Palm oil news. November 2023
CSPO Watch
For all the news on the global palm oil industry. November 2023
Makin' it easy for you to monitor developments in the palm oil industry
For all the news on the global palm oil industry. November 2023
Makin' it easy for you to monitor developments in the palm oil industry
|
|
|
November 29, 2023
WTO agrees dispute panel to review EU import duties on Indonesian biodiesel
JAKARTA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement body has agreed to establish a panel to review countervailing duties imposed by the European Union (EU) on imports of biodiesel from Indonesia, the global trade body said late on Monday.
Indonesia has requested WTO dispute consultations with the EU regarding the bloc's imposition of duties on imports of biodiesel from the Southeast Asia nation in August.However after the consultation failed to reach an agreement, last month the world's biggest palm oil producer requested WTO to establish a dispute settlement body, which EU previously did not accept.
"Efforts to appeal this case to the WTO are very strategic to maintain market access for Indonesian biodiesel products in the EU market which is currently subject to countervailing duties of 8% to 18%," said Budi Santoso, senior official at Indonesian trade ministry on Tuesday.
The countervailing duties were imposed for five years December 10, 2019 up to December 10, 2024, Budi added.
Indonesian biofuel producers association said the duties have been burdening Indonesian biodiesel exporters and hoped for the WTO panel could immediately start the proceedings, the group chairperson Paulus Tjakrawan told Reuters.
The WTO said late on Monday the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Canada, China, Argentina and Türkiye had reserved their third party rights to participate in the panel proceedings. Reuters
---------
Agricultural commodity production driving deforestation ‘at an alarming rate,’ warns CERES
November 28, 2023
By Elaine Watson
Ceres, a nonprofit founded on the principle that sustainability makes good business sense, has assessed efforts by some of the world’s largest companies to eliminate deforestation and found most of them could do better.
According to Ceres, “agricultural commodity production continues to drive forest loss at an alarming rate, globally replacing an average of 5.7 million hectares of forests annually, and tropical deforestation rates continue to rise.”
Ceres’ inaugural ‘deforestation scorecard’—which assesses 53 firms with significant exposure to commodities driving deforestation* including ADM, Cargill, Bunge, Danone, Mondelēz International, McDonald’s, Nestlé, and Tyson Foods— found that just four have no-deforestation policies covering their full supply chains and all of their sourcing regions.
According to Ceres: Agfunder
---------
Airlines look to sustainable aviation fuel to meet carbon targets
LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The global aviation industry is relying on a massive ramp-up in production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over the next three decades to meet its target of "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050.
However many airlines lament the lack of supply on the market and the prohibitive price - SAF costs around three to five times more than traditional jet fuel. There is also concern about how to sustainably meet supplies as demand grows.
A growing number of companies are making bulk purchases of SAF from producers, airlines and corporate travel agencies as they look to reduce carbon emissions to meet environmental targets and encourage mass production of cleaner fuels.
Airlines like Virgin Atlantic are also trying to highlight the issue, with a 100% SAF-powered flight taking off from London's Heathrow airport on a flight to New York on Tuesday to underline the fuel's importance. Reuters
---------
OMV To Supply Air France-KLM With 2,000 Tons Of SAF This Year
OMV, the integrated energy, fuels and feedstock and chemicals and materials company headquartered in Vienna, on Sept. 18 announced that it has signed an offtake agreement to supply 2,000 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to the Air France-KLM Group in 2023.
This offtake agreement follows an existing MoU, granting Air France-KLM access to purchase more than 300,000 metric tons of SAF from OMV by 2030.
OMV is implementing numerous measures to achieve its ambitious strategic sustainability goals, and SAF is an essential contributor to this transformation. Based on the strategic outlook for the aviation sector, it is OMV’s ambition to become a regional leader in SAF supply, making use of the advantageous infrastructure in place. This portfolio upgrade is in line with OMV’s commitment to become a net-zero company latest 2050 (for Scope 1, 2 and 3).
Furthermore, the European Parliament recently passed a new law to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels in the aviation sector. EU airports and fuels suppliers must ensure that, starting from 2025, at least 2 percent of aviation fuels will be “green,” with this share increasing every five years. In addition, there will be an EU label for the environmental performance of flights as of 2025. Biodiesel Magazine
---------
Trash to Treasure: the role of UCO and POME in energy transition
Waste feedstocks in the form of Used Cooking Oil and Palm Oil Mill Effluent have been hitting headlines in the biofuels sphere – touted as the next generation of energy feedstocks. Feedstock flexibility appears to be a dominant trend over the next few years, and legislations across many countries look set to propel demand of waste-based feedstocks.
In this podcast, Asia’s managing editor Takmila Shahid, market editor Nurul Darni, together with Head of Asia agriculture and metals news team, Rohan Somwanshi, and biofuels analyst Chua Wei Jun, discuss the rising appeal of UCO and POME as the coveted biodiesel feedstocks, recent market trends, trade flows and legislations that drive demand for these feedstocks. SP Global
WTO agrees dispute panel to review EU import duties on Indonesian biodiesel
JAKARTA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement body has agreed to establish a panel to review countervailing duties imposed by the European Union (EU) on imports of biodiesel from Indonesia, the global trade body said late on Monday.
Indonesia has requested WTO dispute consultations with the EU regarding the bloc's imposition of duties on imports of biodiesel from the Southeast Asia nation in August.However after the consultation failed to reach an agreement, last month the world's biggest palm oil producer requested WTO to establish a dispute settlement body, which EU previously did not accept.
"Efforts to appeal this case to the WTO are very strategic to maintain market access for Indonesian biodiesel products in the EU market which is currently subject to countervailing duties of 8% to 18%," said Budi Santoso, senior official at Indonesian trade ministry on Tuesday.
The countervailing duties were imposed for five years December 10, 2019 up to December 10, 2024, Budi added.
Indonesian biofuel producers association said the duties have been burdening Indonesian biodiesel exporters and hoped for the WTO panel could immediately start the proceedings, the group chairperson Paulus Tjakrawan told Reuters.
The WTO said late on Monday the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Canada, China, Argentina and Türkiye had reserved their third party rights to participate in the panel proceedings. Reuters
---------
Agricultural commodity production driving deforestation ‘at an alarming rate,’ warns CERES
November 28, 2023
By Elaine Watson
Ceres, a nonprofit founded on the principle that sustainability makes good business sense, has assessed efforts by some of the world’s largest companies to eliminate deforestation and found most of them could do better.
According to Ceres, “agricultural commodity production continues to drive forest loss at an alarming rate, globally replacing an average of 5.7 million hectares of forests annually, and tropical deforestation rates continue to rise.”
Ceres’ inaugural ‘deforestation scorecard’—which assesses 53 firms with significant exposure to commodities driving deforestation* including ADM, Cargill, Bunge, Danone, Mondelēz International, McDonald’s, Nestlé, and Tyson Foods— found that just four have no-deforestation policies covering their full supply chains and all of their sourcing regions.
According to Ceres: Agfunder
---------
Airlines look to sustainable aviation fuel to meet carbon targets
LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The global aviation industry is relying on a massive ramp-up in production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over the next three decades to meet its target of "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050.
However many airlines lament the lack of supply on the market and the prohibitive price - SAF costs around three to five times more than traditional jet fuel. There is also concern about how to sustainably meet supplies as demand grows.
A growing number of companies are making bulk purchases of SAF from producers, airlines and corporate travel agencies as they look to reduce carbon emissions to meet environmental targets and encourage mass production of cleaner fuels.
Airlines like Virgin Atlantic are also trying to highlight the issue, with a 100% SAF-powered flight taking off from London's Heathrow airport on a flight to New York on Tuesday to underline the fuel's importance. Reuters
---------
OMV To Supply Air France-KLM With 2,000 Tons Of SAF This Year
OMV, the integrated energy, fuels and feedstock and chemicals and materials company headquartered in Vienna, on Sept. 18 announced that it has signed an offtake agreement to supply 2,000 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to the Air France-KLM Group in 2023.
This offtake agreement follows an existing MoU, granting Air France-KLM access to purchase more than 300,000 metric tons of SAF from OMV by 2030.
OMV is implementing numerous measures to achieve its ambitious strategic sustainability goals, and SAF is an essential contributor to this transformation. Based on the strategic outlook for the aviation sector, it is OMV’s ambition to become a regional leader in SAF supply, making use of the advantageous infrastructure in place. This portfolio upgrade is in line with OMV’s commitment to become a net-zero company latest 2050 (for Scope 1, 2 and 3).
Furthermore, the European Parliament recently passed a new law to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels in the aviation sector. EU airports and fuels suppliers must ensure that, starting from 2025, at least 2 percent of aviation fuels will be “green,” with this share increasing every five years. In addition, there will be an EU label for the environmental performance of flights as of 2025. Biodiesel Magazine
---------
Trash to Treasure: the role of UCO and POME in energy transition
Waste feedstocks in the form of Used Cooking Oil and Palm Oil Mill Effluent have been hitting headlines in the biofuels sphere – touted as the next generation of energy feedstocks. Feedstock flexibility appears to be a dominant trend over the next few years, and legislations across many countries look set to propel demand of waste-based feedstocks.
In this podcast, Asia’s managing editor Takmila Shahid, market editor Nurul Darni, together with Head of Asia agriculture and metals news team, Rohan Somwanshi, and biofuels analyst Chua Wei Jun, discuss the rising appeal of UCO and POME as the coveted biodiesel feedstocks, recent market trends, trade flows and legislations that drive demand for these feedstocks. SP Global
|
|
|
November 28, 2023
EU puts green trade squeeze on developing world
By Alan Beattie
New environmental measures are swamping low-income countries with bureaucracy
A new array of green trade measures from Brussels, particularly a deforestation initiative banning products from recently cleared land, has provoked serious alarm among low-income countries Alan Beattie/ Financial Times
---------
Malaysia, Indonesia seek allies in EU deforestation row
By David Hutt
New EU rules set for 2024 call for banning agricultural products from deforested land, which Southeast Asian producers say will subject small farmers to impossible bureaucratic demands.
Malaysia and Indonesia want to bring other Southeast Asian countries on their side amid ongoing disputes with the European Union over environmental and deforestation regulations that are set to take effect in late 2024, with the two nations worried about the regulations' impact on the region's agriculture exports.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said earlier this month that his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, "has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia, and hopefully other countries, in presenting our case, particularly to the EU."
Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for around 85% of global palm oil production, argue that the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation is discriminatory and unfairly punishes small-scale farmers who will struggle to cope with the bureaucratic demands set by Brussels.
What is the new EU deforestation regulation?
The EU's regulation will ban imports of cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wooden items if they are produced on land that was found to have been deforested after December 31, 2020.
Both Southeast Asian states have independently initiated complaints against the EU to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Whereas Jakarta has accused Brussels of "regulatory imperialism" and Malaysian producers have bemoaned "crop apartheid," other Southeast Asian states have taken a more diplomatic approach, seeking to understand the EU directives unilaterally in one-on-one discussions with EU officials.
Southeast Asian governments and producers are most concerned about the incoming EU bureaucratic hurdles necessary to prove their products haven't been grown on deforested land.
Under the new EU directive, local companies will have to provide extensive mapping of their entire supply chains, including geolocation data.
According to the EU's terms, these compliance mechanisms will be mandatory for larger companies from December 2024 and a few months later for smaller firms. DW
---------
Tonnes of cocoa in EU warehouses face being destroyed because of red tape regarding new deforestation law
By Anthony Myers
The cocoa and chocolate making industry has been warned that cocoa stocks languishing in EU warehouses during the 18-month transition period leading up to the European Union’s Deforestation law that kicks in at the end of December 2024 may have to be sold outside of the bloc or destroyed if regulatory compliance cannot be proved. Confectionery News
---------
Indonesia Wants to Wrap Up Trade Pact Talks with EU Before Elections
Jakarta. A senior minister recently said that Indonesia should substantially wrap up the negotiations of its trade pact with the European Union (EU) before the elections.
Both sides have been negotiating the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) since 2016. The long-awaited trade agreement was high up on the agenda during a recent meeting between Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto and EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi in Jakarta.
The CEPA negotiations will enter its 16th round next month. Previous reports say that the upcoming talks will take place in Brussels, Belgium. According to Airlangga, the 16th round of negotiations should be a “golden time” for the substantial conclusion of the trade pact because Indonesia and the EU will hold their elections next year.
As many as 204.8 million Indonesians will cast their ballots in February. Millions of Europeans will also vote for members of the European Parliament in June.
“Our two leaders since last year have been calling for the substantial conclusion of the Indonesia-EU CEPA by the end of 2023 or early 2024 at the latest,” Airlangga told Chaibi, as reported by a ministerial press release. Jakarta Globe
---------
Navigating the turbulent skies of sustainable aviation fuels
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are a commendable aim for policymakers, however the push for SAFs should transcend borders, fostering collaboration among nations, regulators, and other stakeholders.
n the pursuit of greener skies, regulators worldwide are grappling with the challenge of making aviation fuels more sustainable. The European Union (EU) has taken the lead with its ReFuelEU legislation, mandating a gradual increase in the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs). However, the path to sustainable aviation is not without hurdles, as SAFs currently remain three to four times more expensive than conventional kerosene. Moreover, the potential increase in consumer prices adds another layer of complexity to the already intricate debate.
In November 2023 the EU Council adopted the 'ReFuelEU aviation' initiative, a key component of the 'Fit for 55' package, aimed at reducing the aviation sector's carbon footprint. The legislation mandates aviation fuel suppliers to include a minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) in their products, starting at 2% in 2025 and reaching 70% by 2050. Synthetic fuels are also required, with a progressively increasing share. The law aims to align air transport with EU climate targets, addressing issues of low supply and high prices hindering SAF development. The regulation is set to enter into force on January 1, 2024, with certain provisions applicable from 2025.
A key concern in this discourse is the need for a global approach rather than succumbing to protectionist measures. The push for SAFs should transcend borders, fostering collaboration among nations, regulators, and other stakeholders. As the EU pushes for stringent standards, it must also overcome historical reservations and embrace technology neutrality. The Parliament Magazine
---------
Sime Darby Plantation kicks off 400-hectare Peatland Restoration
30,000 seedlings provided by the Forest Department Sarawak to be planted on a 50-ha site, in first phase
Simunjan, 26 November 2023 - Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (SDP) has dedicated a 400-hectare peatland in its operation in Sarawak, East Malaysia, for reforestation, opting not to replant oil palm but restore it into a functional peat ecosystem. The initial 50-hectare phase of this restoration work, starting in January 2024, will involve planting of 30,000 seedlings over a year period in SDP’s Lavang Estate.
Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) is collaborating with SDP on this important project by providing the seedlings and technical expertise.
The project at Lavang Estate is an integral part of SDP’s peatland rehabilitation initiative, co-funded by the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF). Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in March 2023, MPOGCF has agreed to contribute RM1.48 million for SDP to rehabilitate and restore the 50-ha peatland. RM300,000 will be used to pay for the seedlings and FDS’ technical expertise whilst the balance will be used for biodiversity assessments, planting and maintenance of the area, community engagement and other related activities of the project.
SDP’s Group Managing Director, Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said restoring and rehabilitating peatland areas cultivated with oil palms is a critical part of the company’s commitment to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. By restoring peatlands, SDP will be able to sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and reduce its overall environmental impact. SDP
EU puts green trade squeeze on developing world
By Alan Beattie
New environmental measures are swamping low-income countries with bureaucracy
A new array of green trade measures from Brussels, particularly a deforestation initiative banning products from recently cleared land, has provoked serious alarm among low-income countries Alan Beattie/ Financial Times
---------
Malaysia, Indonesia seek allies in EU deforestation row
By David Hutt
New EU rules set for 2024 call for banning agricultural products from deforested land, which Southeast Asian producers say will subject small farmers to impossible bureaucratic demands.
Malaysia and Indonesia want to bring other Southeast Asian countries on their side amid ongoing disputes with the European Union over environmental and deforestation regulations that are set to take effect in late 2024, with the two nations worried about the regulations' impact on the region's agriculture exports.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said earlier this month that his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, "has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia, and hopefully other countries, in presenting our case, particularly to the EU."
Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for around 85% of global palm oil production, argue that the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation is discriminatory and unfairly punishes small-scale farmers who will struggle to cope with the bureaucratic demands set by Brussels.
What is the new EU deforestation regulation?
The EU's regulation will ban imports of cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wooden items if they are produced on land that was found to have been deforested after December 31, 2020.
Both Southeast Asian states have independently initiated complaints against the EU to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Whereas Jakarta has accused Brussels of "regulatory imperialism" and Malaysian producers have bemoaned "crop apartheid," other Southeast Asian states have taken a more diplomatic approach, seeking to understand the EU directives unilaterally in one-on-one discussions with EU officials.
Southeast Asian governments and producers are most concerned about the incoming EU bureaucratic hurdles necessary to prove their products haven't been grown on deforested land.
Under the new EU directive, local companies will have to provide extensive mapping of their entire supply chains, including geolocation data.
According to the EU's terms, these compliance mechanisms will be mandatory for larger companies from December 2024 and a few months later for smaller firms. DW
---------
Tonnes of cocoa in EU warehouses face being destroyed because of red tape regarding new deforestation law
By Anthony Myers
The cocoa and chocolate making industry has been warned that cocoa stocks languishing in EU warehouses during the 18-month transition period leading up to the European Union’s Deforestation law that kicks in at the end of December 2024 may have to be sold outside of the bloc or destroyed if regulatory compliance cannot be proved. Confectionery News
---------
Indonesia Wants to Wrap Up Trade Pact Talks with EU Before Elections
Jakarta. A senior minister recently said that Indonesia should substantially wrap up the negotiations of its trade pact with the European Union (EU) before the elections.
Both sides have been negotiating the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) since 2016. The long-awaited trade agreement was high up on the agenda during a recent meeting between Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto and EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi in Jakarta.
The CEPA negotiations will enter its 16th round next month. Previous reports say that the upcoming talks will take place in Brussels, Belgium. According to Airlangga, the 16th round of negotiations should be a “golden time” for the substantial conclusion of the trade pact because Indonesia and the EU will hold their elections next year.
As many as 204.8 million Indonesians will cast their ballots in February. Millions of Europeans will also vote for members of the European Parliament in June.
“Our two leaders since last year have been calling for the substantial conclusion of the Indonesia-EU CEPA by the end of 2023 or early 2024 at the latest,” Airlangga told Chaibi, as reported by a ministerial press release. Jakarta Globe
---------
Navigating the turbulent skies of sustainable aviation fuels
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are a commendable aim for policymakers, however the push for SAFs should transcend borders, fostering collaboration among nations, regulators, and other stakeholders.
n the pursuit of greener skies, regulators worldwide are grappling with the challenge of making aviation fuels more sustainable. The European Union (EU) has taken the lead with its ReFuelEU legislation, mandating a gradual increase in the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs). However, the path to sustainable aviation is not without hurdles, as SAFs currently remain three to four times more expensive than conventional kerosene. Moreover, the potential increase in consumer prices adds another layer of complexity to the already intricate debate.
In November 2023 the EU Council adopted the 'ReFuelEU aviation' initiative, a key component of the 'Fit for 55' package, aimed at reducing the aviation sector's carbon footprint. The legislation mandates aviation fuel suppliers to include a minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) in their products, starting at 2% in 2025 and reaching 70% by 2050. Synthetic fuels are also required, with a progressively increasing share. The law aims to align air transport with EU climate targets, addressing issues of low supply and high prices hindering SAF development. The regulation is set to enter into force on January 1, 2024, with certain provisions applicable from 2025.
A key concern in this discourse is the need for a global approach rather than succumbing to protectionist measures. The push for SAFs should transcend borders, fostering collaboration among nations, regulators, and other stakeholders. As the EU pushes for stringent standards, it must also overcome historical reservations and embrace technology neutrality. The Parliament Magazine
---------
Sime Darby Plantation kicks off 400-hectare Peatland Restoration
30,000 seedlings provided by the Forest Department Sarawak to be planted on a 50-ha site, in first phase
Simunjan, 26 November 2023 - Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (SDP) has dedicated a 400-hectare peatland in its operation in Sarawak, East Malaysia, for reforestation, opting not to replant oil palm but restore it into a functional peat ecosystem. The initial 50-hectare phase of this restoration work, starting in January 2024, will involve planting of 30,000 seedlings over a year period in SDP’s Lavang Estate.
Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) is collaborating with SDP on this important project by providing the seedlings and technical expertise.
The project at Lavang Estate is an integral part of SDP’s peatland rehabilitation initiative, co-funded by the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF). Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in March 2023, MPOGCF has agreed to contribute RM1.48 million for SDP to rehabilitate and restore the 50-ha peatland. RM300,000 will be used to pay for the seedlings and FDS’ technical expertise whilst the balance will be used for biodiversity assessments, planting and maintenance of the area, community engagement and other related activities of the project.
SDP’s Group Managing Director, Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said restoring and rehabilitating peatland areas cultivated with oil palms is a critical part of the company’s commitment to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. By restoring peatlands, SDP will be able to sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and reduce its overall environmental impact. SDP
|
|
|
November 26, 2023
India asks Malaysia to increase palm oil export to 6 million tons, says DPM
KUCHING: Crude palm oil (CPO) exports to India continue to show positive development as the country's demand for CPO grew to six million tonnes, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister, said his ministry is detailing the efforts that need to be taken to meet India’s demand.
He said that for now, Malaysia is only able to export about four million tonnes to the country, thus making India the largest importer of Malaysia’s CPO.
"We cannot grant and sell all our CPO to just one country, so we have to also evaluate it. India has asked us to increase (exports) to six million tonnes, so we are detailing the (steps)," he told reporters after an informal chat session with oil palm smallholders in conjunction with Trek Commodity 2023 Sarawak Zone.
Meanwhile, commenting on China's commitment to the oil palm industry in Malaysia, Fadillah said that close cooperation, such as producing commodity-based products, would indeed give the country an advantage in increasing the amount of CPO exports to the country.
He said that the collaboration between the two Asian countries includes the production of Vitamin A capsules as well as plant-based meat products (vegan meat).
"The most important thing is that (China) agrees in principle with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification (MSPO), and this is an advantage for us,” he said. - Bernama/ The Star
----------
Register for MSPO certification, Malaysia's DPM, Fadillah tells local palm oil smallholders
SEBUYAU (Nov 25): Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has called on palm oil smallholders in Sarawak to register for the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification under the Malaysian Palm Oil Berhad (MPOB).
The federal Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister asserted that the MSPO certification would enhance the overall profitability and improve smallholders’ productivity through sustainable agricultural practices.
“This (MSPO) is important, because when you plant your palm oil but the crops are not certified under MSPO, no factories will take in your palm oil crops for processing,” he said when officiating at the Sarawak Zone Commodity Trek 2023 programme at Kampung Seruyuk here today.
“The world today seeks for sustainable products and that is why those who have the certification can export their products.
“The products not only consist of crude palm oil but also those that have been processed and manufactured with other products, of which a record is required so that we can trace the origin of where the oil was produced,” he said.
To ensure smallholders can receive assistance and support from the government, Fadillah emphasised that they should register themselves with MPOB for the MSPO certification. The Borneo Post
---------
India-Malaysia bilateral trade set to soar to USD25bn in next 3 years: Indian envoy
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], November 25 (ANI): Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, BN Reddy, announced ambitious plans for India-Malaysia bilateral trade, aiming to reach USD 25 billion in the next three years. Currently standing at USD 20 billion, the trade relationship is poised for growth, with a focus on economic sustainability.
In an interaction with ANI, the Indian envoy emphasised the significance of economic ties, saying, “In any relationship, the real sustenance comes from economic and trade relations.” He highlighted India’s import of various commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.
“The bilateral trade between India and Malaysia, currently at 20 billion dollars, will increase to 25 billion dollars in the next three years,” Reddy said, adding, “But we do import quite a lot of commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.” The Print India
---------
India shows how to go green with fast economic growth: Ex-UNEP chief, Erik Solheim
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): India showcases that “you can go green and provide fast economic growth at the same time”, feels former UN Environment Programme executive director Erik Solheim.
In a telephonic interview with IANS as countries gear up to take stock of the progress on decarbonization, loss and damage finance, and more at the upcoming UN COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Solheim said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharat has moved to the forefront of the struggle against climate change and environment protection.
“Modiji has launched numerous green missions for India -- focusing on green hydrogen, green batteries, electric cars and more. The number of tigers in India has doubled over the last two decades. India showcases that you can go green and provide fast economic growth at the same time.”
Solheim, an experienced peace negotiator having acted as the main facilitator of the peace process in Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2005, emphasises the critical role that nature and biodiversity play in aiding mitigation and adaptation to the global crises.
“Restoring nature is absolutely central to our climate efforts. Green landscapes protect us against climate disasters and absorb emissions. China is the world’s biggest tree planting nation. But there is huge progress in India also.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is planting one tree every day to inspire the people in his state. Telangana has increased its tree cover by seven per cent. Tamil Nadu is progressing fast, creating new protected areas.
Solheim believes the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss have led to a rapidly growing focus on forest conservation and restoration.
“We need to mobilize both governments and business. Indonesia last year saw zero deforestation, a fantastic result in the world’s second biggest rainforest nation.” Daiji World
---------
Indonesia to produce biodiesel from palm oil – Ambassador Tobing
Indonesia has now moved to produce biodiesel for the motor vehicle segment and 40% of the raw material used for this is from palm oil, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Dewi Gustina Tobing told the Annual General Meeting of the Palm Oil Industry Association (POIA) in Colombo on Thursday.
She said that road tests are being conducted in Indonesia and they have high expectations in this regard. “This also highlights the multi- benefits of palm oil.”
Palm oil is also used to produce medicines, confectionery and in other sectors as well.
“Recent research states that the size of the global market for vegetable oils will increase from 199.1 million Metric Tons (MT) in 2020 to 258.4 million MT by 2026 in line with the growing global population and widespread use of vegetable oils in various industries.”
Today, palm oil is not only one of the most popular vegetable oils people consume but it also has become a part of sustainable development in Indonesia and in the world.
The production of palm oil contributes a significant 3.5% and 3.8% to the GDP of Indonesia and Malaysia, helping in reducing poverty, halting deforestation, and strengthening the economy largely because of its presence in rural areas and the large number of smallholders.
In 2021, of the 16.5 million workers employed in oil palm plantations in Indonesia, 9.7 million were direct workers. Financial returns for farmers from oil palm are ten times higher than other crops such as rice, and the returns to labour were around 20 times higher. Hence, this can be proven that palm oil cultivation means a higher income and a higher expenditure on non-food items.
Expansion of palm plantation areas led to a 2.7% faster poverty reduction and 4% faster consumption growth. Indonesia’s National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction in 2019 revealed that since 2000, around 1.3 million of the rural population and around 10 million of Indonesia’s population have successfully been lifted from the poverty line due to the positive impact of the growth of the palm oil industry. “However, currently there is a ban on new oil palm plantations in Sri Lanka and due to POIA representation a Plantation Reform Committee was set up,” President of POIA, Rohan Fernando said.
“At a meeting held on April, 21, 2023, under the Chairmanship of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, it was confirmed that the Expert Committee report was positive and the President has instructed to permit the replanting of oil palm.” Sunday Observer
---------
Partnership with UAE important for Indonesia's development: Minister Airlangga Hartarto
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the partnership between Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has been established since 1976, plays an important role in supporting Indonesia's development.
Last year, the UAE was Indonesia's second-largest trade partner among Middle Eastern countries, with trade value totaling US$5.06 billion. In addition, the UAE has become one of Indonesia's main markets, with crude palm oil as the most important export commodity.
"Cooperation between Indonesia and the UAE plays an important role in supporting development in Indonesia. One of the agreements is the floating solar power plant project in Cirata dam, West Java," he stated at the 52nd National Day Reception of the United Arab Emirates here on Friday.
The floating project was recently inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on November 9, 2023.
According to Hartarto, this collaboration demonstrated the commitment of both countries in the field of renewable energy. In addition, opportunities are still wide open for joint efforts to boost trade volume and maintain trade balance. Antara News
---------
India asks Malaysia to increase palm oil export to 6 million tons, says DPM
KUCHING: Crude palm oil (CPO) exports to India continue to show positive development as the country's demand for CPO grew to six million tonnes, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister, said his ministry is detailing the efforts that need to be taken to meet India’s demand.
He said that for now, Malaysia is only able to export about four million tonnes to the country, thus making India the largest importer of Malaysia’s CPO.
"We cannot grant and sell all our CPO to just one country, so we have to also evaluate it. India has asked us to increase (exports) to six million tonnes, so we are detailing the (steps)," he told reporters after an informal chat session with oil palm smallholders in conjunction with Trek Commodity 2023 Sarawak Zone.
Meanwhile, commenting on China's commitment to the oil palm industry in Malaysia, Fadillah said that close cooperation, such as producing commodity-based products, would indeed give the country an advantage in increasing the amount of CPO exports to the country.
He said that the collaboration between the two Asian countries includes the production of Vitamin A capsules as well as plant-based meat products (vegan meat).
"The most important thing is that (China) agrees in principle with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification (MSPO), and this is an advantage for us,” he said. - Bernama/ The Star
----------
Register for MSPO certification, Malaysia's DPM, Fadillah tells local palm oil smallholders
SEBUYAU (Nov 25): Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has called on palm oil smallholders in Sarawak to register for the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification under the Malaysian Palm Oil Berhad (MPOB).
The federal Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister asserted that the MSPO certification would enhance the overall profitability and improve smallholders’ productivity through sustainable agricultural practices.
“This (MSPO) is important, because when you plant your palm oil but the crops are not certified under MSPO, no factories will take in your palm oil crops for processing,” he said when officiating at the Sarawak Zone Commodity Trek 2023 programme at Kampung Seruyuk here today.
“The world today seeks for sustainable products and that is why those who have the certification can export their products.
