MalaysiaAgriculture and food production2024 – ongoingMinsawi Industries
AI process control at a palm oil mill
A Perak palm oil mill cut foreign workers from 66 to 44 and estimated RM1.6 million a year in processing savings after adding AI
Problem
The mill in Kuala Kangsar, 41 years old and rated at 45 tonnes of fruit per hour, lost oil in processing and paid for heavy maintenance and a large foreign workforce.
Approach
With the technology firm Airei, the mill added AI, sensors and predictive tools to its processing line. The system cost about RM5 million. The plantation minister described the results in parliament in February 2025 after a visit in 2024.
Results
Takeaway
The plantation minister said AI-run mills needed more skilled local staff as foreign-worker numbers fell. He estimated a two-year payback in parliament.
Categories
- Industry
- Agriculture and food production
- Business function
- Production and quality
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Predictive analytics and ML
- Adoption
- Co-developed with a partner
- Evidence
- Regulator, audit or court
Sources
Source summaries
New Straits Times reported the plantation minister's statements on 26 February 2025, naming Minsawi Industries in Kuala Kangsar and its partner Airei. It gave the cost, savings and workforce figures, with conflicting annual processing-savings amounts of RM1.6 million and RM16 million.
The Star reported the minister's winding-up speech in the Dewan Rakyat on 24 February 2025. It gave workforce and cost figures and combined savings of about RM2.7 million. The minister also replied to an MP who said high AI maintenance costs had closed a mill in Jerangau.
Full details are in the original sources.
