We can meet global demand for palm oil says Zuraida

 

Zuraida Kamaruddin says a meeting will be held with the European Union on May 8 to discuss forced labour and palm oil issues.

KUALA LUMPUR: The plantation industries and commodities ministry remains confident that Malaysia would be able to cater to the global demand for palm oil following Indonesia’s ban on the export of the commodity beginning today.

Its minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin, said the local industry could increase the production and productivity of palm oil as the borders have reopened and foreign labour has started to come in gradually.

Yesterday, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for economic affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced a ban on exports of all palm oil products beginning April 28, 2022.

The products are crude palm oil; red palm oil; refined, bleached, deodorised (RBD) palm olein; palm oil mill effluent (POME); and used cooking oil to ensure the fulfilment of domestic needs amid price increases.

Separately, Zuraida said the ministry would meet the European Union on May 8 on the forced labour and palm oil issues, but it has yet to get a date to meet the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

This comes amid the continued Withhold Release Order (WRO) imposed by the CBP on Sime Darby Plantation Berhad since December 2020 over allegations of forced labour made against the company.

The WRO effectively banned the import of the company’s palm oil products into the US. - FMT