‘Govt will address palm oil’s environment issues’
The government is serious about resolving issues in the palm oil industry, said Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The issues, particularly environmental and social issues, could affect the RM102 billion export potential when the country produces 18.5 to 18.6 tonnes of crude palm oil.
This would go back to both federal and state governments, which are benefiting from the industry through tax collection and keeping almost one million people and 450,000 smallholders in the country employed.
“We are facing a big issue now in the world.
“In the past 15 years, people are talking about the environment everywhere you go.
“If we can’t address the issue of the environment, we will be affected. That is why the government will conduct an audit (under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification scheme),” he said when opening the Sarawak Palm Oil Refinery and Fractionation Plant 2 at the Kidurong Industrial Estate Area Phase 2 here yesterday.
He said Malaysia should not be penalised if found to be not compliant with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil’s (RSPO) principles and criteria.
“I have always stressed to the Euro- pean Union’s representatives whenever I have the opportunity to talk to them that if they are upset with issues in Malaysia, they should work with us closely on how to make a country like ours a benchmark for the world on edible oil.
“Because for every hectare of land that we use, we can produce 3.3 million tonnes of edible oil compared to soy oil, rapeseed oil or sunflower oil, which can only produce less than one tonne per hectare of edible oil.”
He said Malaysia was willing to discuss with the representative on how to improve and become an example for the world in edible oil production.
He said palm oil production was an important industry that could boost the country’s economy through upstream and downstream activities.