MSPO certification increasingly recognised, will help drive palm oil prices higher, says Teresa Kok
28 July 2019 (The Star Online) ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification has received international recognition that will push local palm oil prices higher.
Primary Industry Minister Teresa Kok said that various foreign companies have expressed their desire to import more palm oil from Malaysia.
“We received positive feedback from these companies that have already recognised the MSPO and are willing to pay a higher price for it.
“Besides that, the Japanese Olympic Council, which will host the Summer Olympics in Tokyo next year, has also recognised the MSPO certificate,” she said.
Kok stressed that besides the Japanese Olympic Council, the MSPO also received recognition from China Greenfood Development Centre, which is an agency under the Chinese government, through a memorandum of understanding.
“I will also be going to Europe soon to get our MSPO recognised by them, which will help our palm oil to be exported there as Europe is our second largest market in the world,” she said.
She added that she would be going to Japan in two months time to get buyers or agencies under the Japanese government to also recognise the certificate.
Kok said this when attending a dialogue with oil palm smallholders and factories at a hotel here in Puteri Harbour Sunday (July 28).
She pointed out that the government was committed to ensuring all palm oil plantation owners would be MSPO certified by Dec 31 this year as promised.
However, Kok said that as of June 30, only 42% out of the whole 5.849mil ha of palm oil plantations throughout the country have been MSPO certified.
She said that Johor was the lowest among all of the states with 37% out of 747,562ha receiving certification.
“Many small-scale palm oil owners had misused their land where even though it is for agricultural produce such as cocoa or rubber, they planted palm trees, which is against the rules and makes it difficult for them to get MSPO.
“However, I have spoken on this matter with Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal who will help these owners change the land status to help them get certified,” she added.
Kok urged local oil palm plantation owners and factories to get the MSPO certification as soon as possible.
“We have to show the world that we are serious in making our palm oil industry sustainable without damaging our ecosystem and our wildlife,” she said.