KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) should be the global benchmark in all research from the upstream sector to the downstream sector related to palm oil.

The minister said the plantation sector needs to work with MPOB by taking the opportunity to highlight research findings such as the use of quality planting materials produced through advances in biotechnology and tissue culture techniques. 

"The palm oil industry makes an important contribution to the national economy which generates more than RM130 billion in national income," he said in a statement by MPOB, in conjunction with the minister's visit to the agency's office here today. 

During his visit, Johari received an overview of MPOB's functions and the progress made in palm oil-related research and development.

To date, MPOB has developed 714 technologies covering all sectors in the oil palm industry including formulations of palm-based food and non-food products.

A total of 233 technologies or 32.7 per cent of these technologies have been commercialised and adopted by local industries and entrepreneurs.