Headline News on Palm Oil - July 2020

Read curated news that impacts the palm oil industry globally.
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European Union/ WTO - Palm oil producers step up action against EU policies
Southeast Asian palm oil producers are increasing their efforts against the EU to allow use of their product for biofuels mandates.
Indonesia is scheduled to lodge its second request to set up a panel at the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) next Dispute Settlement Body meeting on 29 July against EU proposals to phase out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030.
The request is almost certain to be accepted, unless all members at the meeting agree to reject it, which is unlikely given fellow palm oil producer Malaysia is supporting Indonesia. ArgusMedia
Southeast Asian palm oil producers are increasing their efforts against the EU to allow use of their product for biofuels mandates.
Indonesia is scheduled to lodge its second request to set up a panel at the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) next Dispute Settlement Body meeting on 29 July against EU proposals to phase out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030.
The request is almost certain to be accepted, unless all members at the meeting agree to reject it, which is unlikely given fellow palm oil producer Malaysia is supporting Indonesia. ArgusMedia
Indonesia - JAKARTA, July 30 (Reuters) - Indonesia's plans to raise the bio-content of its palm oil-based biodiesel to 40% - known as B40 - is back on schedule with a target for implementation by July 2021, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Thursday.
Indonesia, which has been increasing the palm oil content of its biodiesel since 2015, wants to cut its energy imports and increase consumption of palm oil. Agriculture |
Global - The ‘boycott palm oil’ approach has become a staple strategy in parts of the global environment movement, especially in the West. The idea is that by ceasing consumption of palm oil, Western consumers can directly contribute to reducing deforestation by alleviating the demand that is driving the expansion of palm oil plantations.
The problem is that several studies in recent years have shown that this strategy is not only unlikely to work, it is instead likely to have devastating environmental consequences. TheEcologist |
Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia, the world’s second largest palm oil producer and exporter, has said it will fight growing anti-palm oil sentiment around the world with a new slogan: “Palm oil is God’s gift”.
A Malaysian government official said on Tuesday the country would use the slogan, first introduced last week at a national level, internationally to fight widespread criticism about palm oil’s negative impact on the environment. Reuters |
Colombia - Colombian petroleum company Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) along with the Industrial University of Santander and SENA, Colombia’s community college system have launched a research and prototyping project to commercialize the use of Colombian palm oil in high end cosmetic products.Colombia has over a thousand oil palm growers cultivating 215,000 acres of oil palm trees and employing 28,000 direct and indirect workers. FinanceColombia
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Europe - European used cooking oil (UCO) buyers are urging collectors in Asia-Pacific and South America to exercise caution to prevent product contamination.
Last week, authorities in Spain ordered increased auditing for any biodiesel imported to or used in the country. A broker said EU customs authorities are tightening checks on UCO imports because of product being mixed with either pure animal fats or palm oil. ArgusMedia |
Nigeria - Nigeria’s agriculture firm, Okomu Oil Palm Plc, has recorded N4.007 billion as profit after tax in H1, 2020. This is an increase when compared to the N2.529 billion posted by the firm during the corresponding period of 2019.Okomu oil, in its H1 2020 unaudited financial statements which was released via the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s website, revealed a total turnover of N13.527 billion. This is a 57.92% increase compared to N8.566 billion recorded during the same period in 2019. NairaMetrics
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Malaysia - Sime Darby Plantation, one of the world’s largest palm oil companies, has withdrawn from the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA), a methodology companies use to implement commitments to stop cutting down forests.
The Kuala Lumpur-headquartered company said that budgetary constraints brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic prompted its departure from the HCSA, of which it was a steering committee member. Sime Darby’s head of group sustainability, Rashyid Anwarudin, told Eco-Business that that the company has had to assess all of its sustainability activities and platforms since the coronavirus outbreak, and undergo a “prioritisation process”. EcoBusiness |
Malaysia - PETALING JAYA: The recent freeze on the new intake of foreign workers and higher levy on companies with a larger percentage of foreign workers are putting an additional burden on the plantation industry, says the Malaysian Agricultural Producers Association (MAPA).
President Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said to stay competitive, the local industry will need to improve on its productivity, and have sustainable prices and cost of production. “All these can only be achieved if the plantation companies have sufficient numbers and a timely supply of foreign workers, ” he said in his speech at MAPA’s 54th AGM yesterday. TheStarMy |
Russia locks onto Southeast Asia to boost arms sales
Flexible payment options help win orders outside US-China divide JAKARTA/MOSCOW -- Battered by protracted Western sanctions, Russia has intensified efforts to sell arms to Southeast Asia, looking to lift its economy and diversify diplomatic relations in an increasingly polarized world. Lyudmila Vorobieva, Moscow's ambassador to Jakarta, expressed high hopes this month for Indonesian purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets. The Southeast Asian country had signed a contract to buy 11 of these planes for the equivalent of $1.1 billion back in 2018, though the U.S. has hinted at sanctions on Indonesia should the deal go through. NikkeiAsianReview |
Malaysia - KUALA TERENGGANU (July 27): Terengganu state government's subsidiary TDM Bhd will continue to prioritise sustainable and profitable growth for both its core segments — plantation and healthcare.
