19/09/2012 (Bernama) - The Romanian government has shown interest to cooperate with Malaysia in developing an entry port for palm oil in the country's third largest city, Constanta.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, said the Romanian government had expressed its gratitude to Malaysia which is the largest supplier of palm oil to the country.

"Although they know very little about palm oil, its minister has shown keen interest in developing an entry port for Malaysian palm oil," he told Bernama after his bilateral meeting with the Romanian Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ovidiu Ioan Silaghi, here Tuesday.

Dompok is currently on an eight-day palm oil promotion mission to France and Romania. Other members of the Malaysian delegation include Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) chairman, Datuk Lee Yeow Chor, its chief executive officer Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron and director-general of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May.

Dompok said Ovidiu has agreed for further discussion on that matter and he hoped the discussions will result in the setting up of the palm oil entry port in Constanta.

This will boost the Malaysian palm oil industry, he said.

Dompok also said Malaysia should nevertheless continue to engage the European market in order to secure more business opportunities especially in the palm oil industry.

He said many people here might have a wrong perception of palm oil and Malaysians should continue their efforts to provide the correct information.

"People here do not know much about palm oil and Malaysians must make more efforts to explain and promote about our palm oil."

Romania imported 4,846 tonnes of Malaysian palm oil last year with Malaysia being the main supplier.

Earlier, Dompok also had bilateral meetings with the Minister Delegate for Business Environment for Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business Environment Voicu Mihai Alexandru and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Daniel Constantin.