“The products not only consist of crude palm oil but also those that have been processed and manufactured with other products, of which a record is required so that we can trace the origin of where the oil was produced,” he said.
To ensure smallholders can receive assistance and support from the government, Fadillah emphasised that they should register themselves with MPOB for the MSPO certification. The Borneo Post
---------
India-Malaysia bilateral trade set to soar to USD25bn in next 3 years: Indian envoy
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], November 25 (ANI): Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, BN Reddy, announced ambitious plans for India-Malaysia bilateral trade, aiming to reach USD 25 billion in the next three years. Currently standing at USD 20 billion, the trade relationship is poised for growth, with a focus on economic sustainability.
In an interaction with ANI, the Indian envoy emphasised the significance of economic ties, saying, “In any relationship, the real sustenance comes from economic and trade relations.” He highlighted India’s import of various commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.
“The bilateral trade between India and Malaysia, currently at 20 billion dollars, will increase to 25 billion dollars in the next three years,” Reddy said, adding, “But we do import quite a lot of commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.” The Print India
---------
India shows how to go green with fast economic growth: Ex-UNEP chief, Erik Solheim
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): India showcases that “you can go green and provide fast economic growth at the same time”, feels former UN Environment Programme executive director Erik Solheim.
In a telephonic interview with IANS as countries gear up to take stock of the progress on decarbonization, loss and damage finance, and more at the upcoming UN COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Solheim said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharat has moved to the forefront of the struggle against climate change and environment protection.
“Modiji has launched numerous green missions for India -- focusing on green hydrogen, green batteries, electric cars and more. The number of tigers in India has doubled over the last two decades. India showcases that you can go green and provide fast economic growth at the same time.”
Solheim, an experienced peace negotiator having acted as the main facilitator of the peace process in Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2005, emphasises the critical role that nature and biodiversity play in aiding mitigation and adaptation to the global crises.
“Restoring nature is absolutely central to our climate efforts. Green landscapes protect us against climate disasters and absorb emissions. China is the world’s biggest tree planting nation. But there is huge progress in India also.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is planting one tree every day to inspire the people in his state. Telangana has increased its tree cover by seven per cent. Tamil Nadu is progressing fast, creating new protected areas.
Solheim believes the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss have led to a rapidly growing focus on forest conservation and restoration.
“We need to mobilize both governments and business. Indonesia last year saw zero deforestation, a fantastic result in the world’s second biggest rainforest nation.” Daiji World
---------
Indonesia to produce biodiesel from palm oil – Ambassador Tobing
Indonesia has now moved to produce biodiesel for the motor vehicle segment and 40% of the raw material used for this is from palm oil, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Dewi Gustina Tobing told the Annual General Meeting of the Palm Oil Industry Association (POIA) in Colombo on Thursday.
She said that road tests are being conducted in Indonesia and they have high expectations in this regard. “This also highlights the multi- benefits of palm oil.”
Palm oil is also used to produce medicines, confectionery and in other sectors as well.
“Recent research states that the size of the global market for vegetable oils will increase from 199.1 million Metric Tons (MT) in 2020 to 258.4 million MT by 2026 in line with the growing global population and widespread use of vegetable oils in various industries.”
Today, palm oil is not only one of the most popular vegetable oils people consume but it also has become a part of sustainable development in Indonesia and in the world.
The production of palm oil contributes a significant 3.5% and 3.8% to the GDP of Indonesia and Malaysia, helping in reducing poverty, halting deforestation, and strengthening the economy largely because of its presence in rural areas and the large number of smallholders.
In 2021, of the 16.5 million workers employed in oil palm plantations in Indonesia, 9.7 million were direct workers. Financial returns for farmers from oil palm are ten times higher than other crops such as rice, and the returns to labour were around 20 times higher. Hence, this can be proven that palm oil cultivation means a higher income and a higher expenditure on non-food items.
Expansion of palm plantation areas led to a 2.7% faster poverty reduction and 4% faster consumption growth. Indonesia’s National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction in 2019 revealed that since 2000, around 1.3 million of the rural population and around 10 million of Indonesia’s population have successfully been lifted from the poverty line due to the positive impact of the growth of the palm oil industry. “However, currently there is a ban on new oil palm plantations in Sri Lanka and due to POIA representation a Plantation Reform Committee was set up,” President of POIA, Rohan Fernando said.
“At a meeting held on April, 21, 2023, under the Chairmanship of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, it was confirmed that the Expert Committee report was positive and the President has instructed to permit the replanting of oil palm.” Sunday Observer
---------
Partnership with UAE important for Indonesia's development: Minister Airlangga Hartarto
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the partnership between Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has been established since 1976, plays an important role in supporting Indonesia's development.
Last year, the UAE was Indonesia's second-largest trade partner among Middle Eastern countries, with trade value totaling US$5.06 billion. In addition, the UAE has become one of Indonesia's main markets, with crude palm oil as the most important export commodity.
"Cooperation between Indonesia and the UAE plays an important role in supporting development in Indonesia. One of the agreements is the floating solar power plant project in Cirata dam, West Java," he stated at the 52nd National Day Reception of the United Arab Emirates here on Friday.
The floating project was recently inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on November 9, 2023.
According to Hartarto, this collaboration demonstrated the commitment of both countries in the field of renewable energy. In addition, opportunities are still wide open for joint efforts to boost trade volume and maintain trade balance. Antara News
---------
|
|
|
November 25, 2023
UN aviation meeting agrees to goal of 5% lower emissions by 2030
By Allison Lampert and Tim Hepher
November 24, 20232:37 PM EST
Nov 24 (Reuters) - A meeting of more than 100 countries on Friday agreed to an interim goal for emissions reductions from global aviation by 2030 by using less-polluting fuels, but China, Russia and some others aired concerns about the impact on their economies.
The goal, which came after five days of U.N.-led talks in Dubai, called for 5% lower carbon emissions through the use of cleaner energies like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said. An earlier draft had a target of 5-8%.
The United States told the closing session of the meeting, which was held ahead of next week's COP28 climate summit, that the goal sent a "clear and positive signal" to the financial community, which must invest in new clean energy projects.
Aviation accounts for an estimated 2-3% of global carbon emissions. SAF is key toward reducing those emissions, but it is costly and amounts to less than 1% of total global jet fuel. Reuters
---------
Lufthansa executive advocates limited biofuel use, citing food waste, nature risks
The fear is that eateries could be incentivised to waste more food to meet the demand for refuse feedstocks. However, newer “synthetic” kerosene made from carbon gases are still in early stages of development.
Scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from scrap plant material – including used cooking oil – risks enticing supply chain players to create more waste to meet feedstock demand, said an official at one of the world’s largest airline groups, who added such fuels are a “bridging technology” towards more advanced low-carbon propellants.
There is more potential in safely increasing the yield of clean jet fuel via technologies such as using solar energy to convert carbon gases into kerosene, said Philipp Bonkatz, general manager of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei at Germany’s Lufthansa Group.
Most of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) available today comes from refining used vegetable cooking oils and agricultural refuse. Development has been slow, with SAF contributing to 0.1 per cent of global jet fuel supply due to high costs.
Bonkatz’s comments mirror sustainability concerns from European lawmakers over biofuel risks. The regional parliament has bans on SAF made from certain crop feedstocks, though waste cooking oil is still allowed. Eco Business
---------
Indonesia's leading Presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto Promises Energy Self-Sufficiency if Elected as President
Translator Najla Nur Fauziyah Editor Laila Afifa
25 November 2023
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The running presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto promised energy self-sufficiency for Indonesia and to halt fuel import if he's elected as president in the upcoming general elections.
"We must be food self-sufficient, water self-sufficient, and energy self-sufficient. We will be the only nation in the world to become 100 percent [independent] from biofuel, palm oil, corn, and sugarcane. We will stop importing fuel (BBM)," he said during a public dialogue at di Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya ON Friday.
In line with energy self-sufficiency ambition, Prabowo Subianto also stressed the importance of food self-sufficiency and water self-sufficiency.
"Strengthening the national security system and pushing state independence through food, energy, water self-sufficiency and creative economy, green economy, and blue economy," he said.
By adopting biofuel as a strategic plan of action, Prabowo Subianto intends to not only cut dependency on BBM import but also to provide a positive contribution to environmental preservation and strengthen national independence in the energy sector.
Prabowo Subianto paired up with Gibran Rakabuming for the upcoming 2024 general elections. They will face two other running candidates, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahmud MD, and Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar. TempoID
---------
Indonesia’s Exports to UAE Expected to Increase by $4B with CEPA Trade Pact
Jayanty Nada Shofa
November 25, 2023
Jakarta. Indonesia’s exports of goods, including palm oil, to the United Arab Emirates are set to skyrocket with a bilateral trade pact now in place.
The Indonesia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into force on September 1. The trade deal will gradually slash or eliminate the import duties for Emirates-bound Indonesian exported goods and vice versa. At a recent gala dinner with Emirati diplomats in Jakarta, Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the CEPA was a historic milestone in Indonesia’s trade ties with the Emirates.
“The CEPA is expected to increase [Indonesia’s] exports to the UAE by around $4 billion. It will also increase [our] imports from the UAE by approximately $4 billion,” Airlangga said on Friday.
The CEPA agreement will gradually reduce and eliminate the import duties across up to 94 percent of the tariff posts. Both countries also managed to wrap up the CEPA negotiations within 9 months, which could be considered pretty fast for a trade agreement.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, palm oil -- one of Indonesia’s top commodities -- gets covered by the deal. The Observatory of the Economic Complexity (OEC) data shows Indonesia exported $241 million of palm oil to the UAE in 2021. This puts palm oil as Indonesia’s second-largest goods export to the Emirates after jewelry ($345 million) that year.
“The [Indonesia-UAE CEPA] reflects the keenness of the two countries to strengthen relations for a sustainable future, and continue to increase bilateral trade,” the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, said. Jakarta Globe
---------
Louis Dreyfus to address glycerin demand with new Indonesia refinery
Sumatra plant will help global agricultural trader move up value chain
JAKARTA -- European agricultural trader Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) is preparing a third glycerin refining plant in Indonesia, adding to its facilities in the U.S. and Germany as it bets on rising global demand for the material used in a range of applications like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
LDC is set to begin construction of the glycerin refinery by the end of December in Indonesia's Lampung province on the island of Sumatra, where it already has a palm oil refinery, biodiesel plant and its own deep sea port. The company sources palm oil fruit to feed the existing facilities from its smallholder farm partners in Indonesia -- the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil, which is widely found in vegetable oil.
Rajat Dutt, country head of LDC in Indonesia, said the new facility will refine crude glycerin, a byproduct of its nearby biodiesel plant, into U.S. Pharmacopeia-grade glycerin. The refined product can be used commercially in food and drug manufacturing. He said construction is scheduled to be finished in early 2025 but declined to say how much it would cost.
"[Glycerin] is a product where we see a lot of growth and [the new refinery] is how we can participate in the growth in the domestic and global market," Dutt told Nikkei Asia in a recent interview. Nikkei Asia
UN aviation meeting agrees to goal of 5% lower emissions by 2030
By Allison Lampert and Tim Hepher
November 24, 20232:37 PM EST
Nov 24 (Reuters) - A meeting of more than 100 countries on Friday agreed to an interim goal for emissions reductions from global aviation by 2030 by using less-polluting fuels, but China, Russia and some others aired concerns about the impact on their economies.
The goal, which came after five days of U.N.-led talks in Dubai, called for 5% lower carbon emissions through the use of cleaner energies like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said. An earlier draft had a target of 5-8%.
The United States told the closing session of the meeting, which was held ahead of next week's COP28 climate summit, that the goal sent a "clear and positive signal" to the financial community, which must invest in new clean energy projects.
Aviation accounts for an estimated 2-3% of global carbon emissions. SAF is key toward reducing those emissions, but it is costly and amounts to less than 1% of total global jet fuel. Reuters
---------
Lufthansa executive advocates limited biofuel use, citing food waste, nature risks
The fear is that eateries could be incentivised to waste more food to meet the demand for refuse feedstocks. However, newer “synthetic” kerosene made from carbon gases are still in early stages of development.
Scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from scrap plant material – including used cooking oil – risks enticing supply chain players to create more waste to meet feedstock demand, said an official at one of the world’s largest airline groups, who added such fuels are a “bridging technology” towards more advanced low-carbon propellants.
There is more potential in safely increasing the yield of clean jet fuel via technologies such as using solar energy to convert carbon gases into kerosene, said Philipp Bonkatz, general manager of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei at Germany’s Lufthansa Group.
Most of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) available today comes from refining used vegetable cooking oils and agricultural refuse. Development has been slow, with SAF contributing to 0.1 per cent of global jet fuel supply due to high costs.
Bonkatz’s comments mirror sustainability concerns from European lawmakers over biofuel risks. The regional parliament has bans on SAF made from certain crop feedstocks, though waste cooking oil is still allowed. Eco Business
---------
Indonesia's leading Presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto Promises Energy Self-Sufficiency if Elected as President
Translator Najla Nur Fauziyah Editor Laila Afifa
25 November 2023
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The running presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto promised energy self-sufficiency for Indonesia and to halt fuel import if he's elected as president in the upcoming general elections.
"We must be food self-sufficient, water self-sufficient, and energy self-sufficient. We will be the only nation in the world to become 100 percent [independent] from biofuel, palm oil, corn, and sugarcane. We will stop importing fuel (BBM)," he said during a public dialogue at di Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya ON Friday.
In line with energy self-sufficiency ambition, Prabowo Subianto also stressed the importance of food self-sufficiency and water self-sufficiency.
"Strengthening the national security system and pushing state independence through food, energy, water self-sufficiency and creative economy, green economy, and blue economy," he said.
By adopting biofuel as a strategic plan of action, Prabowo Subianto intends to not only cut dependency on BBM import but also to provide a positive contribution to environmental preservation and strengthen national independence in the energy sector.
Prabowo Subianto paired up with Gibran Rakabuming for the upcoming 2024 general elections. They will face two other running candidates, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahmud MD, and Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar. TempoID
---------
Indonesia’s Exports to UAE Expected to Increase by $4B with CEPA Trade Pact
Jayanty Nada Shofa
November 25, 2023
Jakarta. Indonesia’s exports of goods, including palm oil, to the United Arab Emirates are set to skyrocket with a bilateral trade pact now in place.
The Indonesia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into force on September 1. The trade deal will gradually slash or eliminate the import duties for Emirates-bound Indonesian exported goods and vice versa. At a recent gala dinner with Emirati diplomats in Jakarta, Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the CEPA was a historic milestone in Indonesia’s trade ties with the Emirates.
“The CEPA is expected to increase [Indonesia’s] exports to the UAE by around $4 billion. It will also increase [our] imports from the UAE by approximately $4 billion,” Airlangga said on Friday.
The CEPA agreement will gradually reduce and eliminate the import duties across up to 94 percent of the tariff posts. Both countries also managed to wrap up the CEPA negotiations within 9 months, which could be considered pretty fast for a trade agreement.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, palm oil -- one of Indonesia’s top commodities -- gets covered by the deal. The Observatory of the Economic Complexity (OEC) data shows Indonesia exported $241 million of palm oil to the UAE in 2021. This puts palm oil as Indonesia’s second-largest goods export to the Emirates after jewelry ($345 million) that year.
“The [Indonesia-UAE CEPA] reflects the keenness of the two countries to strengthen relations for a sustainable future, and continue to increase bilateral trade,” the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, said. Jakarta Globe
---------
Louis Dreyfus to address glycerin demand with new Indonesia refinery
Sumatra plant will help global agricultural trader move up value chain
JAKARTA -- European agricultural trader Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) is preparing a third glycerin refining plant in Indonesia, adding to its facilities in the U.S. and Germany as it bets on rising global demand for the material used in a range of applications like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
LDC is set to begin construction of the glycerin refinery by the end of December in Indonesia's Lampung province on the island of Sumatra, where it already has a palm oil refinery, biodiesel plant and its own deep sea port. The company sources palm oil fruit to feed the existing facilities from its smallholder farm partners in Indonesia -- the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil, which is widely found in vegetable oil.
Rajat Dutt, country head of LDC in Indonesia, said the new facility will refine crude glycerin, a byproduct of its nearby biodiesel plant, into U.S. Pharmacopeia-grade glycerin. The refined product can be used commercially in food and drug manufacturing. He said construction is scheduled to be finished in early 2025 but declined to say how much it would cost.
"[Glycerin] is a product where we see a lot of growth and [the new refinery] is how we can participate in the growth in the domestic and global market," Dutt told Nikkei Asia in a recent interview. Nikkei Asia
|
|
|
November 24, 2023
Brazilian food giant, JBS, has the biggest impact on deforestation, corporate ranking finds
A Brazilian food producer was found to have by far the most negative impact on global deforestation rates, according to a global corporate ranking released Wednesday that also awarded negative scores to several major financial institutions for their lending policies.
Permutable AI, a business intelligence platform, released a ranking system based on news sentiment analysis that found Sao Paulo-based JBS, the largest meat processing company in the world, had links with deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Even though deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in five years, “the world is moving too slowly to meet pledges to end deforestation by 2030”, Permutable said.
The AI company also found that several major financial corporations such as BlackRock, BNP Paribas, and HSBC had lent to companies that have been associated with deforestation.
French tyre manufacturing company Michelin had also used rubber grown in the deforested areas, it said.
“Furthermore, these companies lack transparency and accountability regarding deforestation issues, putting them under pressure from investors, consumers, and NGOs to take action and address deforestation concerns,” the firm added. Carbon Pulse
---------
Primary Food Processors and the EU’s agri-food chain: driving sustainability and food security
As part of the update of the EU’s Industrial Strategy, the European Commission is drafting “transition pathways” for more resilient and sustainable industrial ecosystems. One of the 14 ecosystems identified by the Commission is agri-food. Here, primary food processing sectors play a crucial role.
Who are we?
Continuous commodities processing: a staple of the EU’s food security
Our industries are an essential link in the EU’s agri-food chain, connecting farmers to markets and consumers. We contribute to European food security and sovereignty by turning agricultural crops into food products and ingredients consumed by millions of EU citizens every day.
Many of the foods we make have long been staples of European diets, such as wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, plant-based proteins, starches, and cocoa. But European primary food processors are also at the forefront of innovation: while the overall majority of our ingredients are used in food and drink, decades of research and development have helped us find increasingly innovative outlets to ensure nothing goes to waste.
A circular industry EURACTIV
----------
Europe must offer more benefits to Malaysia, prove its relevance
By HOSUK LEE-MAKIYAMA - November 24, 2023
HERE and elsewhere in East Asia, Europe is often viewed upon as irrelevant, oblivious, or distant at best.
The prism is unfortunately discoloured by the trade disputes over palm oil, where the wealthy European countries are condemned for protecting their farmers at the expense of Malaysian smallholders.
Such accusations of double standards are further underscored at a time when Muslims around the world ask why Europeans pay such single-minded attention to Ukrainians while ignoring the plight of others.
There is inarguably a rift between the sustainability ambitions of the European Union (EU) and the developmental aspirations of Asean. New Straits Times
----------
CIMB unveils 2030 climate targets for palm oil and power sectors
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 24): CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has announced its 2030 climate targets for its palm oil and power portfolios by focusing on sustainable palm oil production, extending the banking group’s milestone announcement last year of net zero targets for both its thermal coal mining and cement portfolios in pursuit of its overarching 2050 Net Zero commitments.
The group aims to reduce the emission intensity of its palm oil portfolio by 16% from 1.81 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or tCO2e/tCPO in 2022 to 1.52 tCO2e/tCPO by 2030 — which averages to a 2% annual reduction, it said in a statement.
These include Scope 1 and 2 emissions, originating from plantation and milling clients, along with Scope 3 upstream emissions associated with clients’ sourcing of fresh fruit bunches from suppliers.
Despite the general uptick in the global economy, SMEs in Malaysia’s oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) industry may still struggle to secure competitive financing to support their operations and growth and to manage their cash flow
In line with its Net Zero initiatives, the group has released a comprehensive white paper on its decarbonisation plans that details its sector-specific pathways and immediate plans for the four key sectors that represent around half the group's current emissions.
“We are pleased to present a comprehensive strategy on these sectors, the first in Malaysia, solidifying our commitment towards Net Zero by 2050. We firmly advocate for the sustainable production of palm oil and recognise the crucial role that businesses, including the MSMEs play in advancing towards sustainable palm oil production. We will continue to actively support and enable our clients and small-scale growers to embrace and adopt certified sustainable palm oil standards. The Edge Malaysia
----------
Biojet fuels from empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass one of the most important solutions for palm oil producing countries like Malaysia to unlock the biomass potential and increasing revenue from high added-value products, said an expert.
KUALA LUMPUR: The production of biojet fuels from empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass is seen as one of the most important solutions for palm oil producing countries like Malaysia to unlock the biomass potential and at the same time increasing its revenue from exporting more high added-value products, said an expert.
Dr Zhao Xuebing from Tsinghua University, China, said there are different ways to develop biojet fuels, for instance via the production of palm oil-based and palm by-product biomass, which has the lowest cost.
“In Malaysia, you can use palm oil but maybe in other countries, especially in China, we cannot use vegetable oil to produce biojet in large scale because we don’t even have enough vegetable oil for consumption,” he told Bernama in an interview at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition 2023 (PIPOC 2023) recently.
He said Malaysia is ready for biojet fuel as the country has a lot of palm oil and is the second largest producer globally — it can be produced using the hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) technology. The Sun MY
---------
Virgin Atlantic and British government’s ‘net zero’ flight disputed by climate campaigners
Open Democracy slammed Virgin Atlantic and the British government for greenwashing today, after both claimed the airline will be launching “the world’s first net-zero transatlantic flight.”
Scheduled for this coming Tuesday, the transatlantic flight will be 100 per cent powered by so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
SAF is derived from biofuel crops or waste, with Britain largely dependent on used cooking oil from Asia.
According to OpenDemocracy, some sellers are suspected of selling off unused palm oil as waste in exchange for credits from the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
If companies grow virgin crops instead of selling waste, these plantations can lead to deforestation. Morning Star
---------
Food Insecurity: 26.5m Nigerians may face crisis in 2024
A report by Cadre Harmonise (CH) has alerted that about 26.5 million people in 26 states of Nigeria will face food crisis between June and August 2024.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the research result is contained in the November Analysis Result Presentation organised by the Kwara Ministry of Agriculture and Human Development in collaboration with CH and other partners.The report stated that the anticipated people include Internally Displaced Persons in Zamfara, Sokoto and Borno States.Speaking at the meeting, Mr Isiaq Oloruko-oba, the Parmenent Secretary of the Ministry, noted that such reports paint a gloomy picture of the food and nutrition security facing the country.He stated that it is critical for decision makers to plan ahead of such danger looming and proffer lasting solutions.According to him, the meeting affords all critical stakeholders to deliberate on the way forward.He reiterated on the resolve of the state government to ensure relevant stakeholders, especially farmers, are empowered and receive the necessary aid to ensure food security in the state.Also speaking, Mr Olusoji Oyawoye, the state CH Coordinator, saidKwara has an estimated population of about 3.73 million based on the 2001 population projections.He observed that agriculture offers the source of livelihood to majority of the population through subsistence traditional farming.“Major crops are rice, cassava, yam, soya beans, maize, beniseed, guinea corn, groundnut and cowpea, tree crops include cashew nuts and palm oil.‘There are also some exploitation of hard wood timber and various forest resources such shea nuts and locust bean,” Vanguard NG
---------
Nigeria’s Most Profitable Companies, Using Return On Equity, Are In Agriculture
Which two companies are the most profitable ones in Nigeria, using return on equity? Not banks, not insurers, not telcos and all those fintechs. In the Nigerian public market, Presco and Okomu Oil are the two most profitable companies this year, to the end of September, using return on equity (RoE)*.
While Presco records RoE of 50.24%, Okomu Oil does 53.96%. What do these two companies do? Production and processing of oil palm and associated components.
In Tekeda Capital, this year, agtech companies are outperforming other sectors in our portfolios. In short, in the last two weeks, one of our startups recorded a GMV* of $1 million in 3 days. Young People, rethink agriculture: there is wealth therein. Yes, agro looks great. Tekedia
---------
Sime Darby Plantation posts threefold jump in Q3 earnings
Friday, 24 November 2023
Sime Darby Plantation 3Q FY2023 Net Profit Triples to RM1.2 billion
• Upstream Malaysia’s fresh fruit bunch production surges by 38%
• Special interim dividend of 5.70 sen per share declared in October 2023
Petaling Jaya, 24 November 2023 – Sime Darby Plantation Berhad registered a net
profit of RM1.2 billion in the third quarter of its financial year ending 31 December 2023
(3Q FY2023), a threefold increase from RM396 million recorded in 3Q FY2022. The
quarter’s strong performance bolstered the Group’s net profits for the nine-month period
ended 30 September 2023 (9M FY2023) to RM1.7 billion.
The Group’s upstream operations registered an impressive improvement in 3Q FY2023,
led by the strong recovery of the Malaysian operations, which saw a 38% year-on-year
(YoY) increase in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production, due to having more harvesters and
intensive rehabilitation efforts. The Malaysian production volume achieved in 3Q FY2023
was higher by 43% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and also represented 43% of the total
Malaysian production for 9M FY2023.
This resulted in a 14% YoY increase in overall FFB production for the Group, which
mitigated the impact of lower average realised crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel (PK)
prices. CPO prices declined 12% YoY to an average of RM3,777 per metric tonne (MT),
compared to RM4,277 per MT in the previous corresponding period, whilst average realised
PK prices declined by 11% YoY to RM1,721 per MT from RM1,940 per MT in 3Q FY2022.
Sime Darby Oils (SDO), the Group’s downstream operations, recorded a lower profit before
interest and tax (PBIT) at RM225 million in 3Q FY2023, a decline from RM337 million
achieved in 3Q FY2022. The decline was due to lower margins and volume demands in
SDO’s Asia Pacific operations, although this was partially mitigated by strong results in its
European operations. Download Press Release
---------
Palm Oil Industry's Contribution to Poverty Reduction in Rural Malaysia-MPOC
PALM oil tops the list of the world’s most consumed vegetable oil - ubiquitous in many of our daily sustenance, household products and cosmetics, among others.
However, there is little awareness on how the global palm oil boom has positively impacted welfare in rural communities in areas where it is grown.
Malaysia’s palm oil industry has grown into a major economic force in the country - the fourth largest contributor and an employer to nearly a million people, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) was established on July 1, 1956 under the Land Development Ordinance of 1956 for the development of land with a main objective to eradicate poverty through oil palm and rubber cultivation.
Under the scheme, each successful applicant was allocated 10 acres of plantation land and 0.25 acres for their housing plot. Natural rubber was initially cultivated as the core crop but later oil palm was introduced and became the main type of crop.
The last intake of settlers was in 1990, after 112,638 were placed in 317 schemes throughout the country and have their lives completely transformed. Presently, FELDA continues to play a major role in providing adequate and modern facilities at the schemes. The StarMY
Brazilian food giant, JBS, has the biggest impact on deforestation, corporate ranking finds
A Brazilian food producer was found to have by far the most negative impact on global deforestation rates, according to a global corporate ranking released Wednesday that also awarded negative scores to several major financial institutions for their lending policies.
Permutable AI, a business intelligence platform, released a ranking system based on news sentiment analysis that found Sao Paulo-based JBS, the largest meat processing company in the world, had links with deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Even though deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in five years, “the world is moving too slowly to meet pledges to end deforestation by 2030”, Permutable said.
The AI company also found that several major financial corporations such as BlackRock, BNP Paribas, and HSBC had lent to companies that have been associated with deforestation.
French tyre manufacturing company Michelin had also used rubber grown in the deforested areas, it said.
“Furthermore, these companies lack transparency and accountability regarding deforestation issues, putting them under pressure from investors, consumers, and NGOs to take action and address deforestation concerns,” the firm added. Carbon Pulse
---------
Primary Food Processors and the EU’s agri-food chain: driving sustainability and food security
As part of the update of the EU’s Industrial Strategy, the European Commission is drafting “transition pathways” for more resilient and sustainable industrial ecosystems. One of the 14 ecosystems identified by the Commission is agri-food. Here, primary food processing sectors play a crucial role.
Who are we?
Continuous commodities processing: a staple of the EU’s food security
Our industries are an essential link in the EU’s agri-food chain, connecting farmers to markets and consumers. We contribute to European food security and sovereignty by turning agricultural crops into food products and ingredients consumed by millions of EU citizens every day.
Many of the foods we make have long been staples of European diets, such as wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, plant-based proteins, starches, and cocoa. But European primary food processors are also at the forefront of innovation: while the overall majority of our ingredients are used in food and drink, decades of research and development have helped us find increasingly innovative outlets to ensure nothing goes to waste.
A circular industry EURACTIV
----------
Europe must offer more benefits to Malaysia, prove its relevance
By HOSUK LEE-MAKIYAMA - November 24, 2023
HERE and elsewhere in East Asia, Europe is often viewed upon as irrelevant, oblivious, or distant at best.
The prism is unfortunately discoloured by the trade disputes over palm oil, where the wealthy European countries are condemned for protecting their farmers at the expense of Malaysian smallholders.
Such accusations of double standards are further underscored at a time when Muslims around the world ask why Europeans pay such single-minded attention to Ukrainians while ignoring the plight of others.
There is inarguably a rift between the sustainability ambitions of the European Union (EU) and the developmental aspirations of Asean. New Straits Times
----------
CIMB unveils 2030 climate targets for palm oil and power sectors
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 24): CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has announced its 2030 climate targets for its palm oil and power portfolios by focusing on sustainable palm oil production, extending the banking group’s milestone announcement last year of net zero targets for both its thermal coal mining and cement portfolios in pursuit of its overarching 2050 Net Zero commitments.
