MARKET DEVELOPMENT
CHG Issues ‘Unnecessary Burden on Growers’
CHG Issues ‘Unnecessary Burden on Growers’
19/04/2013 (The Star) - Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners' Association (SOPPOA) has objected to the proposed inclusion of issues related to greenhouse gas (CHG) emission and peat planting in the Roundtable on Susainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and Criteria.
The proposed resolutions will be put to vote at RSPO's extraordinary general meeting in Kuala Lumpur next week.
RSPO is an international organisation formed in 2004 to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products. Its members include producers, distributors, conservationists and other stakeholders.
“To include CHG in the sustainable certification scheme for palm oil is akin to putting additional and unnecessary burden on growers in particular when such schemes are not necessary for other food-based crops like rice and maize,” SOPPOA said in a statement.
It said large cattle and sheep rearing activities which contributed more CHG into the atmosphere than oil palm cultivation were not subjected to such stringent measures.
“Worldwide areas planted under rapeseed, sunflower and corn far outnumber oil palm but these crops are not subjected to CHG emission checks for certification.
“Where is the justice and fairness in such a scenario? Why are oil palm growers subjected to more checks and controls than other crop farmers around the world while contributing to producing cheap and sustainable palm oil for the world?” it asked.
SOPPOA said RSPO's stance of doing away with peat planting disregarded the significant and substantial contributions of such areas to the economies of Malaysia and Indonesia and their citizens.
A sizeable area of the 1.2 million ha of oil palm estates in Sarawak are on peat soil.
According to SOPPOA, Malaysia's oil palm cultivation was one of the most heavily-regulated and governed industries with more than 25 laws and regulations imposed on all growers, millers and refineries.
The laws and regulations cover areas designated for planting, setting up of mills and refineries and code of practices to ensure sustainability of the planting and palm oil products.
“SOPPOA fully supports the implementation of Malaysia's own sustainable standards like the Malaysian sustainable palm oil in accordance to the stringent measures already being implemented in the industry in Malaysia rather than subjected to unreasonable and unjustifiable standards imposed by RSPO,” it said.
As an associate member of RSPO, SOPPOA claimed the current composition of RSPO representatives was weighing heavily against growers in particular.
It claimed this has led to disregard of concerns and observations from the growers in RSPO resolutions and agreements in many meetings and discussion groups.
“Such lopsided arrangement is certainly not a yardstick for any organisation to be viewed as balanced in its presentation of views and opinions with regards to matters pertaining to the industry,” it claimed.
SOPPOA said it shared the views of some other RSPO members that it was totally unnecessary to introduce Resolution 5b on e-voting and called for its withdrawal.
The proposed resolutions will be put to vote at RSPO's extraordinary general meeting in Kuala Lumpur next week.
RSPO is an international organisation formed in 2004 to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products. Its members include producers, distributors, conservationists and other stakeholders.
“To include CHG in the sustainable certification scheme for palm oil is akin to putting additional and unnecessary burden on growers in particular when such schemes are not necessary for other food-based crops like rice and maize,” SOPPOA said in a statement.
It said large cattle and sheep rearing activities which contributed more CHG into the atmosphere than oil palm cultivation were not subjected to such stringent measures.
“Worldwide areas planted under rapeseed, sunflower and corn far outnumber oil palm but these crops are not subjected to CHG emission checks for certification.
“Where is the justice and fairness in such a scenario? Why are oil palm growers subjected to more checks and controls than other crop farmers around the world while contributing to producing cheap and sustainable palm oil for the world?” it asked.
SOPPOA said RSPO's stance of doing away with peat planting disregarded the significant and substantial contributions of such areas to the economies of Malaysia and Indonesia and their citizens.
A sizeable area of the 1.2 million ha of oil palm estates in Sarawak are on peat soil.
According to SOPPOA, Malaysia's oil palm cultivation was one of the most heavily-regulated and governed industries with more than 25 laws and regulations imposed on all growers, millers and refineries.
The laws and regulations cover areas designated for planting, setting up of mills and refineries and code of practices to ensure sustainability of the planting and palm oil products.
“SOPPOA fully supports the implementation of Malaysia's own sustainable standards like the Malaysian sustainable palm oil in accordance to the stringent measures already being implemented in the industry in Malaysia rather than subjected to unreasonable and unjustifiable standards imposed by RSPO,” it said.
As an associate member of RSPO, SOPPOA claimed the current composition of RSPO representatives was weighing heavily against growers in particular.
It claimed this has led to disregard of concerns and observations from the growers in RSPO resolutions and agreements in many meetings and discussion groups.
“Such lopsided arrangement is certainly not a yardstick for any organisation to be viewed as balanced in its presentation of views and opinions with regards to matters pertaining to the industry,” it claimed.
SOPPOA said it shared the views of some other RSPO members that it was totally unnecessary to introduce Resolution 5b on e-voting and called for its withdrawal.