per cent tariff from Aug 7, although the country is still negotiating exemptions for some of its key exports, such as crude palm oil. The ringgit, palm's currency of trade, strengthened 0.05 per cent against the dollar, making the commodity slightly more expensive for buyers holding foreign currencies.


New Straits Times
21 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Plantation firms train SPM school-leavers under govt's foreign labour cut drive
KUALA LUMPUR: A government drive to cut reliance on foreign labour is gaining ground, with plantation firms now training SPM school-leavers through targeted TVET programmes for modern estate work. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the ministry had developed initiatives to strengthen TVET-based training through the Malaysian Plantation and Commodities Institute (Impac). This includes the Farm Mechanisation Operations Course (KOML), "Harvesting Specialist" and "Machine Specialist" programmes, which have received encouraging interest from leading plantation companies. He said the programmes, implemented using a "place and train" approach, aim to develop a highly skilled workforce in modern plantation operations, with a focus on productivity, safety and cost efficiency. Among the companies forming strategic partnerships with Impac are SD Guthrie, FGV Plantation Bhd and Sarawak Plantation Bhd. "Since 2024, more than 160 trainees have successfully undergone training and been placed at plantations owned by these companies, demonstrating the effectiveness of this initiative in meeting industry needs. "Encouraged by the success of the initial rollout, several other major plantation firms, including Genting Plantations Bhd, Johor Plantation Group and Boustead Plantations Bhd, have shown early commitment to implement similar programmes. "These programmes not only offer career assurance for trainees but also help companies build a skilled workforce tailored to actual on-the-ground needs," he said in a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. He was responding to a question from Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN–Tampin) on the industry's reception of the new requirement to train SPM school-leavers through TVET, in an effort to reduce the country's dependence on foreign labour. Previously, the Plantation and Commodities Ministry had made it a precondition for industry players to hire TVET graduates in relevant fields before being allowed to employ foreign workers. Johari said that to ensure training content matches operational realities, companies have also formed active collaborations with institutions such as the Malaysian Palm Oil Training Centre (Plasma), Kolej Yayasan Pahang and other TVET providers. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that training modules genuinely meet the needs of modern plantations, which are increasingly grounded in technology and sustainable agricultural practices. "In addition, the ministry has held engagement sessions with the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owners' Association (MEOA) to comprehensively examine critical issues such as job scopes and career progression prospects. "These findings will serve as valuable input in formulating strategies to improve workforce planning, especially in efforts to attract and retain local workers on a long-term basis."


New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
New investment plan to drive 'Made by Malaysia' push
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will introduce a New Investment Incentive Framework (NIIF) in the third quarter of this year to attract high-value investments and develop homegrown technology. Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said the government is committed to transforming "Made in Malaysia" producers into "Made by Malaysia" innovators. Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, Liew said the new strategy aims to transform Malaysian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from being support players for foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) into home-grown, technology-driven companies capable of competing globally. "A shift in mindset is necessary, as small companies and MSMEs have long been viewed merely as supporting players for foreign MNCs," Liew said. "The new thinking focuses on the capabilities of Malaysian companies and their potential to become home-grown, technology-based MNCs that can play a major role on the global stage." Liew was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng (BN–Tanjung Piai) on the government's plan to ensure trade, supply chains, and the SME sector are not adversely affected by US retaliatory tariffs. The ministry, together with the Finance Ministry, will launch the NIIF to attract high-value investments and ensure they deliver tangible benefits, such as quality job creation and the development of local ecosystems and technologies. To ensure MSMEs benefit from these investments, Liew said the government will also consider strengthening localisation requirements for foreign investors to build a resilient ecosystem that allows local companies to benefit from spillover effects. Following the 19 per cent tariff rate imposed on Malaysia, Liew said the ministry and its agency, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), have taken mitigation measures by diversifying the country's export markets. This includes exploring new destinations and strengthening Malaysia's export network in emerging markets across Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, the African continent, and Asean. Liew said the government is committed to enhancing national resilience by fostering the growth of advanced local technology companies in strategic sectors like semiconductors, to position Malaysia as an "indispensable middle power" within global supply chains. The US reduced its tariff on imports from Malaysia to 19 per cent on Aug 1, down from the originally planned 25 per cent.