The group aims to reduce the emission intensity of its palm oil portfolio by 16% from 1.81 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or tCO2e/tCPO in 2022 to 1.52 tCO2e/tCPO by 2030 — which averages to a 2% annual reduction, it said in a statement.
These include Scope 1 and 2 emissions, originating from plantation and milling clients, along with Scope 3 upstream emissions associated with clients’ sourcing of fresh fruit bunches from suppliers.
Despite the general uptick in the global economy, SMEs in Malaysia’s oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) industry may still struggle to secure competitive financing to support their operations and growth and to manage their cash flow
In line with its Net Zero initiatives, the group has released a comprehensive white paper on its decarbonisation plans that details its sector-specific pathways and immediate plans for the four key sectors that represent around half the group's current emissions.
“We are pleased to present a comprehensive strategy on these sectors, the first in Malaysia, solidifying our commitment towards Net Zero by 2050. We firmly advocate for the sustainable production of palm oil and recognise the crucial role that businesses, including the MSMEs play in advancing towards sustainable palm oil production. We will continue to actively support and enable our clients and small-scale growers to embrace and adopt certified sustainable palm oil standards. The Edge Malaysia
----------
Biojet fuels from empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass one of the most important solutions for palm oil producing countries like Malaysia to unlock the biomass potential and increasing revenue from high added-value products, said an expert.
KUALA LUMPUR: The production of biojet fuels from empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass is seen as one of the most important solutions for palm oil producing countries like Malaysia to unlock the biomass potential and at the same time increasing its revenue from exporting more high added-value products, said an expert.
Dr Zhao Xuebing from Tsinghua University, China, said there are different ways to develop biojet fuels, for instance via the production of palm oil-based and palm by-product biomass, which has the lowest cost.
“In Malaysia, you can use palm oil but maybe in other countries, especially in China, we cannot use vegetable oil to produce biojet in large scale because we don’t even have enough vegetable oil for consumption,” he told Bernama in an interview at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition 2023 (PIPOC 2023) recently.
He said Malaysia is ready for biojet fuel as the country has a lot of palm oil and is the second largest producer globally — it can be produced using the hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) technology. The Sun MY
---------
Virgin Atlantic and British government’s ‘net zero’ flight disputed by climate campaigners
Open Democracy slammed Virgin Atlantic and the British government for greenwashing today, after both claimed the airline will be launching “the world’s first net-zero transatlantic flight.”
Scheduled for this coming Tuesday, the transatlantic flight will be 100 per cent powered by so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
SAF is derived from biofuel crops or waste, with Britain largely dependent on used cooking oil from Asia.
According to OpenDemocracy, some sellers are suspected of selling off unused palm oil as waste in exchange for credits from the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
If companies grow virgin crops instead of selling waste, these plantations can lead to deforestation. Morning Star
---------
Food Insecurity: 26.5m Nigerians may face crisis in 2024
A report by Cadre Harmonise (CH) has alerted that about 26.5 million people in 26 states of Nigeria will face food crisis between June and August 2024.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the research result is contained in the November Analysis Result Presentation organised by the Kwara Ministry of Agriculture and Human Development in collaboration with CH and other partners.The report stated that the anticipated people include Internally Displaced Persons in Zamfara, Sokoto and Borno States.Speaking at the meeting, Mr Isiaq Oloruko-oba, the Parmenent Secretary of the Ministry, noted that such reports paint a gloomy picture of the food and nutrition security facing the country.He stated that it is critical for decision makers to plan ahead of such danger looming and proffer lasting solutions.According to him, the meeting affords all critical stakeholders to deliberate on the way forward.He reiterated on the resolve of the state government to ensure relevant stakeholders, especially farmers, are empowered and receive the necessary aid to ensure food security in the state.Also speaking, Mr Olusoji Oyawoye, the state CH Coordinator, saidKwara has an estimated population of about 3.73 million based on the 2001 population projections.He observed that agriculture offers the source of livelihood to majority of the population through subsistence traditional farming.“Major crops are rice, cassava, yam, soya beans, maize, beniseed, guinea corn, groundnut and cowpea, tree crops include cashew nuts and palm oil.‘There are also some exploitation of hard wood timber and various forest resources such shea nuts and locust bean,” Vanguard NG
---------
Nigeria’s Most Profitable Companies, Using Return On Equity, Are In Agriculture
Which two companies are the most profitable ones in Nigeria, using return on equity? Not banks, not insurers, not telcos and all those fintechs. In the Nigerian public market, Presco and Okomu Oil are the two most profitable companies this year, to the end of September, using return on equity (RoE)*.
While Presco records RoE of 50.24%, Okomu Oil does 53.96%. What do these two companies do? Production and processing of oil palm and associated components.
In Tekeda Capital, this year, agtech companies are outperforming other sectors in our portfolios. In short, in the last two weeks, one of our startups recorded a GMV* of $1 million in 3 days. Young People, rethink agriculture: there is wealth therein. Yes, agro looks great. Tekedia
---------
Sime Darby Plantation posts threefold jump in Q3 earnings
Friday, 24 November 2023
Sime Darby Plantation 3Q FY2023 Net Profit Triples to RM1.2 billion
• Upstream Malaysia’s fresh fruit bunch production surges by 38%
• Special interim dividend of 5.70 sen per share declared in October 2023
Petaling Jaya, 24 November 2023 – Sime Darby Plantation Berhad registered a net
profit of RM1.2 billion in the third quarter of its financial year ending 31 December 2023
(3Q FY2023), a threefold increase from RM396 million recorded in 3Q FY2022. The
quarter’s strong performance bolstered the Group’s net profits for the nine-month period
ended 30 September 2023 (9M FY2023) to RM1.7 billion.
The Group’s upstream operations registered an impressive improvement in 3Q FY2023,
led by the strong recovery of the Malaysian operations, which saw a 38% year-on-year
(YoY) increase in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production, due to having more harvesters and
intensive rehabilitation efforts. The Malaysian production volume achieved in 3Q FY2023
was higher by 43% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and also represented 43% of the total
Malaysian production for 9M FY2023.
This resulted in a 14% YoY increase in overall FFB production for the Group, which
mitigated the impact of lower average realised crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel (PK)
prices. CPO prices declined 12% YoY to an average of RM3,777 per metric tonne (MT),
compared to RM4,277 per MT in the previous corresponding period, whilst average realised
PK prices declined by 11% YoY to RM1,721 per MT from RM1,940 per MT in 3Q FY2022.
Sime Darby Oils (SDO), the Group’s downstream operations, recorded a lower profit before
interest and tax (PBIT) at RM225 million in 3Q FY2023, a decline from RM337 million
achieved in 3Q FY2022. The decline was due to lower margins and volume demands in
SDO’s Asia Pacific operations, although this was partially mitigated by strong results in its
European operations. Download Press Release
---------
Palm Oil Industry's Contribution to Poverty Reduction in Rural Malaysia-MPOC
PALM oil tops the list of the world’s most consumed vegetable oil - ubiquitous in many of our daily sustenance, household products and cosmetics, among others.
However, there is little awareness on how the global palm oil boom has positively impacted welfare in rural communities in areas where it is grown.
Malaysia’s palm oil industry has grown into a major economic force in the country - the fourth largest contributor and an employer to nearly a million people, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) was established on July 1, 1956 under the Land Development Ordinance of 1956 for the development of land with a main objective to eradicate poverty through oil palm and rubber cultivation.
Under the scheme, each successful applicant was allocated 10 acres of plantation land and 0.25 acres for their housing plot. Natural rubber was initially cultivated as the core crop but later oil palm was introduced and became the main type of crop.
The last intake of settlers was in 1990, after 112,638 were placed in 317 schemes throughout the country and have their lives completely transformed. Presently, FELDA continues to play a major role in providing adequate and modern facilities at the schemes. The StarMY
|
|
|
November 23, 2023
Investigation shows ‘shadow companies’ linked to Indonesia palm oil giant First Resources
by Mongabay.com on 23 November 2023
The investigation is part of Deforestation Inc, a reporting collaboration coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists involving journalists from 28 countries.
The findings indicate that companies associated with First Resources may have been behind more deforestation in Southeast Asia during the last five years than any other corporate organization.
First Resources continues to supply blue chip consumer goods companies with palm oil, including Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo.
One of the world’s largest palm oil companies appears to have overseen a network of companies responsible for deforestation of tens of thousands of hectares, according to a new investigation published by The Gecko Project, a London-based investigative journalism organization.
Indonesian conglomerate First Resources, like many agribusinesses, has announced voluntary commitments to guarantee no new deforestation for plantations. These “zero-deforestation” commitments have since expanded to account for the majority of the plantation industry, which experts credit in part for the reduction in forest loss in Indonesia for palm oil.
However, there is growing evidence that some major oil palm conglomerates have established networks of smaller “shadow companies” that are not themselves subject to no-deforestation commitments in order to circumvent their own sustainability policies. Mongabay
---------
EU pushes purge of deforestation-linked goods amid wider traceability drive
SUSTAINABILITY / NOVEMBER 22, 2023 / BY JENNY MESSENGER
A crackdown on imports linked to deforestation is prompting affected firms to start preparing now, as the EU takes a harder line on enforcing sustainability in supply chains.
The regulation on deforestation-free products will apply to palm oil, cattle, wood, coffee, cocoa, rubber and soya, as well as some derived products, such as chocolate and furniture.
Though the rules concern products entering the EU market from December 30, 2024, the goods could have been produced “on the basis of raw materials harvested months before”, Guillaume Croisant, managing associate in Linklaters’ litigation, arbitration and investigations team, tells GTR.
“As a result, some in-scope companies have already had to start gathering information and exercising due diligence as of today. We already see in-scope companies reaching out to their suppliers and sometimes seeking contractual changes centred around compliance with the EUDR [EU Deforestation-free Regulation],” Croisant says.
Operators and traders have to be able to prove these commodities do not originate from recently deforested land and have not contributed to forest degradation.
Firms will be required to collect the geolocation data of all the plots of land where the commodities are produced, which “will be cascaded down the supply chain capturing a wide range of companies both directly and indirectly”, Croisant adds.
“It is key for in-scope companies to ramp up their compliance efforts in view of the strengthened enforcement regime of the EUDR,” says James Marlow, managing associate in Linklaters’ ESG practice. Global Trade Review
---------
Indonesian VP urges Greece to support Indonesia to deal with EUDR
Athens, Greece (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin called on Greece to support Indonesia for dealing with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) during a meeting with First Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Ioshf Plakiotakis here, Wednesday.
"Regarding Indonesia's palm oil products, we call on Greece to support us," Amin stated following his meeting with Plakiotakis at the Hellenic Parliament.
According to Amin, Indonesia needs to get support from the Hellenic Parliament to handle trade barriers that restrict Indonesia's products entering the EU market.
To this end, at the meeting, he highlighted the importance of a constructive approach to end the European Union's discriminative policies on Indonesia's palm oil products as part of the country's strategic commodities, Amin affirmed.
Vice President Amin also underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation on economy, trade, and investment since Indonesia and Greece are facing a "declining trend" in trade. Antara
---------
PALM OIL MEMORANDUM TO DUTCH PRIME MINISTER RAISES CONCERNS ON EFFECTS OF EU DEFORESTATION REGULATIONS
A memorandum submitted by Solidaridad on behalf of smallholder farmers in Malaysia to the Dutch Prime Minister, highlighted their commitment to sustainability goals and deforestation targets, while making the case for the continuance of a sustainable palm oil industry with links to international markets.
During his visit to Malaysia in October of 2023, Malaysian palm oil smallholders submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, which outlined their challenges in accessing European and global markets. The memorandum, submitted on their behalf by Solidaridad, comes against the backdrop of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation that seeks to ban the sale of palm oil produced on deforested land.
Smallholder palm oil producers in Malaysia and Indonesia (who account for nearly 28% and 40% of the global palm oil output, respectively), as well as their respective governments, have voiced concerns about the new regulation and the stringency of its provisions which could potentially exclude small farmers from the European and global supply chains and markets. The memorandum states that, “The recent adoption of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would place further constraints to our ability to enter the already hard to access international market.”
Signatories to the memorandum include representatives of the Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (DOPPA), National Association of Smallholders Malaysia (NASH), Persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PVATM) Sarawak, Dayak National Congress (DNC), Koperasi Pekebun Kecil Telagus Balai Ringin Serian Berhad, as well as village heads, community leaders and the leaders of farmers’ groups. Solidaridad
Investigation shows ‘shadow companies’ linked to Indonesia palm oil giant First Resources
by Mongabay.com on 23 November 2023
The investigation is part of Deforestation Inc, a reporting collaboration coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists involving journalists from 28 countries.
The findings indicate that companies associated with First Resources may have been behind more deforestation in Southeast Asia during the last five years than any other corporate organization.
First Resources continues to supply blue chip consumer goods companies with palm oil, including Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo.
One of the world’s largest palm oil companies appears to have overseen a network of companies responsible for deforestation of tens of thousands of hectares, according to a new investigation published by The Gecko Project, a London-based investigative journalism organization.
Indonesian conglomerate First Resources, like many agribusinesses, has announced voluntary commitments to guarantee no new deforestation for plantations. These “zero-deforestation” commitments have since expanded to account for the majority of the plantation industry, which experts credit in part for the reduction in forest loss in Indonesia for palm oil.
However, there is growing evidence that some major oil palm conglomerates have established networks of smaller “shadow companies” that are not themselves subject to no-deforestation commitments in order to circumvent their own sustainability policies. Mongabay
---------
EU pushes purge of deforestation-linked goods amid wider traceability drive
SUSTAINABILITY / NOVEMBER 22, 2023 / BY JENNY MESSENGER
A crackdown on imports linked to deforestation is prompting affected firms to start preparing now, as the EU takes a harder line on enforcing sustainability in supply chains.
The regulation on deforestation-free products will apply to palm oil, cattle, wood, coffee, cocoa, rubber and soya, as well as some derived products, such as chocolate and furniture.
Though the rules concern products entering the EU market from December 30, 2024, the goods could have been produced “on the basis of raw materials harvested months before”, Guillaume Croisant, managing associate in Linklaters’ litigation, arbitration and investigations team, tells GTR.
“As a result, some in-scope companies have already had to start gathering information and exercising due diligence as of today. We already see in-scope companies reaching out to their suppliers and sometimes seeking contractual changes centred around compliance with the EUDR [EU Deforestation-free Regulation],” Croisant says.
Operators and traders have to be able to prove these commodities do not originate from recently deforested land and have not contributed to forest degradation.
Firms will be required to collect the geolocation data of all the plots of land where the commodities are produced, which “will be cascaded down the supply chain capturing a wide range of companies both directly and indirectly”, Croisant adds.
“It is key for in-scope companies to ramp up their compliance efforts in view of the strengthened enforcement regime of the EUDR,” says James Marlow, managing associate in Linklaters’ ESG practice. Global Trade Review
---------
Indonesian VP urges Greece to support Indonesia to deal with EUDR
Athens, Greece (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin called on Greece to support Indonesia for dealing with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) during a meeting with First Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Ioshf Plakiotakis here, Wednesday.
"Regarding Indonesia's palm oil products, we call on Greece to support us," Amin stated following his meeting with Plakiotakis at the Hellenic Parliament.
According to Amin, Indonesia needs to get support from the Hellenic Parliament to handle trade barriers that restrict Indonesia's products entering the EU market.
To this end, at the meeting, he highlighted the importance of a constructive approach to end the European Union's discriminative policies on Indonesia's palm oil products as part of the country's strategic commodities, Amin affirmed.
Vice President Amin also underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation on economy, trade, and investment since Indonesia and Greece are facing a "declining trend" in trade. Antara
---------
PALM OIL MEMORANDUM TO DUTCH PRIME MINISTER RAISES CONCERNS ON EFFECTS OF EU DEFORESTATION REGULATIONS
A memorandum submitted by Solidaridad on behalf of smallholder farmers in Malaysia to the Dutch Prime Minister, highlighted their commitment to sustainability goals and deforestation targets, while making the case for the continuance of a sustainable palm oil industry with links to international markets.
During his visit to Malaysia in October of 2023, Malaysian palm oil smallholders submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, which outlined their challenges in accessing European and global markets. The memorandum, submitted on their behalf by Solidaridad, comes against the backdrop of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation that seeks to ban the sale of palm oil produced on deforested land.
Smallholder palm oil producers in Malaysia and Indonesia (who account for nearly 28% and 40% of the global palm oil output, respectively), as well as their respective governments, have voiced concerns about the new regulation and the stringency of its provisions which could potentially exclude small farmers from the European and global supply chains and markets. The memorandum states that, “The recent adoption of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would place further constraints to our ability to enter the already hard to access international market.”
Signatories to the memorandum include representatives of the Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (DOPPA), National Association of Smallholders Malaysia (NASH), Persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PVATM) Sarawak, Dayak National Congress (DNC), Koperasi Pekebun Kecil Telagus Balai Ringin Serian Berhad, as well as village heads, community leaders and the leaders of farmers’ groups. Solidaridad
|
|
|
November 22, 2023
EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION
Corporates in cocoa industry face scrutiny over deforestation
Cocoa and palm oil are two major ingredients in the palette of products offered by Ferrero. It considers itself to be well-prepared to comply with the requirements of the EU’s newly adopted deforestation regulation. Yet a research paper is challenging the pretensions of the industry, arguing that deforestation is still ongoing in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
As part of the fourth part of a series, Delano contacted several firms with operations in Luxembourg and that have direct or indirect exposure to at least one of the seven commodities covered by the EU deforestation regulation (EUDR). No representative at any of the companies agreed to meet us for an interview. Yet Ferrero did agree to answer some questions by email on their processes and policies.
The food industry is on the case
Despite little attention dedicated to the regulation by the media, Ferrero believes that “its adoption and implementation are widely deliberated by the food industry, EU member states and producing countries.” Despite organisational challenges for companies, a spokesperson said that Ferrero thinks the regulation “will help achieve systemic impact in supply chains.”
Moreover, Ferrero believes that it is “well positioned overall to comply with the law.” The company stated that they “source key ingredients responsibly,” both in terms of traceability and due diligence on relevant impacts. Ferrero admitted that it took “a while to build supply chain based on traceability, transparency and strong supplier relationships.” Delano
---------
Malaysia-Certification route to EUDR compliance
PETALING JAYA: Big and mid-sized planters, which are armed with multiple certified sustainable palm oil certifications, could likely secure a better export entry for their palm oil products under the new European Union Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR) slated to be enforced by January 2025, say industry players.
From a business-to-business context, Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) chief executive Joseph Tek Choon Yee said several of its members have already fulfilled the requirements of their EU clientele and some have even surpassed the requirement by holding multiple certifications.
MPOA represents over 100 members, including plantation heavyweights such as IOI Corp Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK), Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and FGV Holdings Bhd.
Tek told StarBiz that “MPOA members proudly hold a 100% Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, while some members have double certified with the internationally recognised Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, reflecting their commitment to robust and sustainable business ethics”. The StarMY
----------
MPOC Europe Alert No. 46
22 November 2023
The European Parliament’s ENVI Committee exchanged views with the European Commission on the implementation of the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation.
On 29 June 2023 the EU’s Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) entered into force. The EUDR will require any operator or trader that places covered commodities, namely soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products, such as leather, chocolate, or furniture, on the EU market, or that exports such products from the EU, to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation. The main obligations will apply from 30 December 2024 and six months later for micro and small enterprises.
On 20 November 2023, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) exchanged views with the European Commission on the implementation of the EUDR. The Commission Representative stated that the Commission:
• Had set up a website with FAQs that will be updated regularly and was working on guidelines that would cover issues such as “definition of agricultural use, certification, legality, and other topics that are of main interest to stakeholders on ground”;According to EC officials, next updated FAQ will be out in Nov/Dec 2023.
• Had started working on the “benchmarking methodology”, which will “assist competent authorities in EU Member States to assess risks”, and would keep stakeholders updated on these developments “through the multistakeholder system on deforestation”;
• Was “working on the information system, where companies will be required to upload their due diligence systems”;
• Was already “gathering scientific evidence” for the review of the EUDR and noted that the review would include “a large and open consultation to give the opportunity to third countries to submit feedback and inputs”; and
• Was “stepping its engagement abroad by encouraging its partners to follow the EU’s lead”.
The Members of the ENVI Committee commented, that “the benchmarking process must be based on objective scientific criteria” and that the perception of the EUDR by the EU’s trading partners could pose a “political challenge”. MPOC Europe
---------
China Plans to Boost Biodiesel Production
BEIJING, Nov 21 (Reuters) - China will launch a series of pilot projects to spur domestic production and consumption of biodiesel, the National Energy Administration (NEA) has said, beefing up environmental efforts in an area where the country lags other big economies.
Sparse policy support has kept consumption of biodiesel, a low-carbon alternative to petroleum diesel made from feedstocks such as palm oil and used cooking oil (UCO), low in China, compared to the the European Union and the United States. Reuters
EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION
Corporates in cocoa industry face scrutiny over deforestation
Cocoa and palm oil are two major ingredients in the palette of products offered by Ferrero. It considers itself to be well-prepared to comply with the requirements of the EU’s newly adopted deforestation regulation. Yet a research paper is challenging the pretensions of the industry, arguing that deforestation is still ongoing in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
As part of the fourth part of a series, Delano contacted several firms with operations in Luxembourg and that have direct or indirect exposure to at least one of the seven commodities covered by the EU deforestation regulation (EUDR). No representative at any of the companies agreed to meet us for an interview. Yet Ferrero did agree to answer some questions by email on their processes and policies.
The food industry is on the case
Despite little attention dedicated to the regulation by the media, Ferrero believes that “its adoption and implementation are widely deliberated by the food industry, EU member states and producing countries.” Despite organisational challenges for companies, a spokesperson said that Ferrero thinks the regulation “will help achieve systemic impact in supply chains.”
Moreover, Ferrero believes that it is “well positioned overall to comply with the law.” The company stated that they “source key ingredients responsibly,” both in terms of traceability and due diligence on relevant impacts. Ferrero admitted that it took “a while to build supply chain based on traceability, transparency and strong supplier relationships.” Delano
---------
Malaysia-Certification route to EUDR compliance
PETALING JAYA: Big and mid-sized planters, which are armed with multiple certified sustainable palm oil certifications, could likely secure a better export entry for their palm oil products under the new European Union Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR) slated to be enforced by January 2025, say industry players.
From a business-to-business context, Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) chief executive Joseph Tek Choon Yee said several of its members have already fulfilled the requirements of their EU clientele and some have even surpassed the requirement by holding multiple certifications.
MPOA represents over 100 members, including plantation heavyweights such as IOI Corp Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK), Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and FGV Holdings Bhd.
Tek told StarBiz that “MPOA members proudly hold a 100% Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, while some members have double certified with the internationally recognised Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, reflecting their commitment to robust and sustainable business ethics”. The StarMY
----------
MPOC Europe Alert No. 46
22 November 2023
The European Parliament’s ENVI Committee exchanged views with the European Commission on the implementation of the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation.
On 29 June 2023 the EU’s Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) entered into force. The EUDR will require any operator or trader that places covered commodities, namely soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products, such as leather, chocolate, or furniture, on the EU market, or that exports such products from the EU, to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation. The main obligations will apply from 30 December 2024 and six months later for micro and small enterprises.
On 20 November 2023, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) exchanged views with the European Commission on the implementation of the EUDR. The Commission Representative stated that the Commission:
• Had set up a website with FAQs that will be updated regularly and was working on guidelines that would cover issues such as “definition of agricultural use, certification, legality, and other topics that are of main interest to stakeholders on ground”;According to EC officials, next updated FAQ will be out in Nov/Dec 2023.
• Had started working on the “benchmarking methodology”, which will “assist competent authorities in EU Member States to assess risks”, and would keep stakeholders updated on these developments “through the multistakeholder system on deforestation”;
• Was “working on the information system, where companies will be required to upload their due diligence systems”;
• Was already “gathering scientific evidence” for the review of the EUDR and noted that the review would include “a large and open consultation to give the opportunity to third countries to submit feedback and inputs”; and
• Was “stepping its engagement abroad by encouraging its partners to follow the EU’s lead”.
The Members of the ENVI Committee commented, that “the benchmarking process must be based on objective scientific criteria” and that the perception of the EUDR by the EU’s trading partners could pose a “political challenge”. MPOC Europe
---------
China Plans to Boost Biodiesel Production
BEIJING, Nov 21 (Reuters) - China will launch a series of pilot projects to spur domestic production and consumption of biodiesel, the National Energy Administration (NEA) has said, beefing up environmental efforts in an area where the country lags other big economies.
Sparse policy support has kept consumption of biodiesel, a low-carbon alternative to petroleum diesel made from feedstocks such as palm oil and used cooking oil (UCO), low in China, compared to the the European Union and the United States. Reuters
|
|
|
November 21, 2023
Ensure palm oil goods continue to enter EU once new law takes effect next year
KUALA LUMPUR: As the European Union (EU) deforestation rule (EUDR) approaches its December 2024 compliance deadline, all hands must be on deck to ensure that palm oil products may continue to enter the EU market after the rule takes effect, said RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB IB).
Governments must make sure definitions are in line and the issue is not transferred while businesses make every effort to comply, it said.
According to RHB IB, more established businesses will be able to comply with EUDR by the deadline.
"We believe the bigger and more established players will do better in complying with the EUDR by the deadline, taking advantage of the potential gap filled by the smaller palm oil suppliers.
"Our buys for EUDR readiness are Kuala Lumpur Kepong with a target price (TP) of RM25.80, IOI Corp Bhd with a TP of RM4.80, Golden Agri with a TP of SG$0.30 cents, Bumitama Agri with a TP of SG$0.70, and Wilmar International Limited with a TP of SG$0.40 cents," it said in a note today.
While there are a myriad of problems and issues in complying with the EUDR guidelines based on current regulations, RHB IB believes there are also numerous solutions.
The Malaysian and Indonesian governments working together with the EU to find solutions is a step in the right direction, especially if Malaysia and Indonesia are classified as "low-risk.".
"Aligning definitions is key to achieving compliance and ensuring everyone is on the same page," it said.
At the end of the day, if the EU fails to help producing countries like Indonesia and Malaysia comply with the EUDR, it will push producers to export more of their commodities to countries with weaker environmental regulations, thereby shifting the problem to other regions. New Straits Times
---------
RSPO to launch new palm oil tracing system in 2024
JAKARTA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) said on Tuesday it is developing a new system to trace the origin and environmental credentials of the commodity in response to demands by global buyers for proof of sustainability beyond certification.
RSPO appointed in October a consortium of agri-tech firms consisting of Agridence, CIED and Australia's NGIS to develop the new system which would provide more information on the vegetable oil supply chain, officials said.
RSPO aims to launch the system in the fourth quarter of 2024.
"We need to rethink our existing standard and certification system and develop approaches that help the industry to prove sustainability in the way the markets, regulators and customers demand today," RSPO chief executive Joseph D’Cruz told an industry conference on Tuesday.
The European Union in December agreed on an anti-deforestation regulation that requires companies to produce a statement showing when and where their commodities, including palm oil, were produced and provide "verifiable" information that they were not grown on land deforested after 2020. Failing to do so could result in hefty fines. Reuters
---------
New investigation casts doubt on a Singapore-listed palm oil giant’s green claims
Interviews with former workers by ICIJ partner The Gecko Project reveal new links between First Resources, the billionaire family that owns it, and a trio of companies that have reportedly cleared more forest for palm oil than any other firm in Southeast Asia.
In public statements, First Resources says it is committed to producing the palm oil that ends up in major Western brands’ cosmetics, foods and biofuel in a manner that doesn’t deplete natural resources and protects wildlife and the environment.
But an investigation by nonprofit newsroom The Gecko Project reveals how First Resources’ majority shareholders, the billionaire Fangiono family, have breached their company’s pledge of “sustainable” production by secretly controlling companies that environmental analysts found had cleared large areas of rainforest in Indonesia.
The investigation in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists also spotlights a loophole in the Singapore Exchange’s reporting rules that allows listed companies to publish so-called sustainability reports, without requiring that an independent firm audits the company’s green claims.
The findings are part of Deforestation Inc., a cross-border investigation led by ICIJ that exposed how a lightly regulated sustainability industry overlooks forest destruction and human rights violations when granting environmental certifications. Deforestation Inc. showed how major companies increasingly use certifications based on flawed audits to advertise products and operations as compliant with environmental standards, labor laws and human rights, misinforming shareholders as well as customers. ICIJ
---------
A Just Palm Oil Transition Must Resolve Various Labor Problems
By PRADIPTA PANDU
20 November 2023 21:41 IWST
The agenda for a just and sustainable palm oil transition must first resolve various labor problems.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Palm plantations in Indonesia still face various problems, especially regarding the welfare of workers. The agenda of a just and sustainable palm transition should first resolve various labor issues.
Executive Director of Sawit Watch, Achmad Surambo, stated that the aspects necessary for a palm oil plantation include land, labor, financing or capital, as well as security guarantees. Therefore, issues related to climate change and a fair transition in the palm oil industry will also be related to the role of labor. (Note: No forbidden words in this article)
"There are many types of workers in palm plantations and there is a trend of informal work. This means that rarely do workers have clear contracts. This is still a problem that needs to be addressed in order to reduce it in the future," he said during a discussion entitled "Just Transition in the Palm Oil Industry" in Jakarta on Monday (20/11/2023).
Sawit Watch data for 2022 records that the area of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has reached 25.07 hectares. However, the majority or 60 percent of oil palm plantations are still dominated by large-scale private companies. Then 35 percent is owned by small farmers and the other 5 percent is owned by government plantations.
With an area reaching 25.07 million hectares, the palm oil industry has absorbed 16.2 million workers. From that figure, 4.2 million are recorded as direct workers and 12 million others are included as indirect workers, with the majority of workers being female laborers.
