Arla Foods to remove ‘No Palm Oil’ labels from Lurpak products

KUALA LUMPUR: Denmark’s Arla Foods, the producer of Lurpak brand of dairy products, has agreed to remove discriminatory “No Palm Oil” labels within 60 days.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong recently met up with Denmark’s Minister Counsellor, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Nina Hvid Talvela and Arla Foods, here.

Mah said both the Denmark government and Arla Foods had acknowledged products bearing “no palm oil” or “palm oil free” labels unfairly discriminated stakeholders throughout the palm oil value chain.

“Arla Foods has confirmed it will remove the discriminatory labels on Lurpak dairy goods from sale at supermarket shelves, within 60 days,” said Mah yesterday

“This is a positive move indicating due respect for bilateral trade relations. The palm oil value chain in Malaysia involved planters, millers, refiners, logistics providers, distributors, retailers and consumers at large,” he added.

Oil palm cultivation remains an important lifeline for rural communities as 650,000 smallholders depend on it and produce 40 per cent of the country’s production.

There is also some two million jobs indirectly benefiting from the palm oil industry.

The minister said the palm oil industry was an important contributor to Malaysia’s economy and export earnings.

“Therefore, the government will assiduously counter any negative campaign against it, be it domestically or abroad,” he said.

Mah also announced the Denmark government via Talvela had pledged support for the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) and said they would work with Malaysia in correcting the negative perception of palm oil.

“The Danish Embassy and Arla Foods firmly support Malaysian small farmers and are committed to collaborate on MSPO,” he said.

Mah added that this was in line with the Denmark government’s signing of the Am-sterdam Declaration in December 2015 to promote and sup-port a fully sustainable palm oil supply chain by 2020. Ooi Tee Ching

Arla Foods has confirmed it will remove the discriminatory labels on Lurpak dairy goods from sale at supermarket shelves within 60 days. DATUK SERI MAH SIEW KEONG Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister