EGYPTIAN PRODUCTS USING MALAYSIAN PALM OIL TO ENJOY WIDER GLOBAL MARKET, SAYS MPOC

From Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

CAIRO, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Egyptian products using Malaysian palm oil will
gain better market access into the world as it is sustainably produced and
able to meet European stringent requirements, says Malaysian Palm Oil Council
(MPOC) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Dr Kalyana Sundram.

"Malaysia is your reliable supplier of palm oil judging from the years of
experience in being the world class producer and exporter where its products
exported to more than 150 countries globally.

"This is contributed by the strict regulations in assuring that all palm oil
produced is of good quality," he told seminar participants at the just
concluded Malaysia-Egypt Palm Oil Trade Fair & Seminar 2010 (POTS Egypt
2010) here.

Themed "Empowering Partnership, Gaining Opportunities in Current Market
Growing Market Place", the event was officially launched by MPOC Chairman Datuk
Lee Yeow Chor, who led the Malaysian delegation to Egypt from Nov 7 to 9.

POTS Egypt 2010 provided an avenue for the industry to keep abreast with the
latest developments and other global issues related to the palm oil trade.

Papers presented at the seminar by eminent speakers discussed in depth the
opportunities and emerging issues to enable stakeholders be well-informed and
alerted.

The event was jointly organised by MPOC and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board
(MPOB) in collaboration with Egypt's General Authority for Investment and
Chamber of Food Industries Egypt.

Dr Kalyana said rising global demand for oils and fats would not be easily
met with limited arable land and therefore possible solution is to rely on high
yielding crop like palm oil.

In the long run, he said deficit of oils and fats in Egypt would remain.

"Palm oil being cost competitive, versatile and nutritious has a role to
supplement this shortage," he said.

Egypt is also a centre for the re-export of Malaysian palm oil to North
Africa and Middle East countries.

Dr Kalyana said Malaysia, Indonesia and Argentina were the only
three countries able to export oils in large quantity currently.

Among these, two are palm oil exporters signifying the ability for palm oil
to meet global edible oil deficit including in Egypt.

Palm oil is therefore playing an important role in assuring food security
globally, he said.

Dr Kalyana said palm oil prices have been also at a discount price against
soybean oil and sunflower oil, indicating the efficiency of production per unit
area among these crops.

This also lowers costs for users, making them more competitive in the
market.

The semi-solid nature of palm oil further reduces the cost of producing
solid or speciality fat. It also contains no trans fats.

"Versatility of palm oil in various food and non-food applications offers
vast options in marketing/utilising this vegetable," he said.

Dr Kalyana also disclosed that palm oil has been proven a healthy substitute
for trans fatty acids, and this has led to significant increased demand for it.

"The current USA market is the best examples of this development," he added.

Palm oil is the major commodity imported by Egypt, at 45.5 per
cent of its total imports, followed by textiles, garments, chemicals and
chemical products, electrical and electronic products, and wood products.

Egypt continues to be the main recipient for bulk of the palm oil exported
from Malaysia to this part of the world, at 74 per cent market share, making it
the largest Malaysian palm oil importer in the west of the Suez.

-- BERNAMA