According to Surambo, until now there is no official data regarding labor, especially palm oil workers in Indonesia. The data from Sawit Watch is the result of calculations and not obtained in real time. This condition is still a problem because the availability of data is very important to support the future policy making process.
The position of palm oil workers is becoming lower as they are not included in the agenda for the policy on palm oil plantation moratorium and evaluation. In fact, the Ministry of Manpower was not involved because agricultural and plantation workers were not detailed in the policy regulation. KOMPAS ID
----------
MPOB: Malaysia to cement position in China palm oil market via value-added products
BEIJING: There is huge potential for Malaysia to cement its presence in China’s market for palm oil and palm oil-based value-added products over the next three to five years while reducing its dependence on the European market, said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
Chairman Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha acknowledged that China’s import volume of the commodity from Malaysia has slowly declined in recent years, but said Malaysia is now focusing on exporting more value-added products to the country.
“This is what we are (seeking) right now. We have no problem with Indonesia exporting a big volume of crude palm oil worldwide.
“As for Malaysia, we want them (China) to import higher value-added products (from us) and we are seeing an improvement (in this area) year-on-year,” said Mohamad Helmy, who was part of a palm oil promotion mission to China headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister.
Helmy said the Palm Oil Research and Technical Service Institute of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (Portsim), founded in 2005, has created between three and eight new value-added products using palm oil annually to cater to Chinese consumer needs. The SunMy
Ensure palm oil goods continue to enter EU once new law takes effect next year
KUALA LUMPUR: As the European Union (EU) deforestation rule (EUDR) approaches its December 2024 compliance deadline, all hands must be on deck to ensure that palm oil products may continue to enter the EU market after the rule takes effect, said RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB IB).
Governments must make sure definitions are in line and the issue is not transferred while businesses make every effort to comply, it said.
According to RHB IB, more established businesses will be able to comply with EUDR by the deadline.
"We believe the bigger and more established players will do better in complying with the EUDR by the deadline, taking advantage of the potential gap filled by the smaller palm oil suppliers.
"Our buys for EUDR readiness are Kuala Lumpur Kepong with a target price (TP) of RM25.80, IOI Corp Bhd with a TP of RM4.80, Golden Agri with a TP of SG$0.30 cents, Bumitama Agri with a TP of SG$0.70, and Wilmar International Limited with a TP of SG$0.40 cents," it said in a note today.
While there are a myriad of problems and issues in complying with the EUDR guidelines based on current regulations, RHB IB believes there are also numerous solutions.
The Malaysian and Indonesian governments working together with the EU to find solutions is a step in the right direction, especially if Malaysia and Indonesia are classified as "low-risk.".
"Aligning definitions is key to achieving compliance and ensuring everyone is on the same page," it said.
At the end of the day, if the EU fails to help producing countries like Indonesia and Malaysia comply with the EUDR, it will push producers to export more of their commodities to countries with weaker environmental regulations, thereby shifting the problem to other regions. New Straits Times
---------
RSPO to launch new palm oil tracing system in 2024
JAKARTA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) said on Tuesday it is developing a new system to trace the origin and environmental credentials of the commodity in response to demands by global buyers for proof of sustainability beyond certification.
RSPO appointed in October a consortium of agri-tech firms consisting of Agridence, CIED and Australia's NGIS to develop the new system which would provide more information on the vegetable oil supply chain, officials said.
RSPO aims to launch the system in the fourth quarter of 2024.
"We need to rethink our existing standard and certification system and develop approaches that help the industry to prove sustainability in the way the markets, regulators and customers demand today," RSPO chief executive Joseph D’Cruz told an industry conference on Tuesday.
The European Union in December agreed on an anti-deforestation regulation that requires companies to produce a statement showing when and where their commodities, including palm oil, were produced and provide "verifiable" information that they were not grown on land deforested after 2020. Failing to do so could result in hefty fines. Reuters
---------
New investigation casts doubt on a Singapore-listed palm oil giant’s green claims
Interviews with former workers by ICIJ partner The Gecko Project reveal new links between First Resources, the billionaire family that owns it, and a trio of companies that have reportedly cleared more forest for palm oil than any other firm in Southeast Asia.
In public statements, First Resources says it is committed to producing the palm oil that ends up in major Western brands’ cosmetics, foods and biofuel in a manner that doesn’t deplete natural resources and protects wildlife and the environment.
But an investigation by nonprofit newsroom The Gecko Project reveals how First Resources’ majority shareholders, the billionaire Fangiono family, have breached their company’s pledge of “sustainable” production by secretly controlling companies that environmental analysts found had cleared large areas of rainforest in Indonesia.
The investigation in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists also spotlights a loophole in the Singapore Exchange’s reporting rules that allows listed companies to publish so-called sustainability reports, without requiring that an independent firm audits the company’s green claims.
The findings are part of Deforestation Inc., a cross-border investigation led by ICIJ that exposed how a lightly regulated sustainability industry overlooks forest destruction and human rights violations when granting environmental certifications. Deforestation Inc. showed how major companies increasingly use certifications based on flawed audits to advertise products and operations as compliant with environmental standards, labor laws and human rights, misinforming shareholders as well as customers. ICIJ
---------
A Just Palm Oil Transition Must Resolve Various Labor Problems
By PRADIPTA PANDU
20 November 2023 21:41 IWST
The agenda for a just and sustainable palm oil transition must first resolve various labor problems.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Palm plantations in Indonesia still face various problems, especially regarding the welfare of workers. The agenda of a just and sustainable palm transition should first resolve various labor issues.
Executive Director of Sawit Watch, Achmad Surambo, stated that the aspects necessary for a palm oil plantation include land, labor, financing or capital, as well as security guarantees. Therefore, issues related to climate change and a fair transition in the palm oil industry will also be related to the role of labor. (Note: No forbidden words in this article)
"There are many types of workers in palm plantations and there is a trend of informal work. This means that rarely do workers have clear contracts. This is still a problem that needs to be addressed in order to reduce it in the future," he said during a discussion entitled "Just Transition in the Palm Oil Industry" in Jakarta on Monday (20/11/2023).
Sawit Watch data for 2022 records that the area of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has reached 25.07 hectares. However, the majority or 60 percent of oil palm plantations are still dominated by large-scale private companies. Then 35 percent is owned by small farmers and the other 5 percent is owned by government plantations.
With an area reaching 25.07 million hectares, the palm oil industry has absorbed 16.2 million workers. From that figure, 4.2 million are recorded as direct workers and 12 million others are included as indirect workers, with the majority of workers being female laborers.
According to Surambo, until now there is no official data regarding labor, especially palm oil workers in Indonesia. The data from Sawit Watch is the result of calculations and not obtained in real time. This condition is still a problem because the availability of data is very important to support the future policy making process.
The position of palm oil workers is becoming lower as they are not included in the agenda for the policy on palm oil plantation moratorium and evaluation. In fact, the Ministry of Manpower was not involved because agricultural and plantation workers were not detailed in the policy regulation. KOMPAS ID
----------
MPOB: Malaysia to cement position in China palm oil market via value-added products
BEIJING: There is huge potential for Malaysia to cement its presence in China’s market for palm oil and palm oil-based value-added products over the next three to five years while reducing its dependence on the European market, said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
Chairman Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha acknowledged that China’s import volume of the commodity from Malaysia has slowly declined in recent years, but said Malaysia is now focusing on exporting more value-added products to the country.
“This is what we are (seeking) right now. We have no problem with Indonesia exporting a big volume of crude palm oil worldwide.
“As for Malaysia, we want them (China) to import higher value-added products (from us) and we are seeing an improvement (in this area) year-on-year,” said Mohamad Helmy, who was part of a palm oil promotion mission to China headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister.
Helmy said the Palm Oil Research and Technical Service Institute of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (Portsim), founded in 2005, has created between three and eight new value-added products using palm oil annually to cater to Chinese consumer needs. The SunMy
|
|
|
November 20, 2023
Korean Air partners with logistics company LX Pantos for bio-aviation fuel business
SEOUL -- Korean Air, South Korea's flag carrier, will work with domestic logistics company LX Pantos to beef up its bio-aviation fuel business. LX Pantos will buy biofuel for the flag carrier's cargo operation, and Korean Air will disclose how the partner company's purchase has contributed to reducing its carbon emissions.
Biofuel is created using plant-derived or animal-derived oils, such as cooking oil from fast-food restaurants or palm oil. Biodiesel, a highly acknowledged form of biofuel, is typically made of hydrocarbon materials extracted from biomass and diesel. Biofuels release considerably lower amounts of carbon dioxide compared to traditional fossil fuels.
Korean Air said the company partnered with LX Pantos to expand its bio-aviation fuel business. "Together, we hope to cooperate closely to expedite the commercialization of SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), a common goal in the aviation industry, and enhance awareness of SAF utilization in the Korean market," Korean Air's cargo business division head Eum Jae-dong said in a statement on November 20.
"LX Pantos will strengthen its ESG activities and take a leading role in creating a sustainable logistics environment through cooperation with Korean Air on SAF," said Oh Keun-taek, head of the air freight business unit at LX Pantos. Aju Daily
---------
Malaysian Minister Urges Palm Oil Smallholders to join Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association
MIRI, Nov 19 — More palm oil smallholder farmers in the state are encouraged to join and patronise the Sarawak Dayak Palm Oil Planters Assocation (Doppa).
In making this call, Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi said through a body like Doppa, problems and issues can be collectively raised to the authorities.
“This will also facilitate the effective distribution of state government incentives through the cooperation of Doppa and relevant government agencies,” he said.
His text-of-speech was read by his deputy minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Ismail when officiating Doppa’s annual dinner at a leading hotel here today.
According to Dr Rundi, the state government is committed to collaborating with the federal government to ensure that smallholder farmers, particularly in Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole, are not unduly burdened by the European Union’s Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He added his ministry is also aware of the challenges faced by smallholders — including those relating to EUDR, state and central government incentives and application conditions.
He also noted the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification has gained recognition as a benchmark for sustainable oil palm management in several countries such as India, China, Turkey, Kenya and Japan. MPOC
---------
‘Nigeria needs 3m tonnes of palm oil annually’
Over three million tonnes of palm oil is required annually to meet Nigeria’s demands, experts have said.
This, they said, is because the country only produces 1.4 million tonnes, which is not enough. The stakeholders lamented that the country has less than 800,000 hectares under-cultivated.
They spoke during a policy dialogue on the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate Oil Palm Smallholder (NI-SCOPS).
The NI-SCOPS is a programme being implemented by Solidaridad and IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative, funded by the Dutch government.
NI-SCOPS jurisdictions in Nigeria are AkwaIbom, CrossRiver, Edo, Enugu, Kogi and Ondo states. The NationNG
---------
Wike, Fubara, Makinde call for foreign investors
...FCT ready to provide land, security- Minister
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, Simi Fubara, and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, called on foreign investors to consider their domains when picking locations for setting up their companies in Nigeria.
Wike, Fubara and Makinde spoke in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, during the opening of Hypercity 3, a chain store in Nigeria on Friday.
Wike said government alone cannot provide jobs for Nigeria’s teeming youths, unless the private sector steps in.
He promised to provide lands and a conducive environment for investors to thrive in the Territory and contribute to the development of the nation’s capital.
Wike said: “When I got the invitation, I pleaded with the management to move it to Friday so I can attend. When you approached me as governor, you promised to build this place. Champion NewsNG
Korean Air partners with logistics company LX Pantos for bio-aviation fuel business
SEOUL -- Korean Air, South Korea's flag carrier, will work with domestic logistics company LX Pantos to beef up its bio-aviation fuel business. LX Pantos will buy biofuel for the flag carrier's cargo operation, and Korean Air will disclose how the partner company's purchase has contributed to reducing its carbon emissions.
Biofuel is created using plant-derived or animal-derived oils, such as cooking oil from fast-food restaurants or palm oil. Biodiesel, a highly acknowledged form of biofuel, is typically made of hydrocarbon materials extracted from biomass and diesel. Biofuels release considerably lower amounts of carbon dioxide compared to traditional fossil fuels.
Korean Air said the company partnered with LX Pantos to expand its bio-aviation fuel business. "Together, we hope to cooperate closely to expedite the commercialization of SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), a common goal in the aviation industry, and enhance awareness of SAF utilization in the Korean market," Korean Air's cargo business division head Eum Jae-dong said in a statement on November 20.
"LX Pantos will strengthen its ESG activities and take a leading role in creating a sustainable logistics environment through cooperation with Korean Air on SAF," said Oh Keun-taek, head of the air freight business unit at LX Pantos. Aju Daily
---------
Malaysian Minister Urges Palm Oil Smallholders to join Sarawak Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association
MIRI, Nov 19 — More palm oil smallholder farmers in the state are encouraged to join and patronise the Sarawak Dayak Palm Oil Planters Assocation (Doppa).
In making this call, Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi said through a body like Doppa, problems and issues can be collectively raised to the authorities.
“This will also facilitate the effective distribution of state government incentives through the cooperation of Doppa and relevant government agencies,” he said.
His text-of-speech was read by his deputy minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Ismail when officiating Doppa’s annual dinner at a leading hotel here today.
According to Dr Rundi, the state government is committed to collaborating with the federal government to ensure that smallholder farmers, particularly in Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole, are not unduly burdened by the European Union’s Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He added his ministry is also aware of the challenges faced by smallholders — including those relating to EUDR, state and central government incentives and application conditions.
He also noted the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification has gained recognition as a benchmark for sustainable oil palm management in several countries such as India, China, Turkey, Kenya and Japan. MPOC
---------
‘Nigeria needs 3m tonnes of palm oil annually’
Over three million tonnes of palm oil is required annually to meet Nigeria’s demands, experts have said.
This, they said, is because the country only produces 1.4 million tonnes, which is not enough. The stakeholders lamented that the country has less than 800,000 hectares under-cultivated.
They spoke during a policy dialogue on the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate Oil Palm Smallholder (NI-SCOPS).
The NI-SCOPS is a programme being implemented by Solidaridad and IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative, funded by the Dutch government.
NI-SCOPS jurisdictions in Nigeria are AkwaIbom, CrossRiver, Edo, Enugu, Kogi and Ondo states. The NationNG
---------
Wike, Fubara, Makinde call for foreign investors
...FCT ready to provide land, security- Minister
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, Simi Fubara, and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, called on foreign investors to consider their domains when picking locations for setting up their companies in Nigeria.
Wike, Fubara and Makinde spoke in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, during the opening of Hypercity 3, a chain store in Nigeria on Friday.
Wike said government alone cannot provide jobs for Nigeria’s teeming youths, unless the private sector steps in.
He promised to provide lands and a conducive environment for investors to thrive in the Territory and contribute to the development of the nation’s capital.
Wike said: “When I got the invitation, I pleaded with the management to move it to Friday so I can attend. When you approached me as governor, you promised to build this place. Champion NewsNG
|
|
|
November 18, 2023
Malaysia to strengthen cooperation with China's agriculture ministry, green food centre: Fadillah
Published on: Saturday, November 18, 2023
By: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to strengthen cooperation with China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Green Food Development Centre, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the cooperation relates to the acceptance by both countries to the China Green Food Certification Scheme and the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) to encourage sustainable development.
Fadillah who is also Minister of Plantation and Commodities said this after attending a meeting with China’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian here on Thursday (November 17).
The meeting with Tang concluded the third day of the deputy prime minister’s official visit to Beijing.
“Our meeting focused on efforts to increase trade and exports of palm oil and related products to China.
“Besides that, I expressed gratitude to China on its effort in supporting the cooperation between the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council and China Green Food Development Centre, and also the acceptance to the MSPO,” he said.
During his official visit to Beijing, Fadillah also held his third bilateral meeting with China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and visited the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
CAAS is an agricultural scientific research organisation for the agriculture sector, carrying out basic research and developing new technologies to address various challenges in advancing the agriculture sector and the rural economy in China.
“As a firm supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative, Malaysia is committed to (forging) regional relations.
“I also congratulated China and President Xi Jinping on the republic’s success in hosting the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Daily Express/ Bernama
---------
Dialogue needed to counter palm oil misinformation, Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE)
CONSTRUCTIVE dialogue is needed urgently to counter the misinformation surrounding Malaysia’s palm oil industry, a research house said today.
Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE) said this was important in the wake of “No Palm Oil” labels appearing across local supermarkets, although such labelling are prohibited under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Act 730). The Malaysian Insight
---------
Colombia-Peace Through Agriculture
By Jose Luis Gonzalez Chacon: Santander, Colombia
Everywhere we look in our war-torn world, we see farmers suffering from violence. It happens in the wheat fields of Ukraine, the kibbutzim of Israel, and the rice fields of Nigeria.
It’s also happening here in Colombia, where political and economic disputes in recent decades have erupted into every kind of conflict, from cartel kidnappings to full-fledged civil war.
We’re vulnerable to the violence but we refuse to be victims—and on our farm, we’re trying to advance a new idea.
We believe in peace through agriculture.
It’s a twist on the doctrine of “Peace through Strength,” promoted by President Ronald Reagan of the United States during the Cold War and suggesting that military power can prevent deadly confrontations.
Instead of arming ourselves with weapons, however, we take up the tools of farming.
Even Reagan understood our concept: “Cannot swords be turned into plowshares? Can we and all nations not live in peace?” he once asked in a speech to the United Nations.
Instead of arming ourselves with weapons, however, we take up the tools of farming.
Even Reagan understood our concept: “Cannot swords be turned into plowshares? Can we and all nations not live in peace?” he once asked in a speech to the United Nations.
Our theory is that if we give ordinary people an opportunity to own the land that they cultivate, they will become more invested in their communities and start to look out for each other—and become the peacemakers who prevent violence in the first place.
My father taught me that we always must do our best for others. I’ve remembered this principle during my career as a civil engineer and into my life as a farmer, which began six years ago in the region of Sabana de Torres, in the state of Santander, a bit north of the national capital of Bogota.
Our farm focuses on poultry, and we can house half a million birds at one time. We also run a palm oil plantation and lately I’ve started to grow watermelons and Tahiti limes.
Violence is a constant danger. In Colombia, it can include everything from urban crime and rural banditry to big battles between government forces and rebels. AGWEB
---------
3F Oil Palm to set up India’s 1st integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex
Saturday, 18 November, 2023, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
Our Bureau, Mumbai
3F Oil Palm, one of India’s leading oil palm companies, announced that it has laid the foundation stone for India’s 1st integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex in Andhra Pradesh, in continuation of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Government of Andhra Pradesh for the sustainable development of farmers in the State.
The bhoomi puja for this oil palm processing complex in Ayyavaram village, Nallajerla Mandal, East Godavari was held in the presence of Kakani Govardhan Reddy - Minister for Agriculture, cooperation, marketing and food processing, Government of AP; Kotagiri Sridhar - member of parliament, Eluru; Talari Venkatrao - member of legislative assembly – Gopalapuram; Kothari Abbaya Chowdary - member of legislative assembly – Denduluru and Sanjay Goenka - MD & CEO, 3F Oil Palm. Additionally, over 500 farmers attended the event from the surrounding villages.
The company will be investing Rs 250 crore towards this oil palm processing complex and it is likely to be fully functional within 18 months. The company has already acquired 75 acres of land on Dwaraka Tirumala Road for the project.
Sanjay Goenka, managing director and CEO, 3F Oil Palm, said, “We are embarking on a groundbreaking journey and poised to revolutionize India's agri-business landscape with the establishment of the nation's first Integrated Greenfield Oil Palm Processing Complex in Andhra Pradesh. The facility is expected to produce 2,00,000 MT of refined oil per annum by FY25 onwards and will generate employment for 500 direct and 1000 indirect workers. This venture will, we believe, contribute tremendously to India's self-sufficiency in palm oil production and processing.” FnB News India
Malaysia to strengthen cooperation with China's agriculture ministry, green food centre: Fadillah
Published on: Saturday, November 18, 2023
By: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to strengthen cooperation with China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Green Food Development Centre, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the cooperation relates to the acceptance by both countries to the China Green Food Certification Scheme and the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) to encourage sustainable development.
Fadillah who is also Minister of Plantation and Commodities said this after attending a meeting with China’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian here on Thursday (November 17).
The meeting with Tang concluded the third day of the deputy prime minister’s official visit to Beijing.
“Our meeting focused on efforts to increase trade and exports of palm oil and related products to China.
“Besides that, I expressed gratitude to China on its effort in supporting the cooperation between the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council and China Green Food Development Centre, and also the acceptance to the MSPO,” he said.
During his official visit to Beijing, Fadillah also held his third bilateral meeting with China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and visited the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
CAAS is an agricultural scientific research organisation for the agriculture sector, carrying out basic research and developing new technologies to address various challenges in advancing the agriculture sector and the rural economy in China.
“As a firm supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative, Malaysia is committed to (forging) regional relations.
“I also congratulated China and President Xi Jinping on the republic’s success in hosting the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Daily Express/ Bernama
---------
Dialogue needed to counter palm oil misinformation, Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE)
CONSTRUCTIVE dialogue is needed urgently to counter the misinformation surrounding Malaysia’s palm oil industry, a research house said today.
Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE) said this was important in the wake of “No Palm Oil” labels appearing across local supermarkets, although such labelling are prohibited under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Act 730). The Malaysian Insight
---------
Colombia-Peace Through Agriculture
By Jose Luis Gonzalez Chacon: Santander, Colombia
Everywhere we look in our war-torn world, we see farmers suffering from violence. It happens in the wheat fields of Ukraine, the kibbutzim of Israel, and the rice fields of Nigeria.
It’s also happening here in Colombia, where political and economic disputes in recent decades have erupted into every kind of conflict, from cartel kidnappings to full-fledged civil war.
We’re vulnerable to the violence but we refuse to be victims—and on our farm, we’re trying to advance a new idea.
We believe in peace through agriculture.
It’s a twist on the doctrine of “Peace through Strength,” promoted by President Ronald Reagan of the United States during the Cold War and suggesting that military power can prevent deadly confrontations.
Instead of arming ourselves with weapons, however, we take up the tools of farming.
Even Reagan understood our concept: “Cannot swords be turned into plowshares? Can we and all nations not live in peace?” he once asked in a speech to the United Nations.
Instead of arming ourselves with weapons, however, we take up the tools of farming.
Even Reagan understood our concept: “Cannot swords be turned into plowshares? Can we and all nations not live in peace?” he once asked in a speech to the United Nations.
Our theory is that if we give ordinary people an opportunity to own the land that they cultivate, they will become more invested in their communities and start to look out for each other—and become the peacemakers who prevent violence in the first place.
My father taught me that we always must do our best for others. I’ve remembered this principle during my career as a civil engineer and into my life as a farmer, which began six years ago in the region of Sabana de Torres, in the state of Santander, a bit north of the national capital of Bogota.
Our farm focuses on poultry, and we can house half a million birds at one time. We also run a palm oil plantation and lately I’ve started to grow watermelons and Tahiti limes.
Violence is a constant danger. In Colombia, it can include everything from urban crime and rural banditry to big battles between government forces and rebels. AGWEB
---------
3F Oil Palm to set up India’s 1st integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex
Saturday, 18 November, 2023, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
Our Bureau, Mumbai
3F Oil Palm, one of India’s leading oil palm companies, announced that it has laid the foundation stone for India’s 1st integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex in Andhra Pradesh, in continuation of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Government of Andhra Pradesh for the sustainable development of farmers in the State.
The bhoomi puja for this oil palm processing complex in Ayyavaram village, Nallajerla Mandal, East Godavari was held in the presence of Kakani Govardhan Reddy - Minister for Agriculture, cooperation, marketing and food processing, Government of AP; Kotagiri Sridhar - member of parliament, Eluru; Talari Venkatrao - member of legislative assembly – Gopalapuram; Kothari Abbaya Chowdary - member of legislative assembly – Denduluru and Sanjay Goenka - MD & CEO, 3F Oil Palm. Additionally, over 500 farmers attended the event from the surrounding villages.
The company will be investing Rs 250 crore towards this oil palm processing complex and it is likely to be fully functional within 18 months. The company has already acquired 75 acres of land on Dwaraka Tirumala Road for the project.
Sanjay Goenka, managing director and CEO, 3F Oil Palm, said, “We are embarking on a groundbreaking journey and poised to revolutionize India's agri-business landscape with the establishment of the nation's first Integrated Greenfield Oil Palm Processing Complex in Andhra Pradesh. The facility is expected to produce 2,00,000 MT of refined oil per annum by FY25 onwards and will generate employment for 500 direct and 1000 indirect workers. This venture will, we believe, contribute tremendously to India's self-sufficiency in palm oil production and processing.” FnB News India
|
|
|
November 17, 2023
EU anti-deforestation law harms Brazilian sovereignty: agriculture minister
Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro said the European Union’s recently approved anti-deforestation law “harms” Brazil’s sovereignty, and “will not be accepted.” Mr. Fávaro’s comments came during a meeting organized by Brazil’s coffee industry in the northeastern state of Alagoas. “Maintaining such legislation hinders our trade relations with the EU. We know our responsibilities, but we also know our sovereignty,” Mr. Fávaro said.
The EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR), approved by the European Parliament in April, sets penalties and fines for European importers who buy certain products that come from deforested land or have caused forest degradation. The law will take effect on December 30, 2024.
The legislation is limited to a specific list of commodities (cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, timber, rubber, charcoal, and printed paper products), many of which are staples of Brazilian exports.
Earlier this year, Tatiana Prazeres, head of foreign trade at the Development Ministry, said the list in the EUDR represents 34 percent of Brazilian exports to the EU in 2022, and that the new rules frustrate and impose costs on what is expected from the free-trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (the trade alliance between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay), which has been under negotiation for over 20 years. Brazilian Report
---------
Nigeria moves to boost palm oil production through climate-smart agriculture
Fabusoro said Nigeria was one of the major producers of palm oil in West Africa with states like Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Ondo Kogi among others on the frontline.
The National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholder (NI-SCOPS) in collaboration with Solidaridad, IDH and other stakeholders strategising on leveraging climate-smart agriculture to boost palm oil production in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders met at a workshop tagged, ‘Achieving an Economic and Social-Ecological Resilience Palm Oil Sector: Context and Policy Direction’ on Thursday in Abuja. PulseNG
---------
We Want FG’s Collaboration To Develop Nigeria’s Palm Biomass Industry – NPPAN President
Alphonsus Inyang is the National President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN). In this interview with SEYI TAIWO-OGUNTUASE, he speaks on the need for the country to develop the palm biomass industry to create wealth from the waste to boost the economy, generate employment and reduce the nation’s import. Excerpts:
What is Nigeria doing currently in terms of palm biomass?
In the last three years our association, the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), has been researching into various uses of the agricultural waste that comes out of the palm tree, and this research has taken us to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan where palm biomass is currently been used in very large quantities. IndependentNG
---------
DISPELLING PALM OIL’S NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS
K | KTC Edibles Ltd, the UK's leading supplier of edible oils, has introduced Planet Palm, a new line of certified sustainable, traceable, and responsibly sourced palm oil products catering to bakery and food manufacturers in the UK. The range includes Planet Palm Oil and specialised bakery products like Planet Palm Cake Margarine, Planet Palm Pastry Margarine, and Planet Palm Shortening. All products are RSPO-certified and sustainably segregated, ensuring traceability to the refinery.
This pro-palm range aims to challenge negative perceptions about palm oil and encourage the adoption of sustainable solutions. Gary Lewis, Sales Director at KTC Edibles, emphasised the unique approach of positioning palm oil positively, dispelling misconceptions. Planet Palm is positioned to drive progress in adopting certified sustainable, segregated palm oil in the UK, committed to achieving 100 percent sustainability.
In collaboration with DAABON, a global leader in sustainable agriculture, KTC Edibles plans to expand the Planet Palm range to include fully traceable and organic palm oil products for various applications, such as bakery, confectionery, and ice cream. This initiative aligns with KTC's broader sustainability program, demonstrated by achieving its target of offering 100 percent certified segregated sustainable palm oil to customers. Supermarket NewsNZ
---------
BASF publishes first Responsible Sourcing Report for its Care Chemicals division
Responsible Sourcing Report extends former Palm Progress Report
Report describes journey to sustainable renewables for BASF’s Care Chemicals division
Protecting natural resources and empowering people along the value chain
Ludwigshafen, November 16, 2023 BASF today published its first Responsible Sourcing Report (RSR) for its Care Chemicals division. The report is a refinement of the existing Palm Progress Report, which has been published annually since 2016. The new Responsible Sourcing Report outlines the company’s developments and achievements and extends the focus beyond palm (kernel) to coconut oil, castor oil as well as bio-based active-ingredients.
In 2022, BASF purchased 1.2 million metric tons of renewable raw materials. Shifting from fossil to bio-based starting materials can achieve positive effects like reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, if not sourced responsibly, there is the risk of a negative impact to biodiversity, land use and working conditions. As part of BASF’s commitment to enhance sustainability along the entire value chain, the company is working with trusted partners to improve sustainability not only in the businesses oil palm supply chain but also in other crops where the company has expanded its certified-sustainable offerings. BASF
---------
EU anti-deforestation law harms Brazilian sovereignty: agriculture minister
Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro said the European Union’s recently approved anti-deforestation law “harms” Brazil’s sovereignty, and “will not be accepted.” Mr. Fávaro’s comments came during a meeting organized by Brazil’s coffee industry in the northeastern state of Alagoas. “Maintaining such legislation hinders our trade relations with the EU. We know our responsibilities, but we also know our sovereignty,” Mr. Fávaro said.
The EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR), approved by the European Parliament in April, sets penalties and fines for European importers who buy certain products that come from deforested land or have caused forest degradation. The law will take effect on December 30, 2024.
The legislation is limited to a specific list of commodities (cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, timber, rubber, charcoal, and printed paper products), many of which are staples of Brazilian exports.
