PARLIAMENT | The government will continue its cooperation with plantation industry players to increase automation and reduce reliance on migrant workers, a shortage which had caused losses of up to RM20 billion in the palm oil sector. 

Plantation and Commodities Minister Fadillah Yusof said his ministry through the Mechanisation & Automation Research Consortium for Oil Palm (Marcop) - set up in 2021 with an RM60 million allocation - has so far received 19 research applications from technology providers and universities.

Among others, he cited...