ALL parties need to play their part in ensuring that Malaysia’s palm oil industry, a source of income for more than a million people in this country, continues to be accepted by the market, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said.

The plantation and commodities minister said those in industry must implement the principles set out in the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme as an effort to ensure palm oil and commodity-based products continued to be accepted by the market.

The deputy prime minister said MSPO comprises three main principles – the balance among human needs,  environmental sustainability and profit generation.

“When the industry has 100% studied and practised the principles set in the MSPO, we can deal with all the restrictions and negative campaigns of several irresponsible quarters with certain interests.

“Efforts to fend off the claims of irresponsible quarters need to be proven and I believe one of the ways is through certification,” he said in a Facebook post.

He said the rapid development of the country’s palm oil industry is not easily achieved and has had to face various challenges and obstacles in global acceptance, including negative campaigns by certain quarters who said palm oil was bad for health.

Fadillah said even though there were clear scientific studies that palm oil, with its high nutritional value, is suitable for use in various cuisines and products, the industry continued to face current challenges such as the European Union’s actions to introduce new regulations on deforestation-free products on the import of selected commodities, including palm oil.

Therefore, he said Malaysia made early preparations to ensure that palm oil production is based on principles set through the MSPO, which is mandatory for all industry players from 2020.

Since MSPO’s introduction in 2013, he said a total of 661,844.12 hectares of oil palm plantations or 81.10% of the private smallholder category have received MSPO certification nationwide as of May 31.

He said in the organised smallholder category under the Federal Land Development Authority, Felcra Bhd, Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority, Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority and the Sabah Land Development Board, a total of 665,535.51 hectares or 99.65% of the palm oil planted area was certified with the MSPO.

“Besides making the MSPO certification a success, the government will also remain committed in ensuring palm products can be marketed to all corners of the world through negotiations and engagement to correct the negative perception of palm oil,” he said. – Bernama, June 18, 2023.