Earlier this year, Tatiana Prazeres, head of foreign trade at the Development Ministry, said the list in the EUDR represents 34 percent of Brazilian exports to the EU in 2022, and that the new rules frustrate and impose costs on what is expected from the free-trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (the trade alliance between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay), which has been under negotiation for over 20 years. Brazilian Report
---------
Nigeria moves to boost palm oil production through climate-smart agriculture
Fabusoro said Nigeria was one of the major producers of palm oil in West Africa with states like Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Ondo Kogi among others on the frontline.
The National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholder (NI-SCOPS) in collaboration with Solidaridad, IDH and other stakeholders strategising on leveraging climate-smart agriculture to boost palm oil production in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders met at a workshop tagged, ‘Achieving an Economic and Social-Ecological Resilience Palm Oil Sector: Context and Policy Direction’ on Thursday in Abuja. PulseNG
---------
We Want FG’s Collaboration To Develop Nigeria’s Palm Biomass Industry – NPPAN President
Alphonsus Inyang is the National President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN). In this interview with SEYI TAIWO-OGUNTUASE, he speaks on the need for the country to develop the palm biomass industry to create wealth from the waste to boost the economy, generate employment and reduce the nation’s import. Excerpts:
What is Nigeria doing currently in terms of palm biomass?
In the last three years our association, the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), has been researching into various uses of the agricultural waste that comes out of the palm tree, and this research has taken us to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan where palm biomass is currently been used in very large quantities. IndependentNG
---------
DISPELLING PALM OIL’S NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS
K | KTC Edibles Ltd, the UK's leading supplier of edible oils, has introduced Planet Palm, a new line of certified sustainable, traceable, and responsibly sourced palm oil products catering to bakery and food manufacturers in the UK. The range includes Planet Palm Oil and specialised bakery products like Planet Palm Cake Margarine, Planet Palm Pastry Margarine, and Planet Palm Shortening. All products are RSPO-certified and sustainably segregated, ensuring traceability to the refinery.
This pro-palm range aims to challenge negative perceptions about palm oil and encourage the adoption of sustainable solutions. Gary Lewis, Sales Director at KTC Edibles, emphasised the unique approach of positioning palm oil positively, dispelling misconceptions. Planet Palm is positioned to drive progress in adopting certified sustainable, segregated palm oil in the UK, committed to achieving 100 percent sustainability.
In collaboration with DAABON, a global leader in sustainable agriculture, KTC Edibles plans to expand the Planet Palm range to include fully traceable and organic palm oil products for various applications, such as bakery, confectionery, and ice cream. This initiative aligns with KTC's broader sustainability program, demonstrated by achieving its target of offering 100 percent certified segregated sustainable palm oil to customers. Supermarket NewsNZ
---------
BASF publishes first Responsible Sourcing Report for its Care Chemicals division
Responsible Sourcing Report extends former Palm Progress Report
Report describes journey to sustainable renewables for BASF’s Care Chemicals division
Protecting natural resources and empowering people along the value chain
Ludwigshafen, November 16, 2023 BASF today published its first Responsible Sourcing Report (RSR) for its Care Chemicals division. The report is a refinement of the existing Palm Progress Report, which has been published annually since 2016. The new Responsible Sourcing Report outlines the company’s developments and achievements and extends the focus beyond palm (kernel) to coconut oil, castor oil as well as bio-based active-ingredients.
In 2022, BASF purchased 1.2 million metric tons of renewable raw materials. Shifting from fossil to bio-based starting materials can achieve positive effects like reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, if not sourced responsibly, there is the risk of a negative impact to biodiversity, land use and working conditions. As part of BASF’s commitment to enhance sustainability along the entire value chain, the company is working with trusted partners to improve sustainability not only in the businesses oil palm supply chain but also in other crops where the company has expanded its certified-sustainable offerings. BASF
---------
November 16, 2023
Palm oil penalties? Transparency failings could hurt supply chain as EU prepares deforestation rules
Zoological Society of London urges companies to map supplier plantations and assist smallholders
The palm oil industry is largely unprepared for the EU’s incoming Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), according to a new assessment by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The conservation charity warns the industry has a traceability gap, which puts businesses at risk of legal penalties and market exclusions, despite wide-scale anti-deforestation pledges.
Published yesterday, the latest SPOTT assessment confirms over two-thirds of the top 100 global palm oil companies have committed to zero deforestation ahead of the EUDR’s December 2024 rollout.
But, less than 12% have publicly disclosed the geolocations of their third-party supplier plantations, including independent smallholders, which ZSL argues is crucial data for verifying anti-deforestation pledges and partly the result of a lack of pressure from buyers and regulators and data protection policies.
Meanwhile, only 53.8% of companies have publicly disclosed georeferenced maps of their own estates and a mere 15.9% for scheme smallholders — the small-scale farmers managed by those companies.
“While the EUDR doesn’t dictate public map disclosure, it mandates comprehensive mapping of supplier plantations. The limited disclosures on SPOTT indicate a notable shortfall, impeding the verification of sustainable production practices,” says Imogen Fanning, sustainable business project analyst at ZSL.
“Oil palm plantations are grown in tropical forest regions, teeming with diverse wildlife. Without the precise geolocation of these plantations, it’s exceedingly challenging to verify companies’ adherence to their commitments to protecting forests and wildlife. Such omissions could also risk sidelining smallholders, compromising broader sustainable land management efforts.”
Costly transparency gap
The EUDR requires companies to ensure products sold in the EU have not led to deforestation or forest degradation since 2021. Some companies are investing in geospatial technology to obtain the extensive GPS information required to comply with the law. Food Ingredients First
----------
UK consumption linked to estimated loss of more than 70 species
Wednesday 15 November, 2023, London - UK consumption of crops such as oil palm and soy has been linked to the estimated regional loss of 71 species, according to new figures for 2021 released by the UK Government, with some species at risk of extinction worldwide. The new government data suggests that the pressure imposed on species was higher in 2021 than any year since 2015.
Overall, when including additional commodities such as beef and timber, the UK was linked to the destruction of more than 30,650 hectares of forest globally in 2021 alone – an area almost three times the size of the city of Manchester.
UK consumption of these products was also found to be responsible for an estimated six million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The new statistics come just days after research by Trase for Global Witness showed that UK imports of seven commodities, including palm oil and beef, were linked to an area of tropical deforestation almost twice the size of Paris in the two years since the UK Environment Act was signed in November 2021.
Global Witness is now urging the newly appointed Environment Minister, Steve Barclay MP, to publish the list of commodities covered by the Environment Act, which prohibits the UK importing the specified commodities linked to illegal deforestation overseas.
Commenting on the new figures, Alexandria Reid, Senior Global Policy Advisor at Global Witness said: “The UK government has legislation ready that could help stop forest destruction, but ministers have been missing in action since the Glasgow climate conference and are currently heading to the UAE empty handed too. Global Witness
---------
Malaysian DPM Fadillah to hold several bilateral meetings in Beijing
BEIJING (Nov 15): Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings during the second part of his official visit to China.
Fadillah, who is also Plantation and Commodity Minister, is on his maiden official visit to China from Nov 12-19, to strengthen cooperation in the field of research and development and capacity building in the field of commodities, especially in promoting the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification at the global level.
He is expected to meet with China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong and Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China Yu Jianhua.
Fadillah is also scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian, to attend a session with Malaysian students in Beijing and take part in an engagement session with the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He met with the Malaysian diaspora in Shanghai on Nov 12 and was greeted by the Malaysian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Datuk Norman Muhamad, upon his arrival at his hotel at 6pm here on Wednesday.
Fadillah witnessed the MSPO certificate award ceremony for Chinese company, Grand Oils and Fats (Dongguan) Co Ltd, in Shanghai on Tuesday (Nov 14).
Meanwhile, Malaysia and China celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership this year. The EdgeMY/ Bernama
Palm oil penalties? Transparency failings could hurt supply chain as EU prepares deforestation rules
Zoological Society of London urges companies to map supplier plantations and assist smallholders
The palm oil industry is largely unprepared for the EU’s incoming Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), according to a new assessment by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The conservation charity warns the industry has a traceability gap, which puts businesses at risk of legal penalties and market exclusions, despite wide-scale anti-deforestation pledges.
Published yesterday, the latest SPOTT assessment confirms over two-thirds of the top 100 global palm oil companies have committed to zero deforestation ahead of the EUDR’s December 2024 rollout.
But, less than 12% have publicly disclosed the geolocations of their third-party supplier plantations, including independent smallholders, which ZSL argues is crucial data for verifying anti-deforestation pledges and partly the result of a lack of pressure from buyers and regulators and data protection policies.
Meanwhile, only 53.8% of companies have publicly disclosed georeferenced maps of their own estates and a mere 15.9% for scheme smallholders — the small-scale farmers managed by those companies.
“While the EUDR doesn’t dictate public map disclosure, it mandates comprehensive mapping of supplier plantations. The limited disclosures on SPOTT indicate a notable shortfall, impeding the verification of sustainable production practices,” says Imogen Fanning, sustainable business project analyst at ZSL.
“Oil palm plantations are grown in tropical forest regions, teeming with diverse wildlife. Without the precise geolocation of these plantations, it’s exceedingly challenging to verify companies’ adherence to their commitments to protecting forests and wildlife. Such omissions could also risk sidelining smallholders, compromising broader sustainable land management efforts.”
Costly transparency gap
The EUDR requires companies to ensure products sold in the EU have not led to deforestation or forest degradation since 2021. Some companies are investing in geospatial technology to obtain the extensive GPS information required to comply with the law. Food Ingredients First
----------
UK consumption linked to estimated loss of more than 70 species
Wednesday 15 November, 2023, London - UK consumption of crops such as oil palm and soy has been linked to the estimated regional loss of 71 species, according to new figures for 2021 released by the UK Government, with some species at risk of extinction worldwide. The new government data suggests that the pressure imposed on species was higher in 2021 than any year since 2015.
Overall, when including additional commodities such as beef and timber, the UK was linked to the destruction of more than 30,650 hectares of forest globally in 2021 alone – an area almost three times the size of the city of Manchester.
UK consumption of these products was also found to be responsible for an estimated six million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The new statistics come just days after research by Trase for Global Witness showed that UK imports of seven commodities, including palm oil and beef, were linked to an area of tropical deforestation almost twice the size of Paris in the two years since the UK Environment Act was signed in November 2021.
Global Witness is now urging the newly appointed Environment Minister, Steve Barclay MP, to publish the list of commodities covered by the Environment Act, which prohibits the UK importing the specified commodities linked to illegal deforestation overseas.
Commenting on the new figures, Alexandria Reid, Senior Global Policy Advisor at Global Witness said: “The UK government has legislation ready that could help stop forest destruction, but ministers have been missing in action since the Glasgow climate conference and are currently heading to the UAE empty handed too. Global Witness
---------
Malaysian DPM Fadillah to hold several bilateral meetings in Beijing
BEIJING (Nov 15): Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is scheduled to have several bilateral meetings during the second part of his official visit to China.
Fadillah, who is also Plantation and Commodity Minister, is on his maiden official visit to China from Nov 12-19, to strengthen cooperation in the field of research and development and capacity building in the field of commodities, especially in promoting the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification at the global level.
He is expected to meet with China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong and Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China Yu Jianhua.
Fadillah is also scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian, to attend a session with Malaysian students in Beijing and take part in an engagement session with the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He met with the Malaysian diaspora in Shanghai on Nov 12 and was greeted by the Malaysian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Datuk Norman Muhamad, upon his arrival at his hotel at 6pm here on Wednesday.
Fadillah witnessed the MSPO certificate award ceremony for Chinese company, Grand Oils and Fats (Dongguan) Co Ltd, in Shanghai on Tuesday (Nov 14).
Meanwhile, Malaysia and China celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership this year. The EdgeMY/ Bernama
|
|
|
November 15, 2023
Indonesia doesn’t need Europe anymore, presidential frontrunner says
The comments come ahead of the next round of trade talks between the EU and the Southeast Asian country in December.
Indonesia's leading candidate for president has said the country doesn't "really need Europe anymore," criticizing the bloc's ban on some Indonesian imports and suggesting his country should align itself more closely with other nations in Asia.
"We open our market to you, but you won't allow us to sell palm oil, and now we have problems trying to sell coffee, tea, cocoa," Prabowo Subianto, who currently serves as Indonesia's defense minister, said Monday at a forum organized by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta.
In December 2024, new EU rules will kick in preventing the import of soy, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, timber, rubber and beef unless companies can prove they aren't driving deforestation abroad. Indonesia, which is home to a third of the world’s rainforests but has seen much of it vanish due to deforestation, of which palm oil plantations are a major driver, has heavily criticized the new EU legislation, arguing that it will erect trade barriers. Politico
----------
Europe’s ESG Conundrum
Tuesday, 14/11/2023 | 17:54 GMT by Pedro Ferreira
Does the EU want to do good or do well?
In the dynamic landscape of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, a question looms large: do ESG investors aim to do well financially, or do they primarily seek to do good for the planet and society? The confluence of investment goals and ESG initiatives isn't always seamless, and as regulatory frameworks tighten, especially in Europe, the repercussions for companies, particularly in emerging markets, are profound.
he European Union (EU), a trailblazer in ESG regulations, has unleashed a series of measures to embed sustainability into global trade. These include the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), both poised to reshape industries and economies, particularly in emerging markets.
CBAM, effective since October 1, 2023, imposes a carbon border tax on certain imported goods, covering materials like steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and cement. This mechanism, while initially applying to a modest 5% of EU imports, is expected to expand, exerting a significant "brown penalty" on carbon-intensive goods. The impact on emerging-market industries, especially those in China, Brazil, India, Egypt, and Turkey, could be severe.
EUDR, set to take effect in 2025, prohibits the sale of products produced on land deforested since 2020. With a focus on commodities like cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and timber, this regulation places a considerable reporting burden on producers in high-risk countries. Brazilian coffee and soy, Chinese wood products, and the palm oil industry in Indonesia and Malaysia are among those facing substantial risks.
The Challenge for European Companies Finance Magnates
---------
Bunge and Musim Mas Collaborate to Make Palm Value Chain more Sustainable
Based on commitments to the Agriculture Sector Roadmap, companies launch program to support smallholder farmers on the path to more sustainable agriculture.
SINGAPORE, Nov. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge (NYSE: BG) and Musim Mas Group announced a collaboration to promote the use of sustainable practices among smallholder farmers in Sambas, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The collaboration, co-funded by Bunge and Musim Mas through 2025, aims to train more than 1,000 independent smallholders in sustainable production of palm oil.
The partnership aligns with the Agriculture Sector Roadmap to 1.5 degrees convened by the Tropical Forest Alliance, designed to halt commodity-linked deforestation in line with the 1.5 degrees pathway while enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and supporting the sector's transformation toward forest-positive land-use management. PRNewswire
---------
Deforestation risk think tank Chain Reaction Research winds down
The research organisation behind investigative reports into the palm oil trade and other deforestation-risk commodities has closed after a decade due to a funding shortfall.
Chain Reaction Research (CRR), a think tank that investigates the tropical deforestation risk of commodities such as palm oil, soy and beef, is closing after a decade of operations.
The organisation is well known in the industry for probing studies that translate sustainability risks into business risks, for instance the cost to consumer goods companies of eliminating deforestation from their supply chains and and the reputational risk of deforestation for packaged goods firm Procter & Gamble.
Since 2013, CRR has produced 375 articles and provided data that backed shareholder resolutions to strengthen the no-deforestation policies of firms including consumer goods company Unilever, meat firm Tyson Foods, and animal nutrition company Archer-Daniels-Midland.
It is closing due to a shortfall in funding as donors try other stategies to hold deforestion-risk companies to account. A message on the organisation’s website states that CRR is “temporarily pausing activities” as it seeks further funding.
Chris Wiggs, programme director for AidEnvironment, one of the non-profit partners behind the think tank, said that the focus of CRR’s work was no longer aligned with the greatest deforestation risks, and a change in strategy was needed. Eco Business
Indonesia doesn’t need Europe anymore, presidential frontrunner says
The comments come ahead of the next round of trade talks between the EU and the Southeast Asian country in December.
Indonesia's leading candidate for president has said the country doesn't "really need Europe anymore," criticizing the bloc's ban on some Indonesian imports and suggesting his country should align itself more closely with other nations in Asia.
"We open our market to you, but you won't allow us to sell palm oil, and now we have problems trying to sell coffee, tea, cocoa," Prabowo Subianto, who currently serves as Indonesia's defense minister, said Monday at a forum organized by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta.
In December 2024, new EU rules will kick in preventing the import of soy, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, timber, rubber and beef unless companies can prove they aren't driving deforestation abroad. Indonesia, which is home to a third of the world’s rainforests but has seen much of it vanish due to deforestation, of which palm oil plantations are a major driver, has heavily criticized the new EU legislation, arguing that it will erect trade barriers. Politico
----------
Europe’s ESG Conundrum
Tuesday, 14/11/2023 | 17:54 GMT by Pedro Ferreira
Does the EU want to do good or do well?
In the dynamic landscape of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, a question looms large: do ESG investors aim to do well financially, or do they primarily seek to do good for the planet and society? The confluence of investment goals and ESG initiatives isn't always seamless, and as regulatory frameworks tighten, especially in Europe, the repercussions for companies, particularly in emerging markets, are profound.
he European Union (EU), a trailblazer in ESG regulations, has unleashed a series of measures to embed sustainability into global trade. These include the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), both poised to reshape industries and economies, particularly in emerging markets.
CBAM, effective since October 1, 2023, imposes a carbon border tax on certain imported goods, covering materials like steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and cement. This mechanism, while initially applying to a modest 5% of EU imports, is expected to expand, exerting a significant "brown penalty" on carbon-intensive goods. The impact on emerging-market industries, especially those in China, Brazil, India, Egypt, and Turkey, could be severe.
EUDR, set to take effect in 2025, prohibits the sale of products produced on land deforested since 2020. With a focus on commodities like cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and timber, this regulation places a considerable reporting burden on producers in high-risk countries. Brazilian coffee and soy, Chinese wood products, and the palm oil industry in Indonesia and Malaysia are among those facing substantial risks.
The Challenge for European Companies Finance Magnates
---------
Bunge and Musim Mas Collaborate to Make Palm Value Chain more Sustainable
Based on commitments to the Agriculture Sector Roadmap, companies launch program to support smallholder farmers on the path to more sustainable agriculture.
SINGAPORE, Nov. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge (NYSE: BG) and Musim Mas Group announced a collaboration to promote the use of sustainable practices among smallholder farmers in Sambas, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The collaboration, co-funded by Bunge and Musim Mas through 2025, aims to train more than 1,000 independent smallholders in sustainable production of palm oil.
The partnership aligns with the Agriculture Sector Roadmap to 1.5 degrees convened by the Tropical Forest Alliance, designed to halt commodity-linked deforestation in line with the 1.5 degrees pathway while enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and supporting the sector's transformation toward forest-positive land-use management. PRNewswire
---------
Deforestation risk think tank Chain Reaction Research winds down
The research organisation behind investigative reports into the palm oil trade and other deforestation-risk commodities has closed after a decade due to a funding shortfall.
Chain Reaction Research (CRR), a think tank that investigates the tropical deforestation risk of commodities such as palm oil, soy and beef, is closing after a decade of operations.
The organisation is well known in the industry for probing studies that translate sustainability risks into business risks, for instance the cost to consumer goods companies of eliminating deforestation from their supply chains and and the reputational risk of deforestation for packaged goods firm Procter & Gamble.
Since 2013, CRR has produced 375 articles and provided data that backed shareholder resolutions to strengthen the no-deforestation policies of firms including consumer goods company Unilever, meat firm Tyson Foods, and animal nutrition company Archer-Daniels-Midland.
It is closing due to a shortfall in funding as donors try other stategies to hold deforestion-risk companies to account. A message on the organisation’s website states that CRR is “temporarily pausing activities” as it seeks further funding.
Chris Wiggs, programme director for AidEnvironment, one of the non-profit partners behind the think tank, said that the focus of CRR’s work was no longer aligned with the greatest deforestation risks, and a change in strategy was needed. Eco Business
|
|
|
November 14, 2023
Indonesian Front Runner for President, Prabowo, 'We Don't Really Need European Union Anymore'
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has been outspoken about his stance on the European Union. He argued that present conditions have changed, and Western countries is no longer in control.
Prabowo made the statement during a question and answer session after a speech on his foreign policy at a forum organized by the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies Building, Tanah Abang area, Central Jakarta on Monday, November 13, 2023.
He responded to a question posed by the Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Benedetto Latteri on his view of Indonesia towards the European Union under his future leadership if is elected in the 2024 election.
Prabowo said he did not deny admiring the achievements of Western civilization over the centuries and the values it upholds, such as justice, equality before the law, and human rights. However, he is concerned that the West applies double standards, which is also a concern for developing countries.
“They will remain strong, rich, but as Pak Hassan Wirajuda said there's a shift in the world,” Prabowo said. “We (Indonesia) don't really need the European Union anymore.”
He claimed the statement was just a reminder as a friend. The European Union embassy in Jakarta has not yet responded to Tempo's request for comment on Prabowo's statement. Tempo
---------
Indonesia’s Prabowo slams West for double standards, lack of moral leadership: ‘we don’t really need Europe’
Indonesia’s leading presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has accused the West of having double standards and losing moral leadership, saying Jakarta has been treated “unfairly” due to protectionist measures imposed on critical minerals.
Prabowo, a former special forces commander turned defence minister, said most Indonesians “have sympathy and admiration” for the United States and European Union, but that might be declining due to the latest geopolitical dynamics.
“I grew up in Europe. I maybe know European history better than Europeans. What I’m afraid of is that Europe will lose [its] moral leadership,” Prabowo said on Monday in a foreign policy talk hosted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies Indonesia. SCMP
---------
EU's green rules challenge food industry
By JONATHAN POWELL in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2023-11-14 09:59
The food industry has warned it has had insufficient time to prepare for new rules issued by the European Union on carbon emissions, claiming proposals from lawmakers lack detail and will fail to halt deforestation.
The EU is set to enforce rules by the end of next year that will require companies to verify that their products are not associated with recently deforested land, the Financial Times reported.
The bloc's groundbreaking decision to ban imports of deforestation-linked products will impact commodities such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, beef, soy and rubber, and will make it the first region to implement such a restriction.
Lawmakers in Brussels have not yet finalized a list of "high-risk" countries for extra checks on exported commodities. This selection process, crucial for shaping future supply chains, has faced diplomatic challenges due to objections from agricultural nations in the Global South.
Nathalie Lecocq, director-general of the EU's vegetable oil trade group Fediol, told the FT the directives had come too late. China Daily
---------
Food industry calls for more time to implement EU deforestation rules
Producers and traders call for more details and say rules will fail to deliver environmental benefits
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour.
https://www.ft.com/content/9f0c3e88-b72b-4570-bed5-8a9d36c3f7bc
The food industry says it is running out of time to prepare for new EU rules to cut carbon emissions from the supply chains of several key commodities, accusing Brussels of issuing proposals that lack detail and will fail to stop deforestation.
The rules, which will oblige companies to prove their goods have not been produced on recently deforested land, are due to come into force at the end of 2024 and will make the EU the first region to ban imports of products linked with deforestation. Commodities including palm oil, coffee, cocoa, beef, soy and rubber will be affected.
But as crops for 2024-25 are planted, many in the industry argue the EU has left it too late to finalise the details of an initiative that aims to reduce carbon emissions and preserve biodiversity.
For example, it has yet to finalise a list of “high-risk” countries whose exported commodities will be subject to extra checks. With the designations set to shape companies’ future supply chains, the selection process has become diplomatically fraught given strong objections from many agricultural nations in the so-called global south.
“It is not sufficient [for the EU] to come up with guidelines in December 2024,” said Nathalie Lecocq, director-general of Fediol, the EU’s vegetable oil trade group. “In certain instances, you need to invest . . . you cannot wait until the last minute.”
Financial Times
---------
Malaysia’s MSPO certification gets global recognition, at par with RSPO, says DPM Fadillah
SHANGHAI, Nov 14 — The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification is constantly receiving recognition globally and has been perceived to be at par with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who is also plantation and commodities minister.
“For Malaysia, the MSPO is more comprehensive, encompassing greater perspective when compared to the RSPO,” he said after awarding the MSPO certificate to Chinese company Grand Oils and Fats (Dongguan) Co Ltd here today.
He said Malaysia hopes that its MSPO certification would be further recognised at the global level.
Fadillah added that India has recognised the certification.
Both China and India are Malaysia’s top importers of palm oil alongside Turkey, Kenya and Japan. Malay Mail
---------
Malaysia-MPOB to expand palm oil products for Chinese companies, Muslim regions in China
By Nurul Hanis Izmir / Bernama
SHANGHAI (Nov 13): Malaysia, via the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), will continue its research and development (R&D) to increase palm oil-based value-added products for companies in China to export to Muslim regions within the country, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
Fadillah, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister, said that to date, several products are being commercialised in China, thanks to the Palm Oil Research and Technical Service Institute of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (Portsim).
“So far, we are very satisfied with what has been produced. Now, we need to look at how we can expand products developed by Portsim, in line with China’s tastes and market requirements.
“Portsim has succeeded in providing solutions and assistance to industry players by transforming their production methods through the use of palm oil,” he told the media during his visit to the research institute here on Sunday. The Edge
Indonesian Front Runner for President, Prabowo, 'We Don't Really Need European Union Anymore'
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has been outspoken about his stance on the European Union. He argued that present conditions have changed, and Western countries is no longer in control.
Prabowo made the statement during a question and answer session after a speech on his foreign policy at a forum organized by the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies Building, Tanah Abang area, Central Jakarta on Monday, November 13, 2023.
He responded to a question posed by the Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Benedetto Latteri on his view of Indonesia towards the European Union under his future leadership if is elected in the 2024 election.
Prabowo said he did not deny admiring the achievements of Western civilization over the centuries and the values it upholds, such as justice, equality before the law, and human rights. However, he is concerned that the West applies double standards, which is also a concern for developing countries.
“They will remain strong, rich, but as Pak Hassan Wirajuda said there's a shift in the world,” Prabowo said. “We (Indonesia) don't really need the European Union anymore.”
He claimed the statement was just a reminder as a friend. The European Union embassy in Jakarta has not yet responded to Tempo's request for comment on Prabowo's statement. Tempo
---------
Indonesia’s Prabowo slams West for double standards, lack of moral leadership: ‘we don’t really need Europe’
- Defence minister Prabowo calls for a ‘rebalancing’ whereby Indonesia should learn from countries including China and India rather than continue looking to the West
- The presidential hopeful also claims the EU does not ‘love’ Indonesia given the ‘unfair’ treatment of the country’s products, such as palm oil, in European markets
Indonesia’s leading presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has accused the West of having double standards and losing moral leadership, saying Jakarta has been treated “unfairly” due to protectionist measures imposed on critical minerals.
Prabowo, a former special forces commander turned defence minister, said most Indonesians “have sympathy and admiration” for the United States and European Union, but that might be declining due to the latest geopolitical dynamics.
“I grew up in Europe. I maybe know European history better than Europeans. What I’m afraid of is that Europe will lose [its] moral leadership,” Prabowo said on Monday in a foreign policy talk hosted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies Indonesia. SCMP
---------
EU's green rules challenge food industry
By JONATHAN POWELL in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2023-11-14 09:59
The food industry has warned it has had insufficient time to prepare for new rules issued by the European Union on carbon emissions, claiming proposals from lawmakers lack detail and will fail to halt deforestation.
The EU is set to enforce rules by the end of next year that will require companies to verify that their products are not associated with recently deforested land, the Financial Times reported.
The bloc's groundbreaking decision to ban imports of deforestation-linked products will impact commodities such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, beef, soy and rubber, and will make it the first region to implement such a restriction.
Lawmakers in Brussels have not yet finalized a list of "high-risk" countries for extra checks on exported commodities. This selection process, crucial for shaping future supply chains, has faced diplomatic challenges due to objections from agricultural nations in the Global South.
Nathalie Lecocq, director-general of the EU's vegetable oil trade group Fediol, told the FT the directives had come too late. China Daily
---------
Food industry calls for more time to implement EU deforestation rules
Producers and traders call for more details and say rules will fail to deliver environmental benefits
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour.
https://www.ft.com/content/9f0c3e88-b72b-4570-bed5-8a9d36c3f7bc
The food industry says it is running out of time to prepare for new EU rules to cut carbon emissions from the supply chains of several key commodities, accusing Brussels of issuing proposals that lack detail and will fail to stop deforestation.
The rules, which will oblige companies to prove their goods have not been produced on recently deforested land, are due to come into force at the end of 2024 and will make the EU the first region to ban imports of products linked with deforestation. Commodities including palm oil, coffee, cocoa, beef, soy and rubber will be affected.
But as crops for 2024-25 are planted, many in the industry argue the EU has left it too late to finalise the details of an initiative that aims to reduce carbon emissions and preserve biodiversity.
For example, it has yet to finalise a list of “high-risk” countries whose exported commodities will be subject to extra checks. With the designations set to shape companies’ future supply chains, the selection process has become diplomatically fraught given strong objections from many agricultural nations in the so-called global south.
“It is not sufficient [for the EU] to come up with guidelines in December 2024,” said Nathalie Lecocq, director-general of Fediol, the EU’s vegetable oil trade group. “In certain instances, you need to invest . . . you cannot wait until the last minute.”
Financial Times
---------
Malaysia’s MSPO certification gets global recognition, at par with RSPO, says DPM Fadillah
SHANGHAI, Nov 14 — The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification is constantly receiving recognition globally and has been perceived to be at par with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who is also plantation and commodities minister.
