Carey Island, 15 October 2019 – Sime Darby Plantation (SDP) today unveiled its very own Palm Oil Experience Centre (POEC) located in Carey Island, Selangor – one of the Company’s oil palm plantation areas in West Malaysia. Officially launched today by the Honourable Mdm. Teresa Kok, the Minister of Primary Industries, POEC is designed to be an educational hub where visitors can learn more about palm oil as well as SDP’s complete value chain of operations – from oil palm cultivation and processing to the production of palm oil products. It features a main gallery, a dedicated exhibition area showcasing SDP’s sustainability initiatives, a mini theatre, a Café (Caffé Alba) and a souvenir shop featuring products of SDP’s subsidiary, Sime Darby Oils.

SDP’s Group Managing Director, Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha, said POEC offers an insight into the Company’s best practices and educate visitors about the production of sustainable palm oil to fulfil the world’s growing demand for vegetable oil.

“Sime Darby Plantation has for a long time worked to produce palm oil responsibly and we are still continuing to improve on our own standards and practices. The various initiatives that have been the hallmark of our sustainability credentials throughout the years are what we intend to showcase here at our new Palm Oil Experience Centre. They include among others; our Zero-Burning initiatives, best agriculture practices, breakthroughs in genome science to produce high-yielding palms, conservation of wildlife species and their habitats as well as endangered tree species, and our latest initiative on the traceability of our supply chain to draw the line on deforestation

“We hope Sime Darby Plantation’s Palm Oil Experience Centre will provide our stakeholders a better understanding of our work here and be an avenue for our guests to educate themselves about the importance of sustainable palm oil for the world at large,” said Mohamad Helmy.

As the world’s largest producer of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) with over 100 years of history in the plantation industry, SDP has been receiving requests from various stakeholders who are interested to visit the Company’s operations and learn more about the palm oil industry. They include local and international customers, government officials, foreign dignitaries, special interest groups, academia, media and members of the public.
With POEC, SDP intends to cater to the growing number of these requests by providing an information centre that would not only answer numerous questions about palm oil but also dispel the various adverse propaganda related to the palm oil industry.

POEC will also be an essential part of SDP’s overall ‘Edu-leisure’ retreat facility called ‘Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens’, which offers members of the public a hospitality, tourism and learning experience surrounded by a nature-inspired setting in the heart of Carey Island.

“Apart from offering a palm oil education centre, we hope to provide our guests a unique experience at our ‘Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens’ with various attractions that are currently available at this thematic Edu-leisure retreat. ‘Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens’ is the perfect place for nature lovers to get away from their hectic daily routines and enjoy outdoor activities that are suitable for families as well as corporate teambuilding programmes,” added Mohamad Helmy.

Other facilities and attractions available at Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens include:

1. Accommodations, training and meeting facilities;
2. The Plantation Museum where visitors can learn about the history, various artefacts, techniques and tools used in an oil palm plantation;
3. Classic colonial heritage bungalows which provide a more distinguished lodging space and experience for visitors;   
4. 18-hole Carey Island Golf Course and Club;
5. Recreational facilities such as cycling track, swimming pool, tennis court as well as an Outdoor Challenge Camp with 15 challenging obstacles;
6. Mangrove Research Centre; and
7. A Wildlife Sanctuary housing a large number of endangered, rare and threatened tropical trees species that sprawl across a 30-hectare area.

Blessed with its lush green surroundings, Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens also offers luxurious space and F&B catering service for various corporate and personalised events such as weddings and even video filming. The F&B catering service by Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens includes its signature BBQ dinner that has been receiving rave reviews from its guests.

SDP’s Plantation Palm Oil Experience Centre daily opening hours are from 8.30am to 5.30pm with free admission.

For bookings enquries and information on other facilities offered by Sime Darby Plantation EcoGardens:

Website : www.palmecogardens.com
Phone : 03-3326 6222
Email : ecogardens@sdguthrie.com