Bitter harvest: Malaysian palm oil farmers face labor crunch

Ijok, Malaysia – (AFP):

Overripe palm oil fruits hang untouched in trees while others lie rotting scattered around a plantation, as Malaysian farmers reap the bitter harvest of a severe labour shortage.

The tropical country is the world’s second-biggest producer of the edible vegetable oil, which is found in many everyday goods from chocolate to cosmetics.

The sector has long been reliant on migrants from neighboring Indonesia for back-breaking plantation work, which is shunned by most in more affluent Malaysia.

Lengthy Covid border closures had already reduced the foreign labour force, but now bureaucratic hurdles and a ban by Indonesia on sending new workers have dramatically worsened the problems.

Palm oil is a controversial commodity, blamed by environmentalists for fuelling the destruction of rainforest in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together produce 85 percent of global output.

Green groups say rapid expansion of plantations has destroyed rare animals’ habitats, while there have been allegations of foreign workers being abused and mistreated on some estates.

The sector nevertheless remains a major contributor to Malaysia’s economy, and has continued to attract foreign workers who can earn higher wages than back home.

Other Malaysian industries, including construction and manufacturing, also rely on migrant workers from across Asia, and suffered as a result of lengthy pandemic border closures.

While authorities ended a freeze on hiring foreigners in February, labourers have been slow to return because of red tape and difficult negotiations with countries of origin.

Problems in the plantation sector have been particularly acute, however, and look set to get worse after Indonesia banned sending new workers to Malaysia earlier this month.