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Keresa Plantations, a local oil palm player is targeting 142,000metric tonnes (mt) of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from its ownestates this year on the back of implementation of RoundtableSustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) practices along with contribution from participatingsmallholders. Plantation general manager AK Kumaran told The Borneo Post that the company had adopted Best Management Practices in order toimprove yield per hectare and oil extraction rates (OER). We have a Total Quality Management Unit to monitor all fieldoperations for continuous improvement approach. In 2012, KeresaMill Sdn Bhd (KMSB) is expected to process 244,651mt FFB andproduce 53,823mt crude palm oil (CPO). Out of the total, 57.54 per cent will be from Keresa Plantation,4.9 per cent from smallholders and the balance from outsidesuppliers. We expect to get an average OER of 22 per cent andkernel extraction rate (KER) of 4.5 per cent. Building on the sustainable practices of RSPO implantation, themeasures taken to adhere RSPO standards in term of sustainabilityincluded adopting Best Management Practices such as reducing usageof chemical and encouraging more natural/greener vegetation in thefield condition. Additionally, the effective and timing application of fertiliser,using draught power example buffalo for assisting harvesterevacuating FFB and increasing production and zero wastage weremeasures taken into consideration. In terms of ecological friendliness, water management, maintaininga good riparian/buffer zone, Integrated Pest Management andtraining smallholders to become responsible planter added to thekey factors in rounding out the RSPO practices. The planter also practiced a zero burning policy, where it felledthe old oil palm trees using excavators, chipped the trunks intosmall pieces and spread it parallel with planting rows, thuscompleting the natural organic cycle and eliminating green housegases via burning. Since our oil palm trees are still middle aged , ourreplanting programme will start in 2021/2022. During the replantingoperation, we will improve our standard planting by incorporatingsustainable principles, he highlighted. Touching on the smallholders, Kumaran said, Currently, KeresaPlantations has formed Keresa Smallholders Group Scheme (KSGS). Inthe master plan, we have planned to attract all smallholders thatsending FFB to KMSB to participate in this scheme. Under this scheme, the participants will get training on fieldoperations, safety procedures on handling and keeping chemicals,assistance scheme of fertiliser and advisory on their fieldpractices. Keresa Plantations also organises Open Days in collaborationwith KMSB and government agencies such as the Malaysian Palm OilBoard (MPOB). By doing so, we are not only encouraging the smallholders ofbeing responsible to the environment but this will also increaseour mill s production of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). When asked about the risk management measures the company wouldtake for its own matters and those that pertained to thesmallholders in the event of a CPO price decline, he explained thatthe management of Keresa Plantations practiced prudent financialmanagement at all times and the current cost of production was atthe lowest possible. Total Quality Management Unit monitors the operation cost in theplantation closely. We intend to recruit more smallholders aroundthe plantation to produce/deliver more CSPO to KMSB. As for KMSB, we started embarking into Total ProductiveMaintenance which comprises of Preventive Maintenance andPredictive Maintenance. We are always upgrading ourselves with new and emergingtechnology so that we could upgrade our machineries with better andmore cost effective machineries with high efficiencies. Delving into the much debated topic of traditional seedlings versusengineered clones, Kumaran pointed out that at the moment,genetically modified GM) clones are not available in the market. Currently, research is being done by the big players only,therefore GM clones are not being marketed commercially. KeresaPlantations still depends on DXP planting materials from reputablesuppliers who produce good quality and high yielding DXP hybrids, he stated. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Seamless Carbon Steel Pipes , China Stainless Steel Seamless Pipe for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Stainless Steel Seamless Pipe.
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