BANGI, June 24 (Bernama) -- The world is now assured that Malaysia is theproducer of the highest quality palm oil with the incorporation ofDeterioration of Bleachability Index (DOBI) Value into domestic crude palmoil sales (CPO) contract, said Minister of Primary Plantation Industries,Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui.

Both the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Palm Oil RefinersAssociation of Malaysia (PORAM) are very much aware of the need to producehigh quality products for consumers and it is in this connection they havereached consensus to incorporate DOBI Value issued jointly by the twoassociations beginning July 1, 2004.

"The incorporation of DOBI Value into the domestic CPO sales contractmarked a significant milestone for the Malaysian palm oil industry.

"It augurs well for the image of the country's palm oil industry, provingthe commitment of all sectors including the government towards theenhancement of the quality of palm oil produced in Malaysia," he toldreporters after launching the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) Transferof Technology Seminar, here Thursday.

Chin said DOBI, which was first proposed by MPOB was a rapid way toindicate the use of CPO bleaching to remove coloured pigments, tracemetals, gums and other impurities.

It can be used to differentiate CPO under various categories fromexcellent to sludge palm oil that cannot be used for the production of oilfor consumption.

The current contractual specifications in the Domestic Contract for CrudeUnbleached Palm Oil in Bulk is issued jointly by MPOA and PORAM, onlycover Free Fatty Acid and Moisture and Impurities content.

The contractual specifications do not include parameters to indicate theoxidative status of the oil.

Chin said palm oil was the leading oil traded in the world's oil and fatsmarket and plays a major role in the supply of energy and nutrition tomankind.

"More than 90 percent of palm oil exported by Malaysia is used for foodapplications.

"Therefore, it is very important for Malaysia to have a competitive edgeover other palm oil producers in order to overcome the competition facedin exporting the oil," he said.

Malaysia exports nearly 92 percent of its annual production to more than140 countries and is proud to supply this versatile product to the globalfood industries and to the diets of billions of people around the world.

"To remain competitive, it is very pertinent for the palm oil producingcountries like Malaysia to continuously enhance the quality of rawmaterials so that the value of all the types of outputs can conform tostringent quality specifications with minimum deterioration in quality,"Chin said, adding that increasing improvement in the oil quality wouldfurther enhance the image of the oil for food consumption.

"With incorporation of DOBI Value, consumers will be aware that Malaysianpalm oil is of highest quality and that they can depend on us for healthyfood," Chin said.

MPOB director-general Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron said that other palm oilproducing countries including Indonesia, and Columbia had approached theboard to introduce similar value for their palm oil.

-- BERNAMA