“For Malaysia, the MSPO is more comprehensive, encompassing greater perspective when compared to the RSPO,” he said after awarding the MSPO certificate to Chinese company Grand Oils and Fats (Dongguan) Co Ltd here today.
He said Malaysia hopes that its MSPO certification would be further recognised at the global level.
Fadillah added that India has recognised the certification.
Both China and India are Malaysia’s top importers of palm oil alongside Turkey, Kenya and Japan. Malay Mail
---------
Malaysia-MPOB to expand palm oil products for Chinese companies, Muslim regions in China
By Nurul Hanis Izmir / Bernama
SHANGHAI (Nov 13): Malaysia, via the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), will continue its research and development (R&D) to increase palm oil-based value-added products for companies in China to export to Muslim regions within the country, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
Fadillah, who is also the Plantation and Commodities Minister, said that to date, several products are being commercialised in China, thanks to the Palm Oil Research and Technical Service Institute of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (Portsim).
“So far, we are very satisfied with what has been produced. Now, we need to look at how we can expand products developed by Portsim, in line with China’s tastes and market requirements.
“Portsim has succeeded in providing solutions and assistance to industry players by transforming their production methods through the use of palm oil,” he told the media during his visit to the research institute here on Sunday. The Edge
|
|
|
November 13, 2023
Malaysian PM Anwar to spearhead M'sia's active role at 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting
SAN FRANCISCO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be leading the Malaysia delegation at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) from Nov 14 -17, 2023, reflecting Putrajaya's proposed active engagement in the regional forum.
"The Prime Minister's presence reflects Malaysia's proposed active engagement during the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and will contribute towards efforts on addressing issues that are critical at the regional level, primarily within the Asia-Pacific," the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti), which is facilitating the attendance, said in a statement today.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum with 21 members.
The AELM, themed "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All", will see the Prime Minister being accompanied by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and senior government officials. New Straits Times
---------
Congo-based company eyes partnerships with Malaysian palm oil players
ANN/THE SUN – Democratic Republic of Congo-based company Plantations et huileries du Congo (PHC) eyes partnerships with Malaysian palm oil players, driven by its ambitions to increase its palm oil production capacity so as to fulfil its high domestic demand.
PHC is the largest industrial palm oil producer in DR Congo.
According to chief executive officer and director general Monique Gieskes, Malaysia has a mature palm oil market and the company is seeking to collaborate with local players, to increase its current production capacity, in supporting its rapid plans for expansion.
“We have aggressive ambition, not only to grow the business but also to expand it. The key partner we want to bring in is Malaysia.
“For our extension and development, we are looking for Malaysia’s expertise, support, partnership to grow and expand our business,“ she told reporters during a press conference at the International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition 2023 (Pipoc 2023).
Gieskes said that it is open to talking with potential investors and partnerships with local palm oil industry players.
She shared that it is in initial talks with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) for a potential memorandum of understanding, which is expected to be finalised early next year.
Gieskes remarked that it will be mutually beneficial for both parties, as PHC will be able to utilise MPOB’s technical expertise in the palm oil production, while Malaysia can leverage on its breeding programme. Borneo Bulletin
---------
India-Oil Palm Cultivation in Nagaland a ‘Sustainable and farmers’ friendly Centrally-Sponsored Scheme’
Department of Agriculture
Nagaland, Kohima
The Re-assessment Committee of ICAR- Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, pedavegi, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh (IIOPR) 2020 has assessed a total area of around 28 lakh hectares for oil palm cultivation , out of which 9.62 lakh is in 7 NE States.
Considering the growing domestic demand for edible oils, the staggering deficiency and the cost to the exchequer on account of imports, the urgency of scaling up the oil palm area is of National interest and does not need any over emphasis. Therefore, to fulfill the National interest, National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) was approved with the aim to enhance the edible oilseeds production and oils availability in the country by harnessing Oil Palm area expansion, increasing Crude Palm Oil production and to reduce import burden on edible oils.
Cultivation of Oil palm in the State was initiated during 2015-16 covering the foothill area as an objective to replace low value crop for the benefit of small and marginal farmers. The State has targeted 15000 Ha for the cultivation of Oil palm in a cluster approach under NMEO-OP so as to enable smooth flow of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) to the collection centre and processing mill.
The department envisages growing oil palm in a sustainable manner in the foothill areas without disturbing the natural forest in the hilly areas including bio-diversity wherein a regulatory framework of Oil Palm Act will also be planned out.
It is the burning desire of the State to create employment opportunities. The cultivation of oil palm as a high value crop with higher economic returns per hectare with Viabilty Gap Funding (VGF) offered by GoI under (NMEO-OP) would therefore be a boon to the subsistence farmers in comparison to growing other oilseed and plantation crops.
1. Sustainable Agriculture: Read more at Morung Express
Malaysian PM Anwar to spearhead M'sia's active role at 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting
SAN FRANCISCO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be leading the Malaysia delegation at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) from Nov 14 -17, 2023, reflecting Putrajaya's proposed active engagement in the regional forum.
"The Prime Minister's presence reflects Malaysia's proposed active engagement during the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and will contribute towards efforts on addressing issues that are critical at the regional level, primarily within the Asia-Pacific," the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti), which is facilitating the attendance, said in a statement today.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum with 21 members.
The AELM, themed "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All", will see the Prime Minister being accompanied by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and senior government officials. New Straits Times
---------
Congo-based company eyes partnerships with Malaysian palm oil players
ANN/THE SUN – Democratic Republic of Congo-based company Plantations et huileries du Congo (PHC) eyes partnerships with Malaysian palm oil players, driven by its ambitions to increase its palm oil production capacity so as to fulfil its high domestic demand.
PHC is the largest industrial palm oil producer in DR Congo.
According to chief executive officer and director general Monique Gieskes, Malaysia has a mature palm oil market and the company is seeking to collaborate with local players, to increase its current production capacity, in supporting its rapid plans for expansion.
“We have aggressive ambition, not only to grow the business but also to expand it. The key partner we want to bring in is Malaysia.
“For our extension and development, we are looking for Malaysia’s expertise, support, partnership to grow and expand our business,“ she told reporters during a press conference at the International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition 2023 (Pipoc 2023).
Gieskes said that it is open to talking with potential investors and partnerships with local palm oil industry players.
She shared that it is in initial talks with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) for a potential memorandum of understanding, which is expected to be finalised early next year.
Gieskes remarked that it will be mutually beneficial for both parties, as PHC will be able to utilise MPOB’s technical expertise in the palm oil production, while Malaysia can leverage on its breeding programme. Borneo Bulletin
---------
India-Oil Palm Cultivation in Nagaland a ‘Sustainable and farmers’ friendly Centrally-Sponsored Scheme’
Department of Agriculture
Nagaland, Kohima
The Re-assessment Committee of ICAR- Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, pedavegi, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh (IIOPR) 2020 has assessed a total area of around 28 lakh hectares for oil palm cultivation , out of which 9.62 lakh is in 7 NE States.
Considering the growing domestic demand for edible oils, the staggering deficiency and the cost to the exchequer on account of imports, the urgency of scaling up the oil palm area is of National interest and does not need any over emphasis. Therefore, to fulfill the National interest, National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) was approved with the aim to enhance the edible oilseeds production and oils availability in the country by harnessing Oil Palm area expansion, increasing Crude Palm Oil production and to reduce import burden on edible oils.
Cultivation of Oil palm in the State was initiated during 2015-16 covering the foothill area as an objective to replace low value crop for the benefit of small and marginal farmers. The State has targeted 15000 Ha for the cultivation of Oil palm in a cluster approach under NMEO-OP so as to enable smooth flow of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) to the collection centre and processing mill.
The department envisages growing oil palm in a sustainable manner in the foothill areas without disturbing the natural forest in the hilly areas including bio-diversity wherein a regulatory framework of Oil Palm Act will also be planned out.
It is the burning desire of the State to create employment opportunities. The cultivation of oil palm as a high value crop with higher economic returns per hectare with Viabilty Gap Funding (VGF) offered by GoI under (NMEO-OP) would therefore be a boon to the subsistence farmers in comparison to growing other oilseed and plantation crops.
1. Sustainable Agriculture: Read more at Morung Express
|
|
|
November 12, 2023
Malaysia's DPM, Fadillah to make first official visit to China from Nov 12-19
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister and Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will make his first official visit to China since his appointment last year.
Fadillah's visit to Beijing and Shanghai from Nov 12 to 19 is poised to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of research and development (R&D) as well as capacity building in the field of commodities, especially in promoting the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme at the global level.
"This year, Malaysia and China celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while next year, both countries will commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
"This visit will therefore provide the opportunity for both countries to discuss and exchange views on programmes and activities to be organised next year," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement today. New Straits Times
---------
AAPA presidents’ assembly focuses on sustainability
The presidents of members of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines meet this past week in Singapore and put the issue of sustainability front and centre. The group passed a resolution calling on its members to adopt an “aspirational goal” of using 5 percent of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030, but that goal must be balanced, several participants said, with the costs to airlines who are just now showing profits after three years of losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants at the 67th AAPA Assembly of Presidents also did not rule out a controversial possibility that SAF derived from palm oil would be used in developing more SAF for use by airlines. Palm oil is controversial because old growth forests are cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. Anyone who has driven from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore can see the devastation that palm oil plantations wreak on native forests because the view from the highway is palm oil plantations from horizon to horizon.
“A harmonised global framework that enables the cost-effective supply of SAF is crucial for aviation to attain its net zero emissions goal by 2050,” said Subhas Menon, director general of AAPA. “By highlighting their collective ambition on SAF usage, AAPA airlines are indicating the level of SAF demand as an impetus for governments to consider the necessary support initiatives for SAF supply, and for fuel producers to plan SAF production capacity, to meet the needs of the industry. At the same time, a globally-agreed accounting framework for airlines to account for their emission reductions, based on a chain of custody approach, should be in place. This will ensure that the relevant carbon abatement credits are properly attributed in the SAF supply chain from feedstock to production and use.” Asian Aviation
---------
Race for batteries powered by the blood of Congo miners. Apple, Samsung, Tesla are complicit
In 'Cobalt Red', Siddharth Kara says there's a frenzy taking place in Congo, and it's pushing the African region back to the slavery era.
There is a frenzy taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a manic race to extract as much cobalt as quickly as possible. This rare, silvery metal is an essential component to almost every lithium-ion rechargeable battery made today. It is also used in a wide array of emerging low-carbon innovations that are critical to the achievement of climate sustainability goals. The Katanga region in the southeastern corner of the Congo holds more reserves of cobalt than the rest of the planet combined. The region is also brimming with other valuable metals, including copper, iron, zinc, tin, nickel, manganese, germanium, tantalum, tungsten, uranium, gold, silver, and lithium. The deposits were always there, resting dormant for eons before foreign economies made the dirt valuable. Industrial innovations sparked demand for one metal after another, and somehow they all happened to be in Katanga. The remainder of the Congo is similarly bursting with natural resources. Foreign powers have penetrated every inch of this nation to extract its rich supplies of ivory, palm oil, diamonds, timber, rubber . . . and to make slaves of its people. Few nations are blessed with a more diverse abundance of resource riches than the Congo. No country in the world has been more severely exploited. The Print India
Malaysia's DPM, Fadillah to make first official visit to China from Nov 12-19
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister and Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will make his first official visit to China since his appointment last year.
Fadillah's visit to Beijing and Shanghai from Nov 12 to 19 is poised to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of research and development (R&D) as well as capacity building in the field of commodities, especially in promoting the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme at the global level.
"This year, Malaysia and China celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while next year, both countries will commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
"This visit will therefore provide the opportunity for both countries to discuss and exchange views on programmes and activities to be organised next year," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement today. New Straits Times
---------
AAPA presidents’ assembly focuses on sustainability
The presidents of members of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines meet this past week in Singapore and put the issue of sustainability front and centre. The group passed a resolution calling on its members to adopt an “aspirational goal” of using 5 percent of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030, but that goal must be balanced, several participants said, with the costs to airlines who are just now showing profits after three years of losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants at the 67th AAPA Assembly of Presidents also did not rule out a controversial possibility that SAF derived from palm oil would be used in developing more SAF for use by airlines. Palm oil is controversial because old growth forests are cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. Anyone who has driven from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore can see the devastation that palm oil plantations wreak on native forests because the view from the highway is palm oil plantations from horizon to horizon.
“A harmonised global framework that enables the cost-effective supply of SAF is crucial for aviation to attain its net zero emissions goal by 2050,” said Subhas Menon, director general of AAPA. “By highlighting their collective ambition on SAF usage, AAPA airlines are indicating the level of SAF demand as an impetus for governments to consider the necessary support initiatives for SAF supply, and for fuel producers to plan SAF production capacity, to meet the needs of the industry. At the same time, a globally-agreed accounting framework for airlines to account for their emission reductions, based on a chain of custody approach, should be in place. This will ensure that the relevant carbon abatement credits are properly attributed in the SAF supply chain from feedstock to production and use.” Asian Aviation
---------
Race for batteries powered by the blood of Congo miners. Apple, Samsung, Tesla are complicit
In 'Cobalt Red', Siddharth Kara says there's a frenzy taking place in Congo, and it's pushing the African region back to the slavery era.
There is a frenzy taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a manic race to extract as much cobalt as quickly as possible. This rare, silvery metal is an essential component to almost every lithium-ion rechargeable battery made today. It is also used in a wide array of emerging low-carbon innovations that are critical to the achievement of climate sustainability goals. The Katanga region in the southeastern corner of the Congo holds more reserves of cobalt than the rest of the planet combined. The region is also brimming with other valuable metals, including copper, iron, zinc, tin, nickel, manganese, germanium, tantalum, tungsten, uranium, gold, silver, and lithium. The deposits were always there, resting dormant for eons before foreign economies made the dirt valuable. Industrial innovations sparked demand for one metal after another, and somehow they all happened to be in Katanga. The remainder of the Congo is similarly bursting with natural resources. Foreign powers have penetrated every inch of this nation to extract its rich supplies of ivory, palm oil, diamonds, timber, rubber . . . and to make slaves of its people. Few nations are blessed with a more diverse abundance of resource riches than the Congo. No country in the world has been more severely exploited. The Print India
|
|
|
November 10, 2023
Spicing Up Markets: India's Appetite for Vegetable Oils Sets to Soar with Record Imports Forecast
Sudhakar Desai, President of IVPA, predicts a culinary revolution as Indian vegetable oil imports are projected to hit 16.20 million tonnes in 2023-24. With palm oil reaching 9 million tonnes, and a surge driven by enticing prices, the market dynamics are set for a flavorful shift, influencing global trends. Desai's insights on Malaysia's rising production, coupled with a tight stock situation, make the palm oil price outlook captivating, fluctuating within RM 3,600-3,900 and possibly soaring to RM 4,200 by March.
Highlights
Vegetable Oil Imports Projection: The President of the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers Association (IVPA), Sudhakar Desai, forecasts that Indian vegetable oil imports for the oil year 2023-24 will be around 16.20 million tonnes.
Breakdown of Imports: Within the projected imports, Desai estimates that palm oil imports will be approximately 9 million tonnes, while soft oils are expected to be around 7.12 million tonnes.
Palm Oil Production Estimates: Desai suggests that Malaysia's palm oil production may increase to 18.85 million tonnes in the coming year, up from 18.61 million tonnes in the previous year. However, Indonesia's production is expected to remain steady at 49.26 million tonnes. Investing
---------
Sime Darby to progressively shift focus to India, China markets
KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Plantation Bhd (SDP) will progressively shift its focus to India and China and away from the European Union (EU) market as the two nations offer significant potentials to the company, said group managing director Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha.
He said the company is looking for more partnerships and business opportunities in China and India and does not rule out the possibility of supplying ingredients to the final product suppliers in the two countries.
"We are also working with some other parties, but India is where we believe there is huge potential. So we will be looking at more (business opportunities) by forming partnerships with domestic businesses as the demand for vegetable oil is high," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here.
PIPOC 2023’s theme "Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights.
Mohamad Helmy underlined that amid the EU's tough regulations on palm oil, Malaysia's export volume to the trading bloc has been continually falling over the years.
"We want to send a message to different governments, regulators and lawmakers in Europe. We have other choices and other options. The consumption is declining and why should we put a lot of effort just to satisfy this smaller market, whereas in India, it's been growing.
"The export volume going into the EU can be easily fulfilled by corporations like Sime Darby. We have a sophisticated system to trace where the oil is coming from. The EU is discriminating against smallholders since the output of small farms is harder to trace,” he added. The StarMY
---------
Indonesia Says a Half Million Acres of Palm Plantations will be Turned Back into Forests
The palm oil boom changed Southeast Asia forever, but the government of Indonesia is not going to let bygones be, and has set up a task force to comb through all oil palm plantations and force those that were created on protected land to leave.
In total the government estimates that half a million acres, or around 200,000 hectares of plantations will be removed in order to restore the tropical rainforest that should be there.
Both the internal security and environmental ministries have come together to work on ejecting the plantations, with Indonesia’s chief security minister Mahfud MD threatening to pursue legal action against palm oil companies that continue to use land illegally after the deadline passed last week.
When critiquing government action, especially on environmental issues, it’s important to remember that all governments are inherently slow and inefficient—developing ones more so, and considering the mountainous, forested terrain of rural Indonesia that encompasses thousands of islands, one begins to understand how it’s possible that just 40% of plantation owners operating in forests have even been identified.
The first step for the task force, Reuters writes, was to place a deadline for the submission of paperwork detailing where and how much land each plantation owner is working, and those that are found to be in what should be forest will be evicted.
The paperwork is necessary for obtaining cultivation rights, and those operating without will receive criminal charges.
“The ones in protected forests and conservation forests, the government wants to restore after they pay the fine,” forestry ministry secretary-general Bambang Hendroyono told reporters in Jakarta, adding this will be part of the government’s efforts to mitigate climate change. Good News Network
Spicing Up Markets: India's Appetite for Vegetable Oils Sets to Soar with Record Imports Forecast
Sudhakar Desai, President of IVPA, predicts a culinary revolution as Indian vegetable oil imports are projected to hit 16.20 million tonnes in 2023-24. With palm oil reaching 9 million tonnes, and a surge driven by enticing prices, the market dynamics are set for a flavorful shift, influencing global trends. Desai's insights on Malaysia's rising production, coupled with a tight stock situation, make the palm oil price outlook captivating, fluctuating within RM 3,600-3,900 and possibly soaring to RM 4,200 by March.
Highlights
Vegetable Oil Imports Projection: The President of the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers Association (IVPA), Sudhakar Desai, forecasts that Indian vegetable oil imports for the oil year 2023-24 will be around 16.20 million tonnes.
Breakdown of Imports: Within the projected imports, Desai estimates that palm oil imports will be approximately 9 million tonnes, while soft oils are expected to be around 7.12 million tonnes.
Palm Oil Production Estimates: Desai suggests that Malaysia's palm oil production may increase to 18.85 million tonnes in the coming year, up from 18.61 million tonnes in the previous year. However, Indonesia's production is expected to remain steady at 49.26 million tonnes. Investing
---------
Sime Darby to progressively shift focus to India, China markets
KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Plantation Bhd (SDP) will progressively shift its focus to India and China and away from the European Union (EU) market as the two nations offer significant potentials to the company, said group managing director Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha.
He said the company is looking for more partnerships and business opportunities in China and India and does not rule out the possibility of supplying ingredients to the final product suppliers in the two countries.
"We are also working with some other parties, but India is where we believe there is huge potential. So we will be looking at more (business opportunities) by forming partnerships with domestic businesses as the demand for vegetable oil is high," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here.
PIPOC 2023’s theme "Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights.
Mohamad Helmy underlined that amid the EU's tough regulations on palm oil, Malaysia's export volume to the trading bloc has been continually falling over the years.
"We want to send a message to different governments, regulators and lawmakers in Europe. We have other choices and other options. The consumption is declining and why should we put a lot of effort just to satisfy this smaller market, whereas in India, it's been growing.
"The export volume going into the EU can be easily fulfilled by corporations like Sime Darby. We have a sophisticated system to trace where the oil is coming from. The EU is discriminating against smallholders since the output of small farms is harder to trace,” he added. The StarMY
---------
Indonesia Says a Half Million Acres of Palm Plantations will be Turned Back into Forests
The palm oil boom changed Southeast Asia forever, but the government of Indonesia is not going to let bygones be, and has set up a task force to comb through all oil palm plantations and force those that were created on protected land to leave.
In total the government estimates that half a million acres, or around 200,000 hectares of plantations will be removed in order to restore the tropical rainforest that should be there.
Both the internal security and environmental ministries have come together to work on ejecting the plantations, with Indonesia’s chief security minister Mahfud MD threatening to pursue legal action against palm oil companies that continue to use land illegally after the deadline passed last week.
When critiquing government action, especially on environmental issues, it’s important to remember that all governments are inherently slow and inefficient—developing ones more so, and considering the mountainous, forested terrain of rural Indonesia that encompasses thousands of islands, one begins to understand how it’s possible that just 40% of plantation owners operating in forests have even been identified.
The first step for the task force, Reuters writes, was to place a deadline for the submission of paperwork detailing where and how much land each plantation owner is working, and those that are found to be in what should be forest will be evicted.
The paperwork is necessary for obtaining cultivation rights, and those operating without will receive criminal charges.
“The ones in protected forests and conservation forests, the government wants to restore after they pay the fine,” forestry ministry secretary-general Bambang Hendroyono told reporters in Jakarta, adding this will be part of the government’s efforts to mitigate climate change. Good News Network
|
|
|
November 09, 2023
Malaysian PM Anwar urges EU to recognise palm oil producing countries’ efforts in meeting deforestation-free regulation
Reiterated that the EU should focus on the current efforts taken by the producing countries instead of dwelling on the past.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the European Union (EU) to recognise and appreciate the efforts of palm oil producing countries in meeting the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He emphasised that governments of palm oil producing countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have taken aggressive and responsible measures to comply with the regulation.
“The new Prime Minister of Thailand (Srettha Thavisin) has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia and hopefully other countries in presenting our case, particularly to the EU,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today.
PIPOC 2023’s theme “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights. Malay Mail
---------
‘Buying deforestation-free should not be a choice’: Ferrero ‘well placed’ to comply with EUDR, but sector challenges remain
Ferrero Group considers itself well prepared for the EU Deforestation Regulation, which will apply to its palm oil and cocoa supply chains. But potential challenges and unintended consequences could threaten its effectiveness, suggests Francesco Tramontin, VP, Group Public Policy Center, Ferrero.
In preparing for EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), it will become apparent that some food and beverage companies are better equipped than others.
Confectionery major Ferrero Group is confident its house is in order, having ‘embedded’ due diligence into its ethos from the beginning, according to Francesco Tramontin, VP, Group Public Policy Center, Ferrero.
But that does not mean potential challenges in adhering to the EUDR do not exist. Associated risks can impact not only the food and beverage industry, but also Member State governments and producing countries, the public policy lead explained.
‘Deforestation-free must not be a consumer choice’
From the end of next year, companies importing soy, coffee, cocoa, palm oil and beef into the EU will be required to submit due diligence reports verifying their products are deforestation-free. Food Navigator
---------
India-3F Oil Palm lays foundation stone for integrated oil palm processing complex in Andhra Pradesh
HYDERABAD: Oil palm player 3F Oil Palm on Wednesday said it has laid the foundation stone for what it claims is the country’s first integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex at Ayyavaram village in Nallajerla mandal of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.
3F Oil Palm will be investing Rs 250 crore in the oil palm processing complex that is expected to produce 2 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of refined oil per annum by FY25 and will generate around 500 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs.
The company has already acquired 75 acres of land on the Dwaraka Tirumala Road for the project that is expected to be fully functional within the next 18 months.
Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105074188.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
---------
Edo State investment in palm sector hits $660m
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki’s investments in the state’s oil palm sector have risen to $660m, with new projects proposed by Canada-based Sunora Foods worth over $100m, a statement has said.
The statement sighted by The PUNCH on Wednesday explained that the development is coming following the $560m investment in the Edo State Oil Palm Programme by Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies and other private investors.
The ESOPP is one of the outcomes of the annual Alaghodaro Summit, organised by the private sector in the state to mark the anniversary of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s-led administration.
According to the statement, the summit will provide opportunities for dialogue and feedback with various stakeholders in the drive to make Edo Nigeria’s leading investment haven.
However, the statement further explained that through the ESOPP, the state is driving the development of the most expansive oil palm project in Africa, with over 60,000 hectares being cultivated as farm estates. PunchNG
Malaysian PM Anwar urges EU to recognise palm oil producing countries’ efforts in meeting deforestation-free regulation
Reiterated that the EU should focus on the current efforts taken by the producing countries instead of dwelling on the past.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the European Union (EU) to recognise and appreciate the efforts of palm oil producing countries in meeting the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He emphasised that governments of palm oil producing countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have taken aggressive and responsible measures to comply with the regulation.
“The new Prime Minister of Thailand (Srettha Thavisin) has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia and hopefully other countries in presenting our case, particularly to the EU,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today.
PIPOC 2023’s theme “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights. Malay Mail
---------
‘Buying deforestation-free should not be a choice’: Ferrero ‘well placed’ to comply with EUDR, but sector challenges remain
Ferrero Group considers itself well prepared for the EU Deforestation Regulation, which will apply to its palm oil and cocoa supply chains. But potential challenges and unintended consequences could threaten its effectiveness, suggests Francesco Tramontin, VP, Group Public Policy Center, Ferrero.
In preparing for EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), it will become apparent that some food and beverage companies are better equipped than others.
Confectionery major Ferrero Group is confident its house is in order, having ‘embedded’ due diligence into its ethos from the beginning, according to Francesco Tramontin, VP, Group Public Policy Center, Ferrero.
But that does not mean potential challenges in adhering to the EUDR do not exist. Associated risks can impact not only the food and beverage industry, but also Member State governments and producing countries, the public policy lead explained.
‘Deforestation-free must not be a consumer choice’
From the end of next year, companies importing soy, coffee, cocoa, palm oil and beef into the EU will be required to submit due diligence reports verifying their products are deforestation-free. Food Navigator
---------
India-3F Oil Palm lays foundation stone for integrated oil palm processing complex in Andhra Pradesh
HYDERABAD: Oil palm player 3F Oil Palm on Wednesday said it has laid the foundation stone for what it claims is the country’s first integrated greenfield oil palm processing complex at Ayyavaram village in Nallajerla mandal of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.
3F Oil Palm will be investing Rs 250 crore in the oil palm processing complex that is expected to produce 2 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of refined oil per annum by FY25 and will generate around 500 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs.
The company has already acquired 75 acres of land on the Dwaraka Tirumala Road for the project that is expected to be fully functional within the next 18 months.
Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105074188.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
---------
Edo State investment in palm sector hits $660m
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki’s investments in the state’s oil palm sector have risen to $660m, with new projects proposed by Canada-based Sunora Foods worth over $100m, a statement has said.
The statement sighted by The PUNCH on Wednesday explained that the development is coming following the $560m investment in the Edo State Oil Palm Programme by Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies and other private investors.
The ESOPP is one of the outcomes of the annual Alaghodaro Summit, organised by the private sector in the state to mark the anniversary of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s-led administration.
According to the statement, the summit will provide opportunities for dialogue and feedback with various stakeholders in the drive to make Edo Nigeria’s leading investment haven.
However, the statement further explained that through the ESOPP, the state is driving the development of the most expansive oil palm project in Africa, with over 60,000 hectares being cultivated as farm estates. PunchNG
|
|
|
November 08, 2023
Malaysia's Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, launches system to facilitate transactional data management along palm oil supply chain
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 8): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday launched the Sawit Intelligent Management System (SIMS) which is designed to facilitate transactional data management along the palm oil supply chain.
Anwar said the system, developed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), enables comprehensive information management, enhancing industry efficiency and cost savings.
“SIMS aims to promote self-regulation, reduce government oversight, provide user-friendly features, enhance security, and offer valuable decision-making insights,” he said in his keynote address at the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here on Wednesday.
The palm oil sector contributed significantly to the Malaysian economy with export earnings of palm oil and palm-based products surging to RM137.89 billion in 2022 from RM108.52 billion in 2021.
Malaysian palm oil accounted for 31% of the world's palm oil exports, totalling 51 million tonnes last year.
In recent years, the Malaysian oil palm industry has faced several challenges, including trade issues, false allegations such as forced labour in plantations, trade barriers and climate change, all of which have impacted the image and export of palm oil products.
However, the Plantation and Commodities Ministry remains optimistic that these issues will be appropriately addressed. The Edge Malaysia
---------
Focus on countering anti-palm oil campaigns in US, Europe, says MP
Julau MP Larry Sng says the RM15 million allocated in the 2024 budget for lobbying is inadequate.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government must focus its international lobbying efforts in Europe and the US to counter the global anti-palm oil campaigns, a government backbencher told the Dewan Rakyat.
Larry Sng (PBM-Julau) said the government’s campaigns should be intensified in Europe and the US as it would be time-consuming to sell palm oil in new markets in other countries.
He also said the impact of lobbying in these two regions would be felt in the rest of the world.
“This is because the US, Europe, Canada and Australia (function) as a bloc and their laws will be adopted by other nations,” said Sng while debating the 2024 supply bill at the committee stage.
Sng also pointed out that the RM15 million allocated under the 2024 budget to counter the international anti-palm oil campaign is inadequate, as lobbying for palm oil in England, Europe and the US costs a total of RM15.5 million a year. Free Malaysia Today
---------
Malaysian Prime Minister urges EU to recognise palm oil producing countries’ efforts in meeting deforestation-free regulation
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the European Union (EU) to recognise and appreciate the efforts of palm oil producing countries in meeting the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He emphasised that governments of palm oil producing countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have taken aggressive and responsible measures to comply with the regulation.
