A cutter to help overcome that labour problem.

Byline: V. Thomas

PALM oil prices have plummeted from a high of RM4,000 per tonne to about half that at present, and the oil palm industry is facing an uncertain future because of the global economic slowdown. To strengthen the industry, various measures have been proposed to increase productivity, lower production costs and thereby increase profitability. In line with these aims, the industry is adopting many new methods, research, and environmentally-friendly initiatives. One useful way to overcome the labour shortage and also increase productivity at oil palm plantations would be to use the modified brush-cutter to harvest the fruit. The brush-cutter is a versatile …