It also urged Putrajaya to allow its foreign workers to return from their respective home countries, citing a concern on the shortage of manpower, as the peak crop production season is just around the corner.
“Notwithstanding that CPO prices may soar with the anticipated above lower outputs; the plantation fields may eventually end up like unattended and turned into ‘ghost-estates’- becoming the sun-setting of the plantation industry, especially in the rural landscapes,” it said. “Allow for grower companies which have tried to recruit locals, but still unable to fill vacancies to be allowed to recruit foreign workers immediately.
“That is the reality. The jobs offered in the agriculture-plantation sector are deemed to be 3D and are far from the city lights. It reiterated that the shortage of workers including disinterested local participation would further aggravate the plantation industry in Malaysia, adding that oil palm trees that are still bearing fruits will be wasted if left unharvested.