“The new Prime Minister of Thailand (Srettha Thavisin) has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia and hopefully other countries in presenting our case, particularly to the EU,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today.
PIPOC 2023’s theme “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights.
“I think countries in Europe must show appreciation and reciprocate — not necessarily (by) supporting financially but at least in giving that recognition — and therefore recognise the efforts by Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand in this regard.
“In the desire to continue with this reduction in carbon emissions, (they need) to take into consideration all the problems of the emerging economies,” he added. Malay Mail
---------
Thailand joins Malaysia, Indonesia against EU deforestation rules
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says his Thai counterpart has given an assurance his country will join efforts to advocate for the palm oil industry’s growth and sustainability.
KUALA LUMPUR: The world’s top three palm oil producers will collaborate to bring their case to the European Union over its Deforestation-Free Regulation set to come into force in January 2025.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, has assured him his country will collaborate with Malaysia and Indonesia to advocate for the palm oil industry’s growth and sustainability.
“I have alluded to earlier working with Indonesia and I’m pleased that the new prime minister of Thailand has given me the assurance that Thailand will come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia.
“Hopefully, other countries will also come on board in presenting our case, particularly to the European Union,” he said at the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today. Free Malaysia Today
---------
Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister, Fadillah aims to strengthen trade in palm oil during China visit
KUCHING (Nov 8): Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof is looking to strengthen trade in commodities, particularly palm oil, between Malaysia and China during his official visit to the republic starting this Sunday.
The Plantation and Commodities Minister said China is one of Malaysia’s largest importers of palm oil and as such, the visit is expected to further increase palm oil export to the country.
“This trip is a follow-up to our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s previous visit to China last September.
“The main mission of the visit is related to our commodity which is the trade between China and Malaysia, specifically to further increase the value of palm oil exports to the country,” he told reporters when met after officiating the opening ceremony of the 51st Annual Session and Meetings (ASM) of the International Pepper Community (IPC) and International Spice Exhibition here yesterday.
China was Malaysia’s second-largest palm oil export market in 2022, accounting for 11.2 per cent of total Malaysian palm oil exports, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Borneo Post
---------
Malaysia's Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, launches system to facilitate transactional data management along palm oil supply chain
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 8): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday launched the Sawit Intelligent Management System (SIMS) which is designed to facilitate transactional data management along the palm oil supply chain.
Anwar said the system, developed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), enables comprehensive information management, enhancing industry efficiency and cost savings.
“SIMS aims to promote self-regulation, reduce government oversight, provide user-friendly features, enhance security, and offer valuable decision-making insights,” he said in his keynote address at the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here on Wednesday.
The palm oil sector contributed significantly to the Malaysian economy with export earnings of palm oil and palm-based products surging to RM137.89 billion in 2022 from RM108.52 billion in 2021.
Malaysian palm oil accounted for 31% of the world's palm oil exports, totalling 51 million tonnes last year.
In recent years, the Malaysian oil palm industry has faced several challenges, including trade issues, false allegations such as forced labour in plantations, trade barriers and climate change, all of which have impacted the image and export of palm oil products.
However, the Plantation and Commodities Ministry remains optimistic that these issues will be appropriately addressed. The Edge Malaysia
---------
Focus on countering anti-palm oil campaigns in US, Europe, says MP
Julau MP Larry Sng says the RM15 million allocated in the 2024 budget for lobbying is inadequate.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government must focus its international lobbying efforts in Europe and the US to counter the global anti-palm oil campaigns, a government backbencher told the Dewan Rakyat.
Larry Sng (PBM-Julau) said the government’s campaigns should be intensified in Europe and the US as it would be time-consuming to sell palm oil in new markets in other countries.
He also said the impact of lobbying in these two regions would be felt in the rest of the world.
“This is because the US, Europe, Canada and Australia (function) as a bloc and their laws will be adopted by other nations,” said Sng while debating the 2024 supply bill at the committee stage.
Sng also pointed out that the RM15 million allocated under the 2024 budget to counter the international anti-palm oil campaign is inadequate, as lobbying for palm oil in England, Europe and the US costs a total of RM15.5 million a year. Free Malaysia Today
---------
Malaysian Prime Minister urges EU to recognise palm oil producing countries’ efforts in meeting deforestation-free regulation
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the European Union (EU) to recognise and appreciate the efforts of palm oil producing countries in meeting the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).
He emphasised that governments of palm oil producing countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have taken aggressive and responsible measures to comply with the regulation.
“The new Prime Minister of Thailand (Srettha Thavisin) has given me the assurance that Thailand would come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia and hopefully other countries in presenting our case, particularly to the EU,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today.
PIPOC 2023’s theme “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” reflects the industry’s concerted efforts in addressing global challenges and striving for greater heights.
“I think countries in Europe must show appreciation and reciprocate — not necessarily (by) supporting financially but at least in giving that recognition — and therefore recognise the efforts by Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand in this regard.
“In the desire to continue with this reduction in carbon emissions, (they need) to take into consideration all the problems of the emerging economies,” he added. Malay Mail
---------
Thailand joins Malaysia, Indonesia against EU deforestation rules
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says his Thai counterpart has given an assurance his country will join efforts to advocate for the palm oil industry’s growth and sustainability.
KUALA LUMPUR: The world’s top three palm oil producers will collaborate to bring their case to the European Union over its Deforestation-Free Regulation set to come into force in January 2025.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, has assured him his country will collaborate with Malaysia and Indonesia to advocate for the palm oil industry’s growth and sustainability.
“I have alluded to earlier working with Indonesia and I’m pleased that the new prime minister of Thailand has given me the assurance that Thailand will come on board to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia.
“Hopefully, other countries will also come on board in presenting our case, particularly to the European Union,” he said at the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) here today. Free Malaysia Today
---------
Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister, Fadillah aims to strengthen trade in palm oil during China visit
KUCHING (Nov 8): Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof is looking to strengthen trade in commodities, particularly palm oil, between Malaysia and China during his official visit to the republic starting this Sunday.
The Plantation and Commodities Minister said China is one of Malaysia’s largest importers of palm oil and as such, the visit is expected to further increase palm oil export to the country.
“This trip is a follow-up to our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s previous visit to China last September.
“The main mission of the visit is related to our commodity which is the trade between China and Malaysia, specifically to further increase the value of palm oil exports to the country,” he told reporters when met after officiating the opening ceremony of the 51st Annual Session and Meetings (ASM) of the International Pepper Community (IPC) and International Spice Exhibition here yesterday.
China was Malaysia’s second-largest palm oil export market in 2022, accounting for 11.2 per cent of total Malaysian palm oil exports, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Borneo Post
---------
|
|
|
November 07, 2023
India opposes inclusion of ‘environment sustainability and trade’ in WTO Ministerial agenda
India, backed by several developing nations, opposed the introduction of the issue of environment sustainability and trade for discussion, at the recent senior officials meeting at the WTO, on the grounds that the matter was “too premature” to be taken up by Ministers at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in February 2024. It also expressed its concerns on such issues being used as a barrier to trade.
“There were attempts made at the WTO senior officials meeting to bring in issues like environment sustainability and trade for further discussing these at the MC 13. India opposed it arguing that there are multilateral environment platforms where the matter is already being discussed. At such platforms, there are Nationally Determined Contributions taking into account every country’s profile and historical emissions. By linking it to trade, sustainability issues should not be allowed to be used as a barrier to trade,” a source tracking the matter told businessline. The Hindu Businessline
---------
Malaysia drops plan for cross-border air pollution law
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia has dropped a plan to draft a law aimed at stopping cross-border air pollution, its environment ministry said, citing difficulties in obtaining information for prosecutions.
Almost every dry season, smoke from fires to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia blankets much of the region, leading to concern for public health as well as disruption to travel and tourism businesses.
Environment groups say countries should adopt laws to go after the plantation companies in foreign countries suspected of being responsible for the pollution.
Singapore passed such a law in 2014, aiming to hold those who cause haze both criminally and civilly liable, but Malaysia's environment ministry said in a written reply to parliament on Monday it would not go ahead with a law, citing difficulty in enforcing it. The StarMY
---------
From palm oil waste to renewable energy goldmine-MPOB
IN a world standing at the precipice of environmental catastrophe, the clarion call for sustainable practices and resource efficiency has never been louder.
The circular economy, which champions waste reduction and resource optimisation, is rapidly emerging as a powerful tool in this quest.
This article is written for two specific reasons, namely as the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) has identified bioenergy as a catalyst in the six energy transition levers and the ongoing Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) conference Pipoc 2023 aptly themed, “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” from Nov 7 to Nov 9, 2023.
At the forefront of this change are three unlikely heroes: Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Pome), Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), and the elusive Scope 2 of Scope 3 emissions.
These elements, previously marred by environmental controversies, are now poised in reshaping the future of business and sustainability in Malaysia.
Numbers tell the story best. Malaysia, one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, churns out millions of tonnes of Pome annually. By turning this waste into biogas, we’re not only abating carbon emissions but also creating a substantial source for renewable energy.
Pome’s astonishing transformation The StarMY
India opposes inclusion of ‘environment sustainability and trade’ in WTO Ministerial agenda
India, backed by several developing nations, opposed the introduction of the issue of environment sustainability and trade for discussion, at the recent senior officials meeting at the WTO, on the grounds that the matter was “too premature” to be taken up by Ministers at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in February 2024. It also expressed its concerns on such issues being used as a barrier to trade.
“There were attempts made at the WTO senior officials meeting to bring in issues like environment sustainability and trade for further discussing these at the MC 13. India opposed it arguing that there are multilateral environment platforms where the matter is already being discussed. At such platforms, there are Nationally Determined Contributions taking into account every country’s profile and historical emissions. By linking it to trade, sustainability issues should not be allowed to be used as a barrier to trade,” a source tracking the matter told businessline. The Hindu Businessline
---------
Malaysia drops plan for cross-border air pollution law
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia has dropped a plan to draft a law aimed at stopping cross-border air pollution, its environment ministry said, citing difficulties in obtaining information for prosecutions.
Almost every dry season, smoke from fires to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia blankets much of the region, leading to concern for public health as well as disruption to travel and tourism businesses.
Environment groups say countries should adopt laws to go after the plantation companies in foreign countries suspected of being responsible for the pollution.
Singapore passed such a law in 2014, aiming to hold those who cause haze both criminally and civilly liable, but Malaysia's environment ministry said in a written reply to parliament on Monday it would not go ahead with a law, citing difficulty in enforcing it. The StarMY
---------
From palm oil waste to renewable energy goldmine-MPOB
IN a world standing at the precipice of environmental catastrophe, the clarion call for sustainable practices and resource efficiency has never been louder.
The circular economy, which champions waste reduction and resource optimisation, is rapidly emerging as a powerful tool in this quest.
This article is written for two specific reasons, namely as the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) has identified bioenergy as a catalyst in the six energy transition levers and the ongoing Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) conference Pipoc 2023 aptly themed, “Navigating Uncertainties, Building Resilience” from Nov 7 to Nov 9, 2023.
At the forefront of this change are three unlikely heroes: Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Pome), Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), and the elusive Scope 2 of Scope 3 emissions.
These elements, previously marred by environmental controversies, are now poised in reshaping the future of business and sustainability in Malaysia.
Numbers tell the story best. Malaysia, one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, churns out millions of tonnes of Pome annually. By turning this waste into biogas, we’re not only abating carbon emissions but also creating a substantial source for renewable energy.
Pome’s astonishing transformation The StarMY
|
|
|
November 06, 2023
Beef, soy and palm oil products linked to deforestation still imported into UK
Campaigners accuse government of failing to stick to promises made at Cop26 climate summit in 2021
Beef, soy and palm oil products driving deforestation are still being imported into the UK, despite government promises this practice would end, data has revealed.
Campaigners have criticised the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for failing to put practices in place to stop the import of goods from areas with high deforestation rates. This is despite the government having promised at the Cop26 climate conference in 2021 to implement the rules.
The Environment Act 2021 established a ban on the use of commodities produced on illegally deforested land abroad, but this has not come into force because Defra has failed to publish the list of the commodities covered by the regime.
The former environment minister Zac Goldsmith said: “We passed the Environment Act with much fanfare, not least so we could present ourselves as a world leader at Cop26 … and it was a genuinely landmark law to cut illegal deforestation caused by commodity production from our supply chains. But there has been virtually no progress since the law passed and not a single tropical tree has yet been saved. The Guardian
---------
Nigeria-FDI: Obaseki Partners Group to Attract $100m for Oil Palm Expansion in Edo
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Edo State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sunora Foods, an Agro-based company that was expected to attract over $100 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into its oil palm business expansion.
The partnership is expected to boost trading in oil and vegetable oil to markets across the world.
Speaking shortly after the signing of the MoU between the state government and the firm at Government House in Benin City, over the weekend, the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said his administration was supportive of businesses and entrepreneurs and would continue to create enabling environment for them to thrive to achieve desire returns.
“We want to congratulate the management of Sunora Foods in the stage we have gotten to that has culminated in the signing of the MoU with our government.
“As a government we are very supportive of entrepreneurs who want to undertake meaningful investment in our state particularly in the agro-based businesses. This is not the first time we are supporting business groups that have affiliation with our state.
“I just want to implore you that you should be very diligent and also manage your expansion. We trust that with the history of your company and experience that you will manage the business and the opportunity. This Day LiveNG
---------
CPOPC Responds to Food Ingredients First
CPOPC is deeply concerned with the contents of the article entitled "Healthier and greener? Palm oil alternative partnership to scale up microalgae-based replacement" authored by Insha Naureen published in the website of Food Ingredients First (foodingredientsfirst.com) on 30 October 2023. In this regard, we are writing to correct the misconception and provide science-based evidence about the health advantages and sustainable production of palm oil for the information and benefits of the readers.
The author began the article with a conflicting statement and the article contains claims that are not supported by scientific evidence. Our question is why create an alternative or palm oil replacer in order to reduce the reliance on palm oil? This demonstrated the importance of palm oil that cannot be substituted. The article claimed that the oil produced by microalgae is nutritionally better, healthier and greener. However, these claims were not supported by any science-based evidences.
The two largest palm oil producing countries namely Indonesia and Malaysia, have been reported by the World Resources Institute to have declining rates of primary forest loss for five years in a row which show the commitment of these palm oil producing countries to conserve forest and biodiversity. More importantly, both countries focus on enhancing productivity on the existing oil palm planted areas without opening new land areas for oil palm cultivation through national policies and national sustainable certification schemes. Palm oil is the only vegetable oil subjected to the most stringent sustainable certification schemes including national schemes namely, Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) as well as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). CPOPC
Beef, soy and palm oil products linked to deforestation still imported into UK
Campaigners accuse government of failing to stick to promises made at Cop26 climate summit in 2021
Beef, soy and palm oil products driving deforestation are still being imported into the UK, despite government promises this practice would end, data has revealed.
Campaigners have criticised the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for failing to put practices in place to stop the import of goods from areas with high deforestation rates. This is despite the government having promised at the Cop26 climate conference in 2021 to implement the rules.
The Environment Act 2021 established a ban on the use of commodities produced on illegally deforested land abroad, but this has not come into force because Defra has failed to publish the list of the commodities covered by the regime.
The former environment minister Zac Goldsmith said: “We passed the Environment Act with much fanfare, not least so we could present ourselves as a world leader at Cop26 … and it was a genuinely landmark law to cut illegal deforestation caused by commodity production from our supply chains. But there has been virtually no progress since the law passed and not a single tropical tree has yet been saved. The Guardian
---------
Nigeria-FDI: Obaseki Partners Group to Attract $100m for Oil Palm Expansion in Edo
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Edo State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sunora Foods, an Agro-based company that was expected to attract over $100 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into its oil palm business expansion.
The partnership is expected to boost trading in oil and vegetable oil to markets across the world.
Speaking shortly after the signing of the MoU between the state government and the firm at Government House in Benin City, over the weekend, the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said his administration was supportive of businesses and entrepreneurs and would continue to create enabling environment for them to thrive to achieve desire returns.
“We want to congratulate the management of Sunora Foods in the stage we have gotten to that has culminated in the signing of the MoU with our government.
“As a government we are very supportive of entrepreneurs who want to undertake meaningful investment in our state particularly in the agro-based businesses. This is not the first time we are supporting business groups that have affiliation with our state.
“I just want to implore you that you should be very diligent and also manage your expansion. We trust that with the history of your company and experience that you will manage the business and the opportunity. This Day LiveNG
---------
CPOPC Responds to Food Ingredients First
CPOPC is deeply concerned with the contents of the article entitled "Healthier and greener? Palm oil alternative partnership to scale up microalgae-based replacement" authored by Insha Naureen published in the website of Food Ingredients First (foodingredientsfirst.com) on 30 October 2023. In this regard, we are writing to correct the misconception and provide science-based evidence about the health advantages and sustainable production of palm oil for the information and benefits of the readers.
The author began the article with a conflicting statement and the article contains claims that are not supported by scientific evidence. Our question is why create an alternative or palm oil replacer in order to reduce the reliance on palm oil? This demonstrated the importance of palm oil that cannot be substituted. The article claimed that the oil produced by microalgae is nutritionally better, healthier and greener. However, these claims were not supported by any science-based evidences.
The two largest palm oil producing countries namely Indonesia and Malaysia, have been reported by the World Resources Institute to have declining rates of primary forest loss for five years in a row which show the commitment of these palm oil producing countries to conserve forest and biodiversity. More importantly, both countries focus on enhancing productivity on the existing oil palm planted areas without opening new land areas for oil palm cultivation through national policies and national sustainable certification schemes. Palm oil is the only vegetable oil subjected to the most stringent sustainable certification schemes including national schemes namely, Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) as well as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). CPOPC
|
|
|
November 05, 2023
Potential for generating renewable energy from palm waste: KSP
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has the potential to process and develop palm oil waste into a new renewable energy source in the form of biomass pellets, chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP), Moeldoko, said on Saturday.
"I believe the use of biomass pellets will be adopted by other countries around the world, and we will become the main players," he added at the launch of palm oil pellets in Bogor, West Java.
In a written statement released by his office, Moeldoko said that Indonesia has great potential for palm oil pellet development, with the country's palm oil production reaching 55 million tons per year.
Palm oil produces waste in the form of plant litter, fronds or palm leaves, and palm shells, which can be processed into pellets, he added.
Meanwhile, the government has continued to improve the biomass renewable energy mix as part of efforts to achieve net zero emissions (NZE) by 2060, including by developing palm oil pellets.
According to Moeldoko, Indonesia can become a global biomass pellet market, which could also strengthen its green economy development. Antara News
--------
Palm oil producers await positive Govt response
Sri Lanka could reduce the import bill of USD 60 million spent on palm and coconut oil imports and become a palm oil exporting country if the current restrictions on oil palm plantations are lifted, said officials of the Palm Oil Producers Association.
Among the vegetable oils consumed as food in the world, palm oil is the leading type of oil.
Palm oil is one of the world’s most sustainable and economically productive crops. Only 5% of the world’s cultivated land is used for oil palm cultivation. Palm oil supplies 38% of the world’s vegetable oil supply from this 5% land area.
The secret to producing more oil with less land is that palm oil yields 10 times more per hectare than other oil crops.
“The global demand is increasing and the economic scope is expanding and Sri Lanka too should cash in on this situation by moving towards growing palm oil and then moving to exports.”
However, due one-sided unfair lobbying by pressure groups the Government which had encouraged the growing of palm oil cultivations suddenly reversed its decision and banned the replanting of palm oil.
“This decision was one-sided and we are lobbying the government to lift this ban and there is a positive response.”
The Association says that annually over 180,000-220,000 units of vegetable oil are imported. Sunday Observer
Potential for generating renewable energy from palm waste: KSP
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has the potential to process and develop palm oil waste into a new renewable energy source in the form of biomass pellets, chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP), Moeldoko, said on Saturday.
"I believe the use of biomass pellets will be adopted by other countries around the world, and we will become the main players," he added at the launch of palm oil pellets in Bogor, West Java.
In a written statement released by his office, Moeldoko said that Indonesia has great potential for palm oil pellet development, with the country's palm oil production reaching 55 million tons per year.
Palm oil produces waste in the form of plant litter, fronds or palm leaves, and palm shells, which can be processed into pellets, he added.
Meanwhile, the government has continued to improve the biomass renewable energy mix as part of efforts to achieve net zero emissions (NZE) by 2060, including by developing palm oil pellets.
According to Moeldoko, Indonesia can become a global biomass pellet market, which could also strengthen its green economy development. Antara News
--------
Palm oil producers await positive Govt response
Sri Lanka could reduce the import bill of USD 60 million spent on palm and coconut oil imports and become a palm oil exporting country if the current restrictions on oil palm plantations are lifted, said officials of the Palm Oil Producers Association.
Among the vegetable oils consumed as food in the world, palm oil is the leading type of oil.
Palm oil is one of the world’s most sustainable and economically productive crops. Only 5% of the world’s cultivated land is used for oil palm cultivation. Palm oil supplies 38% of the world’s vegetable oil supply from this 5% land area.
The secret to producing more oil with less land is that palm oil yields 10 times more per hectare than other oil crops.
“The global demand is increasing and the economic scope is expanding and Sri Lanka too should cash in on this situation by moving towards growing palm oil and then moving to exports.”
However, due one-sided unfair lobbying by pressure groups the Government which had encouraged the growing of palm oil cultivations suddenly reversed its decision and banned the replanting of palm oil.
“This decision was one-sided and we are lobbying the government to lift this ban and there is a positive response.”
The Association says that annually over 180,000-220,000 units of vegetable oil are imported. Sunday Observer
|
|
|
November 04, 2023
Indonesia's Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Program to boost productivity: BPDPKS
Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA) - The Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) has said that the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Program (PSR) is an important initiative aimed at increasing the productivity of smallholder plantations.
"The main objective of this program is to increase the income and welfare of smallholders while utilizing around 2 million hectares of potential plantation land," BPDPKS executive director Eddy Abdurrachman said at the 19th Indonesia Palm Oil Conference and 2024 Price Outlook, here on Thursday.
The PSR program has made significant progress in recent years, with at least Rp8.5 trillion (US$536 million) in funds distributed for more than 306 thousand hectares of land, benefiting more than 134 thousand smallholders, he informed.
Through the program, more than 200 thousand hectares of palm plantation land has been replanted, and over 100 thousand hectares is in the process of being cleared.
A smallholder will get Rp30 million (around US$1,850) per hectare under the replanting program, Abdurrachman said.
"This program not only addresses the financial gap, but also facilitates farmers' access to markets," he underlined. Antara News
---------
Indonesia tightens forest land management
Indonesian Forestry Ministry Secretary General Bambang Hendroyono on October 31 said that some 200,000 ha of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in the country are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests.
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Forestry Ministry Secretary General Bambang Hendroyono on October 31 said that some 200,000 ha of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in the country are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil producer and exporter, issued rules in 2020 to sort out the legality of plantations operating in areas that are supposed to be forests, aimed at fixing governance in the sector. The measures are necessary as some companies have already been tending the land for years, although green groups have attacked the government for forgiving past forest encroachment.
Companies have to submit paperwork and pay fines to obtain cultivating rights on their plantation by Nov. 2, 2023, according to the rules.
While 3.3 million ha of the country’s nearly 17 million ha of palm plantation have been found in forests, only owners of plantations with a combined size of 1.67 million ha have been identified, Bambang Hendroyono told reporters.
The government is still cataloguing which of those are found in designated production forests, meaning owners will have to pay fines but they can continue to grow palm trees, and which are in protected areas and must be returned to the state, he said. Vietnam Plus
---------
200,000 Hectares of Oil Palm Plantations to Be Converted Into Forests, Indonesia’s Government Says
The move will convert oil palm plantations on lands that are designated as forests, Reuters reported.
In 2020, the government set rules on oil palm plantations grown on designated forest lands, requiring landowners to apply and pay fines to grow oil palm trees on these lands by Nov. 2, 2023. This move has been controversial, as conservation groups say this allows companies to continue growing on forest lands.
Oil palm plantations make up about 17 million hectares in Indonesia, with 3.3 million hectares of these plantations grown on forest lands. However, this figure only includes landowners with a total of 1.67 million hectares, according to Bambang Hendroyono, forestry ministry secretary general.
Landowners with oil palm trees in designated production forests will be allowed to continue growing the crops after paying fines, while plantations found in protected forests will have to be turned over to the government for reforestation. Companies that grow oil palms illegally after the Nov. 2 deadline will be subject to legal action, Reuters reported.
An estimated 200,000 hectares will be turned over, but that number could rise depending on the government’s analysis. Pressenza
---------
India and Pakistan's Growing Reliance on Indonesian CPO Sparks Concerns
Bali. India and Pakistan heavily rely on the import of crude palm oil (CPO) from Indonesia, but export restrictions imposed last year have raised concerns in both countries about the supply of CPO from Indonesia.
In April 2022, Indonesia implemented a ban on the export of CPO due to a shortage of cooking oil in the domestic market. This move surprised India, which heavily relies on Indonesia for palm oil supplies, with imports totaling 5 million tons in 2022. The policy has since been lifted in May 2022 with the normalization of cooking oil supplies domestically.
Consumption of vegetable oil in India and Pakistan continues to rise, driven by a high population growth rate and a lack of domestic vegetable oil production. According to the Executive Director of The Solvent Extractors' Association of India, B V Mehta, vegetable oil consumption in India has seen a significant surge. Compared to 2008-2009, vegetable oil consumption in India increased from 14.1 million tons to 22.5 million tons in 2021-2022.
While domestic vegetable oil production is slowing, demand continues to rise, leading India to increase its imports. Palm oil is the primary commodity imported by India, with 60 percent of these imports coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, and a small portion from Thailand. Jakarta Globe
---------
West Papua tribe at risk of losing homeland after court ruling: NGOs
An Indigenous tribe in Indonesia is at risk of losing vast swathes of ancestral forest after a court threw out its lawsuit against a palm oil firm, rights groups say.
The Awyu tribe, whose roughly 20,000 members rely on the land for their subsistence, had sought to freeze the operations of PT Indo Asiana Lestari (PT IAL) in the eastern Indonesian province of West Papua.
But on Thursday a Papuan court upheld the firm's concession permit, which allows for the potential clearance of more than 39,000 hectares of Indigenous forest land.
"The decision... is bad news for Awyu Indigenous People who are struggling to defend their customary land," the Coalition to Save Papuan Customary Forests, made up of 10 environmental NGOs, said in a statement Thursday.
---------
Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Cidols sign MOU on glycerol derivatisation project
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 3): The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cidols Sdn Bhd for a project on the derivatisation of glycerol into glycols and olefins.
In a statement on Friday, MPOB said the MOU enables it and Cidols to hold detailed discussions on future directions and joint partnerships for technical collaboration for the value-added glycerol technology development project.
“MPOB and Cidols will jointly share technical expertise, technological know-how and market intelligence on oleochemical derivatives.
“Furthermore, the two entities will jointly explore potential research and commercial collaborations on bio-based chemicals such as glycol and alkenes/olefins and their derivatives,” it said.
MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the collaboration signifies the potential of combining expertise from different sectors to create solutions that are commercially viable and environmentally sustainable.
“The conversion of glycerol into glycols and olefins is a significant step forward in addressing global demand for these essential chemicals. The Edge Malaysia
Indonesia's Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Program to boost productivity: BPDPKS
Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA) - The Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) has said that the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Program (PSR) is an important initiative aimed at increasing the productivity of smallholder plantations.
"The main objective of this program is to increase the income and welfare of smallholders while utilizing around 2 million hectares of potential plantation land," BPDPKS executive director Eddy Abdurrachman said at the 19th Indonesia Palm Oil Conference and 2024 Price Outlook, here on Thursday.
The PSR program has made significant progress in recent years, with at least Rp8.5 trillion (US$536 million) in funds distributed for more than 306 thousand hectares of land, benefiting more than 134 thousand smallholders, he informed.
Through the program, more than 200 thousand hectares of palm plantation land has been replanted, and over 100 thousand hectares is in the process of being cleared.
A smallholder will get Rp30 million (around US$1,850) per hectare under the replanting program, Abdurrachman said.
"This program not only addresses the financial gap, but also facilitates farmers' access to markets," he underlined. Antara News
---------
Indonesia tightens forest land management
Indonesian Forestry Ministry Secretary General Bambang Hendroyono on October 31 said that some 200,000 ha of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in the country are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests.
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Forestry Ministry Secretary General Bambang Hendroyono on October 31 said that some 200,000 ha of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in the country are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil producer and exporter, issued rules in 2020 to sort out the legality of plantations operating in areas that are supposed to be forests, aimed at fixing governance in the sector. The measures are necessary as some companies have already been tending the land for years, although green groups have attacked the government for forgiving past forest encroachment.
Companies have to submit paperwork and pay fines to obtain cultivating rights on their plantation by Nov. 2, 2023, according to the rules.
While 3.3 million ha of the country’s nearly 17 million ha of palm plantation have been found in forests, only owners of plantations with a combined size of 1.67 million ha have been identified, Bambang Hendroyono told reporters.
The government is still cataloguing which of those are found in designated production forests, meaning owners will have to pay fines but they can continue to grow palm trees, and which are in protected areas and must be returned to the state, he said. Vietnam Plus
---------
200,000 Hectares of Oil Palm Plantations to Be Converted Into Forests, Indonesia’s Government Says
The move will convert oil palm plantations on lands that are designated as forests, Reuters reported.
In 2020, the government set rules on oil palm plantations grown on designated forest lands, requiring landowners to apply and pay fines to grow oil palm trees on these lands by Nov. 2, 2023. This move has been controversial, as conservation groups say this allows companies to continue growing on forest lands.
Oil palm plantations make up about 17 million hectares in Indonesia, with 3.3 million hectares of these plantations grown on forest lands. However, this figure only includes landowners with a total of 1.67 million hectares, according to Bambang Hendroyono, forestry ministry secretary general.
