CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AN ATTRIBUTE OF M'SIAN PALM OIL

From Muin Abdul Majid

ISTANBUL, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysian palm oil is fast becoming more
attractive to consumers worldwide due to industry players recognising the
importance of handling the environment as well as stakeholders with care,
said Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) chairman Lee Yeow Chor.

He said palm oil planters in Malaysia had been adopting responsible
agricultural practices since the 1980s.

"Our mission to be an environmentally friendly and sustainable industry is
further reflected in the Malaysian palm oil industry players' active support for
the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)," he said at the two-day Palm Oil
Trade Fair and Seminar (POTS) Turkey here.

A global forum to define standards and monitor criteria for sustainable
production and supply of palm oil, RSPO members include planters, traders,
conservation groups and corporate users of palm oil.

The palm oil sector has been forced to defence itself over the years against
accusations that its practices are harmful to the environment.

Lee said MPOC had also launched a US$6 million Malaysia Palm Oil Wildlife
Conservation Fund to support conservation efforts related to palm oil production
in Malaysia.

According to him, the growing acceptance of Malaysian palm oil among
consumers in this region was evident by marked improvements in import figures.

He said Malaysian palm oil exports to the region grew by 31.6 percent in
2008 compared to 450,000 tonnes in 2007.

Lee cited the case of Jordan which imported about 380,000 tonnes of
Malaysian palm oil in 2008 from only 6,000 tonnes in 2007.

"Egypt, correspondingly, imported some 350,000 tonnes from 185,000 tonnes
while other countries reflected an average of about 10 percent increase in
imports of Malaysian palm oil," he said.

Jointly organised by MPOC and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, POTS Turkey was
opened Monday by Malaysia's Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister
Bernard Dompok.
-- BERNAMA