Malaysia joins Friends of Palm Oil alliance
The Star Online (04/02/2018) - LABIS: Malaysia has formed an alliance with eight other palm oil producing countries to champion the industry’s future to the European Union (EU).
They are Indonesia, Thailand, Peru, Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala, known collectively as the Friends of Palm Oil.
Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong (pic) said the recent development which saw EU passing a resolution on palm oil was a concern for Malaysia.
“Despite it not yet becoming law, it will have a bad impact on the oil palm industry.
“The Government has discussed the matter with these countries, which is why we agreed to form the group,” he said after witnessing a Magnum 4D programme at the Grace Manna House in Taman Sentosa here yesterday.
On Jan 17, the EU Parliament passed a resolution which required that only sustainably-produced palm oil could be imported into its market after 2020.
The EU, Chua said, was one of the largest importers of palm oil from Malaysia after China and India, with an average of 7.4mil tonnes.
The Government, he said, would also clear many misconceptions by the EU about the palm oil industry in Malaysia.
“The EU believes that many forests have been chopped down to make way for oil palm plantations in the country but this is untrue.
“About 57% of Malaysia is still covered with forest whereas only 14% is oil palm plantations,” he said, adding that the Government has directed various ministries including his ministry, the Foreign Ministry as well as the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry to work closely on finding a solution.