KUCHING: Sarawak’s crude palm oil (CPO) monthly production has risen to 265,244 tonnes last month from 248,742 tonnes in February 2023 or by 16,502 tonnes or 6.6 per cent.
However, last month’s output was still significantly lower compared to 301,930 tonnes recorded in January 2023 and also lower from 278,933 tonnes registered in March 2022, according to monthly data released by Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
Last month, Sarawak remained the second biggest CPO producer among states in Malaysia, trailing far behind No 1 producer Sabah, which recorded output of 353,770 tonnes.
Sabah’s March production volume was significantly higher than 325,873 tonnes recorded in the previous month.
In March 2023, the combined Sarawak-Sabah CPO output was 619,014 tonnes (February 2023: 574,615 tonnes), inching nearer to the total production volume of 669,340 tonnes achieved by states in Peninsula Malaysia (679,049 tonnes).
Pahang was the top producing state in the peninsula, with output of 193,585 tonnes last month (193,398 tonnes), followed by Johor’s 176,530 tonnes (191,909 tonnes) and Perak’s 134,497 tonnes (133,593 tonnes).
Nationwide, Malaysia’s total CPO production last month increased to about 1.29 million tonnes (February 2023: 1.25 million tonnes) but was sharply lower as compared to 1.41 million tonnes in March 2022.
On monthly closing stock for CPO, the MPOB figures showed that there was a big drop for the country to 891,653 tonnes last month (1.16 million tonnes), with all the regions reporting decreased stocks.
In Sarawak, the CPO inventory was down to 130,778 tonnes (176,381 tonnes), Sabah saw its stock level fell to 389,539 tonnes (472,886 tonnes) and the peninsula stocks plunged to 373,336 tonnes (511,130 tonnes).
On monthly export of CPO, Malaysia recorded lower shipments to 240,773 tonnes (RM962.4 million) last month (297,773 tonnes worth RM1.18 billion).
But there was a surge in the exports of processed palm oil (PPO), which leapt to 1,245,461 tonnes (RM5.31 billion) from 830,180 tonnes (RM3.49 billion).
The country’s total palm oil exports in March was about 1.48 million tonnes valued at RM6.27 billion against 1.13 million tonnes worth RM4.67 billion in February 2023.
Based on MPOB figures, Sarawak has the largest oil palm planted area of 1,622,374 hectares (28.6% of the country’s total 5,674,307 hectares) at end-2022, followed by Sabah’s 1,508,660 hectares (26.6%).
The total planted area in Peninsular Malaysia was 2,544,307 hectares (44.8%). Last month, Malaysia’s palm kernel production rose to 323,743 tonnes (February 2023: 316,781 tonnes), with Sarawak’s output increased to 57,012 tonnes (53,850 tonnes), making Sarawak the second biggest producer in the country.
Sabah again came in top with higher output of 78,973 tonnes (72,694 tonnes). Third largest producing state Pahang recorded 54,032 tonnes (54,919 tonnes), followed by Johor’s 51,352 tonnes (54,939 tonnes). The country’s monthly closing stock for palm kernel dipped to 129,950 tonnes last month (140,709 tonnes).
On palm kernel oil, the country’s total production volume declined slightly to 157,590 tonnes last month from 159,485 tonnes in February 2023.
In line with the national trend, Sarawak’s output was down to 24,271 tonnes from 26,004 tonnes. But production volume in Sabah, the top producing state, climbed to 38,403 tonnes from 35,533 tonnes in February.
Last month, Malaysia’s palm kernel oil exports rose sharply to 83,503 tonnes valued at RM454 million from 59,888 tonnes worth RM324 million in February.
The strong export reduced Malaysia’s monthly closing stocks of total palm kernel oil to 421,584 tonnes in March (comprising crude palm kernel oil of 256,287 tonnes and processed palm kernel oil of 165,297 tonnes) from 447,116 tonnes in February. On palm kernel cake, the country’s production volume also decreased to 173,957 tonnes last month from 176,250 tonnes in February.
Production in Sarawak slipped to 26,735 tonnes from 28,454 tonnes during the same period. Sabah posted higher production of 42,581 tonnes from 38,487 tonnes in February.
There was a sharp drop in monthly closing stock of palm kernel cake to 199,539 tonnes from 252,325 tonnes in February.
Malaysia earned RM142 million from the exports of 193,903 tonnes of palm kernel cake in March against RM147.5 million from the shipment of 210,612 tonnes in February.
The MPOB figures stated that Malaysia’s export earnings increased to RM1.53 billion from the shipment of 261,049 tonnes of oleochemicals last month from RM1.31 billion from the exports of 228,424 tonnes in February.
The country’s exports of biodiesel also rose to RM169 million (32,127 tonnes) from RM80.7 million (14,699 tonnes) during the same period.
Overall, Malaysia recorded foreign exchange earnings of nearly RM9.2 billion from the exports of oil palm products last month, a significant expansion from RM7.21 billion and RM7.28 billion in February and January 2023 respectively.
On cooking oil, the country’s production volume increased to 50,943 tonnes last month from 39,165 tonnes in February
