MPIC: Smart palm oil factory should align with industry growth
20/12/2022 (New Straits Times), Kuala Lumpur - The concept of a smart palm oil factory should be the direction of the oil palm industry as it is able to give a new dimension to the aspect of efficiency, the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities urged.
MPIC secretary-general Datuk Zurinah Pawanteh said the ministry is suggesting that efforts in reducing the carbon footprint for palm oil products should be emphasised in line with the development and the global demand for environmentally friendly products.
"This action proves the seriousness of the oil palm industry in line with Malaysia's aspiration to achieve the target of net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions as early as 2050," she said.
She was delivering her speech on behalf of MPIC minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof at Malaysia Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) National Seminar on Oil Palm Milling, Refining, Environment and Quality (POMREQ) 2022.
Meanwhile, MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the board has developed biogas capture technology and cooperated with the industry to expand the application of biogas.
He said as of 2021, there are 135 oil palm mills or 30 per cent of the existing oil palm mills that have installed biogas systems.
Meanwhile, 15 factories are in the process of installation and 130 factories are in the process of planning for the installation of biogas systems.
Until Oct 31, 97.8 per cent of oil palm plantations in Malaysia covering an area of 5.612 million hectares have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification.
"In addition to the oil palm cultivation sector, the oil palm manufacturing sector also implements MSPO Certification where until Oct 31, 2022, 98.28 per cent or 458 oil palm mills have obtained MSPO Certification," he said.
The POMREQ seminar themed "The Oil Palm Industry - Building Strategic Resilience, Turning Crisis into Opportunity" involves the participation and dialogues session between stakeholders in the palm oil industry.