Singapore, 3 November 2023 – Musim Mas announced the release of four new oil palm varieties with potential yields of over 10 tons of total oil/hectare, which are nearly three times higher than the industry average of 3.25 tons of CPO/hectare. A result of 11 years of non-GMO genetic research, the new seed varieties can potentially yield fruiting palms within 25 months in contrast to the industry average of 30 months.
With the challenge of meeting the world’s demand for oil and fats against the need to preserve forests, The Group invests heavily in genetic and agronomic research to improve yields without increasing planted areas. The release of these top-performing varieties is the latest fruit of these efforts. To help smallholder farmers improve and achieve better yields and livelihoods, Musim Mas will also provide these new seed varieties to scheme smallholder farmers it supports through the Kredit Koperasi Primer Anggota (KKPA) program.
Dubbed the Musim Mas GS Series, the new seeds are of the dura x pisifera (DxP) variety, and four separate varieties were released by The Group: GS1, GS2, GS3, and GS4. These varieties have been approved by the Indonesian government’s assessment body for plantation varieties (TPV). The varieties were also developed four years faster than a typical breeding program, demonstrating the strength of Musim Mas’ R&D efforts.
“At Musim Mas, our strategy is to increase our production through improved yields and not land expansion. This ideology is a key part of how we see our role as a responsible palm oil producer. With the world’s population expected to cross 9 billion by 2050, we hope the Musim Mas GS series will play a valuable role towards improved yields in the long term,” said Mr. TK Lim, Director of Strategy and Planning, Musim Mas.
The GS Series is an important contributor to Musim Mas’ role as a leading seed-to-shelf agribusiness and will also potentially yield oil palms with longer stalks, which makes harvesting easier, yields bigger fruitlets, and provides excellent CPO extraction rates of 30%.
Musim Mas staff at an event to commemorate the launch
About Musim Mas
Musim Mas Group is an integrated palm oil company, operating in 13 countries. From plantations, to mills, refineries, kernel-crushing plants, oleochemicals, and specialty fats plants, Musim Mas manufactures palm oil products and value-added derivatives. Musim Mas is one of the largest domestic producers and exporters in Indonesia. Inter-Continental Oils and Fats (ICOF), a member of Musim Mas Group, undertakes global marketing activities.
The Group is committed to sustainability and was the first company with significant operations in Indonesia to join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004. Committed early to emissions reductions, Musim Mas is a signatory to the Agriculture Sector Roadmap to 1.5 Degrees convened by the Tropical Forest Alliance. The roadmap aims to halt commodity-linked deforestation in line with the 1.5-degree pathway while enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and supporting the sector’s transformation toward forest-positive land-use management. In January 2024, Musim Mas announced that it will strive to achieve net zero by 2050, aligning with climate science as per the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Musim Mas also manages the most extensive independent smallholder programs in Indonesia.
Musim Mas Contact Details
Email: communications@musimmas.com
Phone: (65) 6576 6500
Media Enquiries: (65) 9012 1582 (WhatsApp Calls only)
