At AEP, the combined use of ecological, physical, biological, cultural and chemical methods are employed to control pests and diseases in our estates. This Integrated Pest Management philosophy seeks to prevent the excessive use of chemical pesticides which could have an impact on the environment and workers’ safety.
Tyto alba (Barn Owl)
Barn owls have become a welcome sight in many of our estates. The Group continues to build barn owl nests to keep our rat population under control.
An Owl Being Inspected at PT BPJ
Beneficial plants such as Turnera subulata, Antigonon leptopus and Cassia cobanensis are extensively planted throughout our estates as biological control for leaf-eating pests.
For the control of Ganoderma, complete removal and shredding of infected palms are practised to control the spread basal stem rot, as well as soil mounding to stem any infection. Good water table management, particularly in peat, as well as high standards of sanitation and agronomic inputs are prioritised in susceptible areas.
Turnera subulata at PT HPP
Antigonon leptosus at PT HPP
Apart from using biological control, AEP is constantly exploring avenues to reduce overall pesticide usage and evaluating safer pesticide alternatives. Highly toxic pesticides like Paraquat have been completely eliminated in all our estates starting 2019. Pesticides that fall under the WHO Class 1A and 1B classification, as well as those that fall under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions are used only under exceptional circumstances and under strict supervision. They have not been used as part of the estates’ routine operations, and will be eliminated when effective and suitable alternatives become available. In the meantime, different cocktails of safer pesticides are being evaluated as alternatives.
Mill Effluents Piped Directly to Fields for Additional Nutrients and Waste Elimination
New ways of reducing fertilisers are also constantly being explored. Apart from mulching with EFB bunches which provide additional nutrients, land application of mill effluents are also being practised in estates with existing mills.
Sprayers Getting Ready for Work
