It's been 100 years since the first planting of oil palm in Malaysia. Here's its story
Malaysia's palm-oil industry owes much to a Frenchman whose passion was writing, not agriculture. It was Henri Fauconnier who planted the first oil palm in Malaya back in April 1917 - making 2017 the centenary of this cash crop.
Malaysia is so dominant in the palm-oil industry today that many assume that it has a long history in the country. But the palm, actually native to West Africa, was brought to Malaya only in the colonial era.
Fauconnier's fame rests on The Soul of Malaya, published in France in 1930. In the book, a French planter's designs on a Malay woman are foiled by her father in a story that also highlights the havoc that the plantations were wreaking in the lives of ordinary Malayans.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Columns
‘Competition for talent’ a poor excuse to keep key executives’ pay under wraps
OCBC should put its properties into a Reit and distribute the trust’s units to shareholders
Why a stronger US dollar is dangerous
An overstimulated US economy is asking for trouble
Too many property agents? Cap commissions on home sales
Time to study broadening of private market access