Discover the challenges faced by the smallholder in the loose fruit collection process

Abstract The Malaysian oil palm industry, a cornerstone of the nation’s economy, involves large plantations and smallholders cultivating millions of hectares. Palm oil, a major global trade commodity, contributes significantly to Malaysia’s GDP. However, the collection of loose fruit, vital for its high oil content, presents challenges for smallholders. The issue of uncollected loose fruit remains prevalent among smallholders, leading to the growth of unwanted plants and potential misuse of volunteer oil palm seedlings. The manual collection process, which is time-consuming, coupled with technical limitations faced in mechanizing the process, contributes significantly to the handling time of fresh fruit bunches. Hence, a qualitative study was conducted in Saratok, Sarawak, focusing on eight smallholder participants to discover their challenges in collecting loose fruit. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from the participants using the snowball sampling method, based on the eight participants who were interviewed. The data were analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA) and emerged into five themes. The analysis revealed that their challenges were associated with unsightly areas, manual collection difficulties, physical strain, vast plantation areas, and workforce shortages. The findings of the study contribute to the ongoing discourse on improving the efficiency of loose fruit collection, a critical aspect of Malaysia’s oil palm industry sustainability, which is crucial for enhancing the industry’s productivity and its significant role in Malaysia’s economy and global palm oil trade.