Landowners with oil palm trees in designated production forests will be allowed to continue growing the crops after paying fines, while plantations found in protected forests will have to be turned over to the government for reforestation. Companies that grow oil palms illegally after the Nov. 2 deadline will be subject to legal action, Reuters reported.
An estimated 200,000 hectares will be turned over, but that number could rise depending on the government’s analysis. Pressenza
---------
India and Pakistan's Growing Reliance on Indonesian CPO Sparks Concerns
Bali. India and Pakistan heavily rely on the import of crude palm oil (CPO) from Indonesia, but export restrictions imposed last year have raised concerns in both countries about the supply of CPO from Indonesia.
In April 2022, Indonesia implemented a ban on the export of CPO due to a shortage of cooking oil in the domestic market. This move surprised India, which heavily relies on Indonesia for palm oil supplies, with imports totaling 5 million tons in 2022. The policy has since been lifted in May 2022 with the normalization of cooking oil supplies domestically.
Consumption of vegetable oil in India and Pakistan continues to rise, driven by a high population growth rate and a lack of domestic vegetable oil production. According to the Executive Director of The Solvent Extractors' Association of India, B V Mehta, vegetable oil consumption in India has seen a significant surge. Compared to 2008-2009, vegetable oil consumption in India increased from 14.1 million tons to 22.5 million tons in 2021-2022.
While domestic vegetable oil production is slowing, demand continues to rise, leading India to increase its imports. Palm oil is the primary commodity imported by India, with 60 percent of these imports coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, and a small portion from Thailand. Jakarta Globe
---------
West Papua tribe at risk of losing homeland after court ruling: NGOs
An Indigenous tribe in Indonesia is at risk of losing vast swathes of ancestral forest after a court threw out its lawsuit against a palm oil firm, rights groups say.
The Awyu tribe, whose roughly 20,000 members rely on the land for their subsistence, had sought to freeze the operations of PT Indo Asiana Lestari (PT IAL) in the eastern Indonesian province of West Papua.
But on Thursday a Papuan court upheld the firm's concession permit, which allows for the potential clearance of more than 39,000 hectares of Indigenous forest land.
"The decision... is bad news for Awyu Indigenous People who are struggling to defend their customary land," the Coalition to Save Papuan Customary Forests, made up of 10 environmental NGOs, said in a statement Thursday.
---------
Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Cidols sign MOU on glycerol derivatisation project
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 3): The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cidols Sdn Bhd for a project on the derivatisation of glycerol into glycols and olefins.
In a statement on Friday, MPOB said the MOU enables it and Cidols to hold detailed discussions on future directions and joint partnerships for technical collaboration for the value-added glycerol technology development project.
“MPOB and Cidols will jointly share technical expertise, technological know-how and market intelligence on oleochemical derivatives.
“Furthermore, the two entities will jointly explore potential research and commercial collaborations on bio-based chemicals such as glycol and alkenes/olefins and their derivatives,” it said.
MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the collaboration signifies the potential of combining expertise from different sectors to create solutions that are commercially viable and environmentally sustainable.
“The conversion of glycerol into glycols and olefins is a significant step forward in addressing global demand for these essential chemicals. The Edge Malaysia
|
|
|
November 03, 2023
From Cambodia to Thailand, rubber producers brace for new EU rules
Deforestation regulation's requirement to prove sources called tough and costly
PHNOM PENH -- European Union rules aimed at stopping deforestation threaten widespread disruption for Southeast Asia's rubber sector, from Cambodia's 30,000 small farmers to major exporters in Thailand and Malaysia.
The EU's deforestation regulation (EUDR) aims to ban imports of seven commodities -- cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood items -- if they come from land that was deforested after Dec. 31, 2020.
Companies dealing in such imports will have to provide "conclusive and verifiable information" mapping their supply chains, including geolocation data for where products were grown, to ensure products are compliant. Compliance will become mandatory in December 2024 for larger companies and in June 2025 for smaller ones.
The concern for Southeast Asia, critics say, is that these requirements will disproportionately hurt small farmers while failing to adequately address rubber's role in deforestation.
Jean-Christophe Diepart, a geo-agronomist based in Cambodia, said there will be "profound implications" for the country's farmers.
"The risk is that basically the smallholders will be dropped because there are too many requirements and it's too much effort to monitor and trace the rubber they will produce," Depart said. That would just leave "large corporations who have the resources to comply." Nikkei Asia
---------
The Netherlands’ New Indo-Pacific Push – Analysis By Collins Chong Yew Keat
The visit of Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte to Malaysia signals a new strategic affiliation in capitalising on the shifting weight of economic and security returns in the region and in Europe, cementing the best future calculations to both parties. While economic, trade, business and supply chain domains will be the primary focus, the rapid changes in geostrategic and security calculations create new frontiers for deeper understanding and formation of tenets of trust and confidence in creating extended cooperation both in values-based framework and hard asset capacity of defence and total security.
Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 provides a new opening for the acceleration of a deeper economic and new energy friendly framework that will create resilient and long term lifelines and complementing factors for the EU and beyond. This translates beyond the economic realm alone, as the critical need to reassure supply chain and energy and food security will require the protection of maritime and trade domain security which will be based on the assurance of the rules based order.
The region is the next geostrategic hotspot for The Hague especially in the cornerstone of economic security and in expanding its values and security overview and perspectives which will contribute towards moulding a region that is in line with the existing status quo that has been espoused by the EU and the West as a whole.
Malaysia is seen as the gateway in the region in ensuring this tool of assurance, and the visit reflects the growing dependence on food and energy security as one of the main pillars of concerns and urgency.
New areas of cooperation that are in line with future capacities include green and new energy and cooperation in climate responsibilities and climate impact mitigation efforts.
Traditional sectors of cooperation in trade, investment, and educational and human capital development now require the efforts and influence of other domains especially in technology and food security. This leads to the areas of cooperation in agriculture and commodities, especially on palm oil that has remained a contentious issue with the EU.
he Netherlands was the largest palm oil importer among the EU countries for last year, reflecting the need to ensure continuation of assurances. It looks to palm oil as another factor in ensuring its food security sphere, and for this, new strategic adjustments and assurances are needed to both align with the EU structures and to ensure an increased stream of supply from Malaysia. For Malaysia, it needs the Netherlands as the vital partner in projecting a new perspective on the renewed and consistent efforts taken to ensure sustainability and climate friendly practices of the palm oil industry, and to portray the right messaging intent in correcting the conventional views in the EU and the larger European market.
Trade ties remain robust, where The Hague was Malaysia’s 14th largest trading partner globally and the second largest among (EU) Member States in 2022, with total trade amounting to USD10.93 billion which was an increase of 33.4 percent, as compared to USD8.68 billion in the preceding year. Eurasia Review
---------
Indonesia announces conversion of oil palm plantations into forests to combat deforestation
The government said the conversion will happen on lands that are designated as forest.
The Indonesian government announced it will convert 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) of oil palm plantations into forests. The government said the conversion will happen on lands that are designated as forest.
Indonesia is the top producer and exporter of palm oil globally with roughly 17 million hectares in oil palm plantations and 3.3 million hectares of them grown on forest lands. According to Bambang Hendroyono, forestry ministry secretary general, that number only includes landowners with a total of 1.67 million hectares.
The government said the move is in conjunction with rules issued in 2020 to “sort out the legality of plantations operating in areas that are supposed to be forests, aimed at fixing governance in the sector,” Reuters reported. Conservation groups have pressured the Indonesian government to act on the forest encroachment it accuses oil palm companies of doing.
While the government is still figuring out which plantations are in designated production forests and which are in designated forest areas, companies will be required to “submit paperwork and pay fines to obtain cultivating rights on their plantation” by today and the others are expected to return the land back to the state.
“The ones in protected forests and conservation forests, the government wants to restore after they pay the fine,” Hendroyono said.
In an effort to combat the crop’s impact on deforestation, Mahfud MD, Indonesia’s chief security minister, said he would pursue legal action against palm oil companies that use land illegally after today’s deadline. Ashley Curtin for Nation of Change
From Cambodia to Thailand, rubber producers brace for new EU rules
Deforestation regulation's requirement to prove sources called tough and costly
PHNOM PENH -- European Union rules aimed at stopping deforestation threaten widespread disruption for Southeast Asia's rubber sector, from Cambodia's 30,000 small farmers to major exporters in Thailand and Malaysia.
The EU's deforestation regulation (EUDR) aims to ban imports of seven commodities -- cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood items -- if they come from land that was deforested after Dec. 31, 2020.
Companies dealing in such imports will have to provide "conclusive and verifiable information" mapping their supply chains, including geolocation data for where products were grown, to ensure products are compliant. Compliance will become mandatory in December 2024 for larger companies and in June 2025 for smaller ones.
The concern for Southeast Asia, critics say, is that these requirements will disproportionately hurt small farmers while failing to adequately address rubber's role in deforestation.
Jean-Christophe Diepart, a geo-agronomist based in Cambodia, said there will be "profound implications" for the country's farmers.
"The risk is that basically the smallholders will be dropped because there are too many requirements and it's too much effort to monitor and trace the rubber they will produce," Depart said. That would just leave "large corporations who have the resources to comply." Nikkei Asia
---------
The Netherlands’ New Indo-Pacific Push – Analysis By Collins Chong Yew Keat
The visit of Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte to Malaysia signals a new strategic affiliation in capitalising on the shifting weight of economic and security returns in the region and in Europe, cementing the best future calculations to both parties. While economic, trade, business and supply chain domains will be the primary focus, the rapid changes in geostrategic and security calculations create new frontiers for deeper understanding and formation of tenets of trust and confidence in creating extended cooperation both in values-based framework and hard asset capacity of defence and total security.
Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 provides a new opening for the acceleration of a deeper economic and new energy friendly framework that will create resilient and long term lifelines and complementing factors for the EU and beyond. This translates beyond the economic realm alone, as the critical need to reassure supply chain and energy and food security will require the protection of maritime and trade domain security which will be based on the assurance of the rules based order.
The region is the next geostrategic hotspot for The Hague especially in the cornerstone of economic security and in expanding its values and security overview and perspectives which will contribute towards moulding a region that is in line with the existing status quo that has been espoused by the EU and the West as a whole.
Malaysia is seen as the gateway in the region in ensuring this tool of assurance, and the visit reflects the growing dependence on food and energy security as one of the main pillars of concerns and urgency.
New areas of cooperation that are in line with future capacities include green and new energy and cooperation in climate responsibilities and climate impact mitigation efforts.
Traditional sectors of cooperation in trade, investment, and educational and human capital development now require the efforts and influence of other domains especially in technology and food security. This leads to the areas of cooperation in agriculture and commodities, especially on palm oil that has remained a contentious issue with the EU.
he Netherlands was the largest palm oil importer among the EU countries for last year, reflecting the need to ensure continuation of assurances. It looks to palm oil as another factor in ensuring its food security sphere, and for this, new strategic adjustments and assurances are needed to both align with the EU structures and to ensure an increased stream of supply from Malaysia. For Malaysia, it needs the Netherlands as the vital partner in projecting a new perspective on the renewed and consistent efforts taken to ensure sustainability and climate friendly practices of the palm oil industry, and to portray the right messaging intent in correcting the conventional views in the EU and the larger European market.
Trade ties remain robust, where The Hague was Malaysia’s 14th largest trading partner globally and the second largest among (EU) Member States in 2022, with total trade amounting to USD10.93 billion which was an increase of 33.4 percent, as compared to USD8.68 billion in the preceding year. Eurasia Review
---------
Indonesia announces conversion of oil palm plantations into forests to combat deforestation
The government said the conversion will happen on lands that are designated as forest.
The Indonesian government announced it will convert 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) of oil palm plantations into forests. The government said the conversion will happen on lands that are designated as forest.
Indonesia is the top producer and exporter of palm oil globally with roughly 17 million hectares in oil palm plantations and 3.3 million hectares of them grown on forest lands. According to Bambang Hendroyono, forestry ministry secretary general, that number only includes landowners with a total of 1.67 million hectares.
The government said the move is in conjunction with rules issued in 2020 to “sort out the legality of plantations operating in areas that are supposed to be forests, aimed at fixing governance in the sector,” Reuters reported. Conservation groups have pressured the Indonesian government to act on the forest encroachment it accuses oil palm companies of doing.
While the government is still figuring out which plantations are in designated production forests and which are in designated forest areas, companies will be required to “submit paperwork and pay fines to obtain cultivating rights on their plantation” by today and the others are expected to return the land back to the state.
“The ones in protected forests and conservation forests, the government wants to restore after they pay the fine,” Hendroyono said.
In an effort to combat the crop’s impact on deforestation, Mahfud MD, Indonesia’s chief security minister, said he would pursue legal action against palm oil companies that use land illegally after today’s deadline. Ashley Curtin for Nation of Change
|
|
|
November 02, 2023
Palm oil industry contributes to food and energy resilience in Indonesia
Bali (ANTARA) - The palm oil industry in Indonesia has contributed to the country's food and energy resilience, created productive job opportunities, and helped supply consumption goods, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated.
"In addition, the palm oil industry has contributed to the efforts to alleviate poverty among farmers in villages, including smallholders," the minister said in his opening remarks for the 19th Indonesian Palm Oil Conference (IPOC) and 2024 Price Outlook in Bali on Thursday.
Hartarto noted that the ongoing food crisis, triggered by extreme weather and economic slowdown, had significantly affected the palm oil industry, which is an inseparable part of the global economy.
Bearing that in mind, he encouraged participants of the 19th IPOC to make the most of the conference to discuss and formulate strategies for overcoming the food crisis.
The minister then highlighted that the contributions of the palm oil industry to national socio-economic development have been consistent with Indonesia's environmental preservation targets expected to be achieved by 2030. Antara News
---------
Strategy needed to maintain palm oil industry's competitiveness: GAPKI
Bali (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) underlined the need to take strategic steps to maintain competitiveness of the country's palm oil industry by strengthening sustainable palm oil production.
"We hope that the Indonesian government can take wise steps to maintain the competitiveness of the palm oil industry by strengthening sustainable palm oil production," GAPKI Chairman Eddy Martono stated at the 19th Indonesia Palm Oil Conference and 2024 Price Outlook (IPOC) here, Thursday.
According to Martono, the domestic palm oil industry's performance in 2023 would not be better than the previous year, including in terms of the prices.
However, the commodity is expected to show a bullish trend in 2024 due to several factors, such as the El Nino phenomenon this year that will affect production.
On the other hand, he remarked that Indonesia, as the largest producer of palm oil, has experienced production stagnation in recent years due to slow replanting by farmers.
Indonesia's CPO production in 2023 is expected to rise by around one million tons from last year's 46.7 million tons, according to the association. Antara News
---------
Indonesia to continue palm oil domestic market obligation policy into 2024
NUSA DUA, Indonesia: Indonesia will continue its domestic market obligation (DMO) for palm oil into 2024 to maintain price stability of cooking oil, Trade Ministry official Isy Karim said on Thursday.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer, imposed the DMO policy last year to rein in soaring prices of cooking oil. Under the scheme, producers are only allowed to export once they have sold a portion of their products to the domestic market.
The ratio of exports to domestic sales will also be maintained at the current level, where palm oil companies are allowed to export four times the volume they have sold through the DMO mechanism, Isy told an industry conference in Indonesia's Bali island.
He said there were still occasional shortages of cheap cooking oil in the domestic market and prices in the eastern, more remote parts of Indonesia are above the government-imposed price cap of 14,000 rupiah ($0.8836) per litre. - Reuters/ TheStarMY
---------
Malaysia records RM41b palm oil exports in first eight months of 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s palm oil exports stood at 9.66 million tonnes, equivalent to RM40.51 billion during the first eight months of 2023 (8M 2023), said the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK).
The ministry said India was Malaysia’s main palm oil importer, importing 1.81 million tonnes or RM7.08 billion worth of palm oil during the period.
“China is the second largest importer at RM3.30 billion (0.85 million tonnes), followed by the European Union (EU) (RM3.10 billion, 0.71 million tonnes),“ KPK said in a written reply to a question from Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN-Padang Serai) in the Dewan Rakyat, published on the Parliament’s website today.
Azman had asked about Malaysian palm oil exports by country based on ringgit value and tonnage.
The ministry said that based on the data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, the major importers of Malaysian palm oil were India, China, the EU, Turkiye, Kenya, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. The Sun Daily
---------
Palm oil industry, cooperation on AI among matters discussed between Malaysian and Dutch PMs
KUALA LUMPUR: Issues surrounding the palm oil industry and cooperation in several industries, including artificial intelligence (AI) development, were among several matters discussed when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received a courtesy call from his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya near here today.
Rutte is in Malaysia since yesterday for a two-day-long working visit to Malaysia.
This is his second visit to the country after the first one about nine years ago.
In a statement shared on his social media account, Anwar said both leaders discussed potential cooperation between Malaysia and the Netherlands in semi-conductor technology.
"I received a courtesy call from my counterpart from the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, at the Seri Perdana Complex here today in conjunction with his working visit to Malaysia.
"Such a platform, including a four-eye meeting, is important to discuss and identify ways to strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the Netherlands. New Straits Times
---------
HD Hyundai Oilbank Accelerates Bio-Business: Secures Raw Material Supply Chain
HD Hyundai Oilbank announced on Oct. 31 that they have signed contracts to purchase approximately 40,000 tons of Palm Fatty Acid Distillates (PFAD) each year from the Korindo Group and LX International, totaling around 80,000 tons.
Ahead of the commercial operation of a biodiesel plant with an annual capacity of 130,000 tons by the end of this year, HD Hyundai Oilbank secured a stable biological raw material supply chain through this contract. In addition to PFAD, HD Hyundai Oilbank plans to recycle discarded edible oils for use as raw materials in the biodiesel plant.
A signing ceremony was held at the Korindo Group headquarters in Indonesia, attended by key figures including Joo Young-min, CEO of HD Hyundai Oilbank, and Seung Beom-su, chairman of the Korindo Group. The two companies agreed to collaborate not only on bio-material supply but also on the utilization of wood pellets (wood processing by-products) and carbon reduction measures through forestry projects. Business Korea
---------
Palm oil industry contributes to food and energy resilience in Indonesia
Bali (ANTARA) - The palm oil industry in Indonesia has contributed to the country's food and energy resilience, created productive job opportunities, and helped supply consumption goods, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated.
"In addition, the palm oil industry has contributed to the efforts to alleviate poverty among farmers in villages, including smallholders," the minister said in his opening remarks for the 19th Indonesian Palm Oil Conference (IPOC) and 2024 Price Outlook in Bali on Thursday.
Hartarto noted that the ongoing food crisis, triggered by extreme weather and economic slowdown, had significantly affected the palm oil industry, which is an inseparable part of the global economy.
Bearing that in mind, he encouraged participants of the 19th IPOC to make the most of the conference to discuss and formulate strategies for overcoming the food crisis.
The minister then highlighted that the contributions of the palm oil industry to national socio-economic development have been consistent with Indonesia's environmental preservation targets expected to be achieved by 2030. Antara News
---------
Strategy needed to maintain palm oil industry's competitiveness: GAPKI
Bali (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) underlined the need to take strategic steps to maintain competitiveness of the country's palm oil industry by strengthening sustainable palm oil production.
"We hope that the Indonesian government can take wise steps to maintain the competitiveness of the palm oil industry by strengthening sustainable palm oil production," GAPKI Chairman Eddy Martono stated at the 19th Indonesia Palm Oil Conference and 2024 Price Outlook (IPOC) here, Thursday.
According to Martono, the domestic palm oil industry's performance in 2023 would not be better than the previous year, including in terms of the prices.
However, the commodity is expected to show a bullish trend in 2024 due to several factors, such as the El Nino phenomenon this year that will affect production.
On the other hand, he remarked that Indonesia, as the largest producer of palm oil, has experienced production stagnation in recent years due to slow replanting by farmers.
Indonesia's CPO production in 2023 is expected to rise by around one million tons from last year's 46.7 million tons, according to the association. Antara News
---------
Indonesia to continue palm oil domestic market obligation policy into 2024
NUSA DUA, Indonesia: Indonesia will continue its domestic market obligation (DMO) for palm oil into 2024 to maintain price stability of cooking oil, Trade Ministry official Isy Karim said on Thursday.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer, imposed the DMO policy last year to rein in soaring prices of cooking oil. Under the scheme, producers are only allowed to export once they have sold a portion of their products to the domestic market.
The ratio of exports to domestic sales will also be maintained at the current level, where palm oil companies are allowed to export four times the volume they have sold through the DMO mechanism, Isy told an industry conference in Indonesia's Bali island.
He said there were still occasional shortages of cheap cooking oil in the domestic market and prices in the eastern, more remote parts of Indonesia are above the government-imposed price cap of 14,000 rupiah ($0.8836) per litre. - Reuters/ TheStarMY
---------
Malaysia records RM41b palm oil exports in first eight months of 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s palm oil exports stood at 9.66 million tonnes, equivalent to RM40.51 billion during the first eight months of 2023 (8M 2023), said the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK).
The ministry said India was Malaysia’s main palm oil importer, importing 1.81 million tonnes or RM7.08 billion worth of palm oil during the period.
“China is the second largest importer at RM3.30 billion (0.85 million tonnes), followed by the European Union (EU) (RM3.10 billion, 0.71 million tonnes),“ KPK said in a written reply to a question from Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN-Padang Serai) in the Dewan Rakyat, published on the Parliament’s website today.
Azman had asked about Malaysian palm oil exports by country based on ringgit value and tonnage.
The ministry said that based on the data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, the major importers of Malaysian palm oil were India, China, the EU, Turkiye, Kenya, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. The Sun Daily
---------
Palm oil industry, cooperation on AI among matters discussed between Malaysian and Dutch PMs
KUALA LUMPUR: Issues surrounding the palm oil industry and cooperation in several industries, including artificial intelligence (AI) development, were among several matters discussed when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received a courtesy call from his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya near here today.
Rutte is in Malaysia since yesterday for a two-day-long working visit to Malaysia.
This is his second visit to the country after the first one about nine years ago.
In a statement shared on his social media account, Anwar said both leaders discussed potential cooperation between Malaysia and the Netherlands in semi-conductor technology.
"I received a courtesy call from my counterpart from the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, at the Seri Perdana Complex here today in conjunction with his working visit to Malaysia.
"Such a platform, including a four-eye meeting, is important to discuss and identify ways to strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the Netherlands. New Straits Times
---------
HD Hyundai Oilbank Accelerates Bio-Business: Secures Raw Material Supply Chain
HD Hyundai Oilbank announced on Oct. 31 that they have signed contracts to purchase approximately 40,000 tons of Palm Fatty Acid Distillates (PFAD) each year from the Korindo Group and LX International, totaling around 80,000 tons.
Ahead of the commercial operation of a biodiesel plant with an annual capacity of 130,000 tons by the end of this year, HD Hyundai Oilbank secured a stable biological raw material supply chain through this contract. In addition to PFAD, HD Hyundai Oilbank plans to recycle discarded edible oils for use as raw materials in the biodiesel plant.
A signing ceremony was held at the Korindo Group headquarters in Indonesia, attended by key figures including Joo Young-min, CEO of HD Hyundai Oilbank, and Seung Beom-su, chairman of the Korindo Group. The two companies agreed to collaborate not only on bio-material supply but also on the utilization of wood pellets (wood processing by-products) and carbon reduction measures through forestry projects. Business Korea
---------
|
|
|
November 01, 2023
The Netherlands agrees to support Malaysia at December MSPO meeting
BANGI: The Netherlands has agreed to support Malaysia at the second meeting regarding the European Union's Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) this December, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte today, Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said they had discussed how the Netherlands can provide its support in the context of providing rationales and the best solutions to the issue.
"This includes how they (the EU) can recognise the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme that we had developed and made mandatory for our entire palm oil production sector.
"We hope that the EU will also agree to recognise the MPSO as an EUDR audit process at the meeting, which would help the palm oil industry," he told reporters today, adding that the EUDR will come into effect within 18 months after being approved by the European Parliament. The StarMY
---------
Indonesia, Netherlands step up coooperation
Indonesia and the Netherlands announced a Plan of Actions (PoA) of the Comprehensive Partnership for 2024-2025, which will serve as a roadmap for continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations, in Jakarta on October 31.
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia and the Netherlands announced a Plan of Actions (PoA) of the Comprehensive Partnership for 2024-2025, which will serve as a roadmap for continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations, in Jakarta on October 31.
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cyberspace cooperation on the same day.
Speaking at a joint press conference with her Dutch counterpart Hanke BruinsSlot, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stressed that the Netherlands is one of the most important partners of her country.
According to Marsudi, the Netherlands is now Indonesia's second largest trading partner in Europe. Last year, bilateral trade reached a record high of 6.23 billion USD. The Netherlands is the biggest European investor in Indonesia with a total value of projects of more than 15.5 billion USD since 2013, with an average annual increase of 15.8%.
Marsudi highly valued constructive efforts of the Netherlands through the NI-SCOPS programme and the SustainPalm project to promote sustainable palm oil cooperation. Vietnam Plus
---------
Hyundai Oilbank renews push for biofuel business
HD Hyundai Oilbank announced Tuesday that it has signed two new agreements to secure some 80,000 tons annually of palm fatty acid distillates, a key renewable raw material for biodiesel production, as part of its push to propel its biofuel business.
Through the latest deals, Hyundai has managed to stabilize and bolster the supply chain for its biodiesel plant with a total annual capacity of 130,000 tons, set to be operational by the end of this year, the company added.
In an agreement inked with Korindo Group, a South Korean firm based in Indonesia, Hyundai secured 40,000 tons of PFAD annually, while also agreeing to cooperate on various projects in the biomass business and in reforestation projects designed to curb carbon emissions.
Korindo Group, founded in 1969, is a leading company in the palm industry in Indonesia with a diverse business portfolio encompassing paper manufacturing, palm trading and logistics.
“We highly anticipate great synergy with Korindo Group (which has) expertise in diverse business areas. Through this partnership, we will explore various collaboration opportunities, not just limited to the field of PFAD,” HD Hyundai Oilbank CEO Chu Young-min said.
Hyundai secured an additional supply of PFAD through a separate purchase deal signed with LX International, another Korean firm that has a strong foothold in Indonesia’s palm industry. The company currently owns a palm tree farm spanning 24,000 hectares and is actively engaged in the local palm oil distribution businesses.
In recent years, Hyundai has been ramping up its efforts to expand its presence in the biofuel business, identifying it as its new growth engine.
By 2025, it aims to complete a plant for eco-friendly bio-jet fuel, with a total annual capacity of 500,000 tons. Korea Herald
The Netherlands agrees to support Malaysia at December MSPO meeting
BANGI: The Netherlands has agreed to support Malaysia at the second meeting regarding the European Union's Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) this December, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte today, Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said they had discussed how the Netherlands can provide its support in the context of providing rationales and the best solutions to the issue.
"This includes how they (the EU) can recognise the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme that we had developed and made mandatory for our entire palm oil production sector.
"We hope that the EU will also agree to recognise the MPSO as an EUDR audit process at the meeting, which would help the palm oil industry," he told reporters today, adding that the EUDR will come into effect within 18 months after being approved by the European Parliament. The StarMY
---------
Indonesia, Netherlands step up coooperation
Indonesia and the Netherlands announced a Plan of Actions (PoA) of the Comprehensive Partnership for 2024-2025, which will serve as a roadmap for continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations, in Jakarta on October 31.
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia and the Netherlands announced a Plan of Actions (PoA) of the Comprehensive Partnership for 2024-2025, which will serve as a roadmap for continued partnership and collaboration between the two nations, in Jakarta on October 31.
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cyberspace cooperation on the same day.
Speaking at a joint press conference with her Dutch counterpart Hanke BruinsSlot, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stressed that the Netherlands is one of the most important partners of her country.
According to Marsudi, the Netherlands is now Indonesia's second largest trading partner in Europe. Last year, bilateral trade reached a record high of 6.23 billion USD. The Netherlands is the biggest European investor in Indonesia with a total value of projects of more than 15.5 billion USD since 2013, with an average annual increase of 15.8%.
Marsudi highly valued constructive efforts of the Netherlands through the NI-SCOPS programme and the SustainPalm project to promote sustainable palm oil cooperation. Vietnam Plus
---------
Hyundai Oilbank renews push for biofuel business
HD Hyundai Oilbank announced Tuesday that it has signed two new agreements to secure some 80,000 tons annually of palm fatty acid distillates, a key renewable raw material for biodiesel production, as part of its push to propel its biofuel business.
Through the latest deals, Hyundai has managed to stabilize and bolster the supply chain for its biodiesel plant with a total annual capacity of 130,000 tons, set to be operational by the end of this year, the company added.
In an agreement inked with Korindo Group, a South Korean firm based in Indonesia, Hyundai secured 40,000 tons of PFAD annually, while also agreeing to cooperate on various projects in the biomass business and in reforestation projects designed to curb carbon emissions.
Korindo Group, founded in 1969, is a leading company in the palm industry in Indonesia with a diverse business portfolio encompassing paper manufacturing, palm trading and logistics.
“We highly anticipate great synergy with Korindo Group (which has) expertise in diverse business areas. Through this partnership, we will explore various collaboration opportunities, not just limited to the field of PFAD,” HD Hyundai Oilbank CEO Chu Young-min said.
Hyundai secured an additional supply of PFAD through a separate purchase deal signed with LX International, another Korean firm that has a strong foothold in Indonesia’s palm industry. The company currently owns a palm tree farm spanning 24,000 hectares and is actively engaged in the local palm oil distribution businesses.
In recent years, Hyundai has been ramping up its efforts to expand its presence in the biofuel business, identifying it as its new growth engine.
By 2025, it aims to complete a plant for eco-friendly bio-jet fuel, with a total annual capacity of 500,000 tons. Korea Herald
|
|
|
CSPO Watch. November 2023