Southeast Asian wildfires threaten palm oil production
In Ukraine, UkrAgroConsult reported that large-scale wildfires on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra are posing risks to palm oil production in Indonesia and Malaysia, the world’s two largest producers. Prolonged drought and high temperatures have already caused more than 200,000 hectares to burn in Indonesia, while heavy haze has spread to neighboring countries.
The Indonesian Palm Oil Association has reported disruptions to fruit harvesting at plantations, as some workers have been deployed to fight the fires.
Dense haze could also slow fruit ripening and negatively affect future yields. Conditions are particularly severe on Borneo, including Malaysia’s Sarawak state, according to the report.
Category: Food & Agriculture
