THERE is no official boycott of Southeast Asian palm oil by the European Union, EU head in Malaysia Maria Costello Fernandez said.

The EU Parliament is only debating the issue of oil palm and deforestation, she said.

“We want to reach out to the stakeholders in Malaysia and engage in a dialogue to better understand the industry so we can explain it to the European communities,” she said during a courtesy call of the 14-member EU delegation of ambassadors to Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman today.

Fernandez was referring to European Parliament’s non-binding resolution in April to phase out vegetable oils in biodiesel by 2020 over concerns on deforestation.

This includes palm oil, an important commodity in Sabah, which must show it is produced sustainably by the target date.

Malaysia has expressed its concern over the resolution although the motion includes the call for a single CSPO scheme for Europe-bound palm and other vegetable oil exports.

Musa earlier called on the EU to cease its ongoing campaign against palm oil undertaken by some member nations, citing it could directly affect the livelihood of smallholders in the state.

Malaysia has 680,000 oil palm small-holders, out of whom 200,000 are from Sabah, the largest producer of CPO in the country, he said.

“This could mean a loss of income for them and their families,” said Musa, adding that he was disappointed some EU nations have painted a negative image in an attempt to boycott the industry.

Sabah aims for a full compliance of the certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) by 2025 following a cabinet resolution in October 2015 and supported by the roundtable on sustainable palm oil (RSPO) in guiding the process. – November 29, 2017.