25/04/2017 (The Sun Daily) – I refer to “Review palm oil strategy” (Making Sens, April 20). A rather timely advice to those of us involved with this industry that supports nearly 600,000 smallholders and another 400,000 others throughout the palm oil supply chain. If you apply the multiplier effect this industry supports almost 4 million Malaysians.

Tan Siok Choo correctly summarised the challenges arising from the European Parliament vote that if left unchecked has the potential to create a topsy turvy situation for the palm oil industry and even serve to undermine its long-term viability.

We are in no mood to allow the Europeans to implement a single Europe-driven certification system for sustainable palm oil and control our future destination.

She further champions several actions that are required of those associated with the industry to contain the possible fallout from the European vote.

For the uninitiated, these suggestions may appear as very new and prophetic but in reality these are exactly what those of us involved, already prescribe and adopt as the long-term goals to maintain a viable and sustainable palm oil industry.

The reader should not get the impression that these suggestions were never considered, let alone implemented.

Some suggestions from Tan need further assessment. She suggests that to tackle health-related issues surrounding palm oil we should be more dependent on American and European academics while implying that local research may be looked upon as biased.

On record, there are more than 160 such nutritional, health and related studies funded by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board that took nearly three decades and involved many American, European, Australian and Asian institutions, apart from home-generated outputs.

Despite the outpouring of volumes of scientific evidence from all these quarters supporting palm oil as a wholesome, nutritious and neutral fat, opinion remains divided because some so-called experts choose to shun scientifically peer reviewed evidence.

In all honesty, well executed local research outputs have emerged side by side with that of their overseas counterparts in the most reputed scientific journals.
 

It is still a challenge for us in this front and in reaching out to the lay consumer. But we keep nudging it forward and at great cost by engaging all possible available resources.

Her suggestion to involve National Geographic, Discovery and other similar channels to document and then broadcast Malaysia’s sustainable palm oil practices is excellent and this is something we have tried and continue to cultivate.

Our experience, however, has been less than gratifying. Some years ago, through MPOC we developed a short TV advertorial. Very professionally done. This passed scrutiny by a major British broadcaster and was aired briefly in England.

The content claiming sustainability for palm production was challenged through the British Advertising Standards Authority and was quickly taken off the air by the broadcaster, although we saw no content that was in any way offensive.

On another occasion a high-quality palm oil documentary was produced and a leading international channel agreed to broadcast this but only for its Asian audience. It was denied air time on its European channels.

On both occasions, the anti-palm oil lobbies won the day and these have left a bitter aftertaste for us. Still if the big broadcast channels wish to cooperate we are willing to work with them.

Tan again correctly hits the high note that in the face of continued anti-palm oil campaigns in Europe, alternate markets should be cultivated. Let me assure all that this is an ongoing exercise. Indeed, we view much of Asia, Africa and the Middle East as the emerging growth centres for Malaysian palm oil.

Several marketing and promotional efforts are in place with the aim that in the longer term these could emerge as more important markets than Europe. These markets are, however, fraught with a myriad of peculiar challenges and require specially tailored initiatives if we are to succeed.

Luckily, the Malaysian palm oil industry is blessed with dynamic and dedicated leadership starting all the way at the top with the minister himself, the ministry officials and its various palm oil agencies.

This network makes for a strong fighting force that has one goal only – ensure the long-term sustainability and continued profitability of the palm oil industry so that the nearly 4 million dependants in our society continue to reap the benefits.

We could do with additional help!

She correctly mentions the stand taken by Ferrero to defend their brand and its palm oil content. We could do more if our major plantation houses took a more proactive stand in defending Malaysian palm oil since much of the anti-palm oil sentiment is associated with its cultivation practices.

Meanwhile, thank you Madam, for highlighting many of these challenges and allowing this open forum as enablers for more action in support of Malaysian palm oil.

Dr Kalyana Sundram
Chief Executive Officer
Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC)