Taninthayi Expands Oil Palm Production with Plans for Local Refineries

 

Taninthayi Region, the only suitable area for commercial oil palm cultivation in Myanmar due to its equatorial climate, has expanded its plantation area to 401,605 acres. By August 2026, the region harvested 286,640 tonnes of fresh fruit bunches from 173,926 acres, following an output of over 617,000 tonnes in the 2025-2026 financial year.

Despite over 30 years of domestic and foreign investment, the region currently operates only five crude palm oil mills—located across Dawei, Bokpyin, and Kawthoung. Because the crude oil must be shipped to Yangon for processing, the region cannot yet produce edible refined oil locally, leaving local edible oil self-sufficiency at just 0.47 per cent.

To cut reliance on imports from Malaysia, authorities are planning an edible oil refinery in Taninthayi Region. Local farmers and stakeholders emphasize that introducing refining technology will not only secure domestic oil consumption and yield export surpluses, but also maximize returns on a crop that remains commercially productive for more than 20 years.

Myint Oo (Myeik)/ST

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