Malaysia, Switzerland to form palm oil committee
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Switzerland will form a special joint committee comprising experts from both nations to cooperate on issues relating to palm oil.
The Primary Industries Ministry will work with the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research to set up the special joint committee.
This was agreed upon during a meeting between Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok and Johann Schneider-Ammann, who is Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research head, in Berne on Monday.
The ministry said the special committee would explore palm oil-related opportunities towards sustainability, bilateral trade, exchange of relevant scientific technologies and possible collaboration in downstream palm oil industry applications.
“Both ministers agreed that this would go a long way towards addressing the many negative sentiments associated with palm oil in Switzerland and would also be an important tool to assure local Swiss rapeseed farmers that imported palm oil will not pose a threat to their livelihood in the future,” it said in a statement yesterday.
The ministry said Switzerland was, however, a comparatively small importer of palm oil.
Last year, 29,100 tonnes of palm oil and palm products were imported and mainly used for various food applications.
It said the Malaysian delegation was also informed that the Swiss authorities were keen on maintaining at least one-third of their local consumption for locallyproduced rapeseed oil and to support the local Swiss rapeseed farmers.
Kok is leading a palm oil mission to Switzerland and the European Union till October 6.
She is accompanied by officials from the ministry, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Malaysian Palm Oil Council, Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council and Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.