Chairman Raja Datuk Idris Raja Kamarudin said the financial year ending Dec 31, 2020 (FY20) would be full of challenges and the group would strive to manage factors under its control. "Aimed on improving efficiencies and becoming output driven, we have formulated Business Development Plan and Value Creation Plan to achieve the desired results," he said in a statement in conjunction with the company's virtual annual general meeting today which saw shareholders approving all the resolutions tabled. TheEdgeMarkets |
India - Sustainable Practices In Palm Oil Industry To Accelerate India’s Green Recovery And Atma Nirbharta
India is the second largest consumer of palm oil, accounting for approximately 19% of the world’s palm oil imports. Of the 9.3 million metric tonnes consumed in 2019, 94% is for food use such as cooking oil, snacks and processed products. This represents a 200% increase in domestic consumption over the last 20 years. The boom mirrors India’s economic trajectory. With steady growth over the past fifty years, more and more households are able to afford food items that contain palm oil. BusinessWorldIndia |
Sri Lanka - Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC, one of the leading high grown tea plantation companies, is diversifying into specialty tea varieties, spices, timber plantations and oil palm cultivations, said ICRA Lanka in a rating report on the company.
The producer of high quality Ceylon Tea to the world in flavoured, herbal and bulk forms may be trying to put its stamp on other sectors using its strong track record and reputation in the industry. DailyMirrorLK |
India - Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the farmers in North-East States to take up oil palm cultivation with an aim to make India self-sufficient in edible oils. The Prime Minister recommended the State governments of N-E region to set up oil palm missions in their respective States to promote cultivation of the oilseed. TheHindu
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India - KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 -- India will remain the main export destination for the world's top largest palm oil producers -- Indonesia and Malaysia, for the foreseeable future given the time taken for India to get its agriculture sector upgraded and modernised, Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said. Bernama
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Indonesia to test palm oil in 'green' jet fuel by year-end
JAKARTA, July 23 (Reuters) - Indonesian state oil company PT Pertamina is set to test the production of jet fuel made up of 3% palm oil by the end of the year, Chief Executive Nicke Widyawati said on Thursday. The comments come a week after the company announced its first batch of biodiesel using feedstock of 100% palm (D100) in its Dumai refinery, saying it would produce 1,000 barrels per day (bpd). MarketScreener |
Rapeseed oil remains primary feedstock for German biodiesel
The 2020 rapeseed harvest will likely once more be lower than average, but this is not due to shrinking demand, according to Germany’s Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP), referring to the German biodiesel industry’s feedstock requirements. In 2019, the industry produced 3.4 million tons (1.02 billion gallons) of biodiesel, of which about 1.9 million tons were based on rapeseed oil. BiodieselMagazine |
Malaysia - Govt forming legal team to deal with palm oil discrimination
THE government is forming a cabinet-approved legal team to take action against the European Union’s (EU) anti-palm oil campaign via a dispute settlement mechanism under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry is taking proactive action to safeguard the oil palm industry, which includes promoting palm oil nutrition at the international level. TheMalaysianReserve |
Brazil - Brasil Biofuels expands Amazon power generation
Biodiesel and power generation company Brasil Biofuels (BBF) was authorized to begin commercial operations at its 18th biodiesel-fired thermoelectric plant, further reducing the carbon footprint of power generation in the Amazon basin. The company has been a pioneer in integrating biodiesel production and power generation in a region of the country that is highly dependent on diesel transported in from a long distance. ArgusMedia |
Liberia - House of Representatives Approves Investment Incentive Agreement for Crude Oil Palm Refinery Construction in Liberia
Monrovia — A Seven-year tax break (Investment Incentive Agreement) in favor of Fouani Brothers Corporation for the construction and operations of a crude oil palm refinery was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 16, 2020. Plenary took the decision based on a recommendation by its specialized committee headed by Rep. Richard Koon (District #11, Montserrado County). AllAfrica |
Malaysia - MP Evans Agrees Sale Of Land In Malaysia For USD23.5 Million
MP Evans Group PLC - Indonesian palm oil producer - Agrees to dispose 70 hectares of land in Malaysia for USD23.5 million, in line with the valuation in its 2019 annual report. The proceeds will support investment in its Indonesian oil palm projects. The sale consideration will be paid in cash over a three-year period, with a 10% deposit on signing the agreement lodged with the group's solicitor, 50% of the consideration to be paid after satisfaction of the sale conditions, a further 10% in January 2022 and the balance in July 2023. This disposal is in line with MP Evans's strategy to realise its Malaysian assets for investment in new oil palm projects. Morningstar |
Nepal - Nepal's refiners struggle as India stops refined palm oil imports
KATHMANDU/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Edible oil refiners in Nepal have all but stopped buying crude palm oil amid surging domestic stockpiles after top buyer India suspended most imports of refined oil from the country, industry officials told Reuters. New Delhi in May suspended 39 oil import licences to slow duty-free shipments from neighbouring nations, disrupting refiners in Nepal which had thrived thanks to preferential access to India’s huge market. Reuters |
Sierra Leone - Boosting Oil Palm Farming in Sierra Leone--Teachers and Army Officers Rise to the Challenge
Farming in Daru, a town in the Kailahun district of Sierra Leone has long been the preserve of the uneducated. But thanks to some teachers and army officers in the community, the status quo is changing. Engaged in oil palm cultivation, the two groups are determined to shape the narrative and to help boost oil palm production in the country. Solidaridad through its Sustainable West Africa Palm Oil Programme (SWAPP) AllAfrica |
Indonesia - Pertamina pilots palm oil-based 'green diesel' production
State-owned oil giant Pertamina has produced its first-ever batch of palm oil-based “green diesel” in its refinery in Dumai, Riau. Trial production hit 1,000 barrels per day (bpd) from July 2 to 9, said Pertamina in a statement on July 15. The test proves the Dumai oil refinery is technically capable of producing such a biodiesel. JakartaPost |
Democratic Republic of Congo - TORONTO, July 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Feronia Inc. (“Feronia” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: FRN) today announces that, further to its announcement on May 22, 2020 and the subsequent third party sale process announced on June 2, 2020, it has today entered into a definitive purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Straight KKM 2 Ltd. (“KKM” or the “Purchaser”) that provides for the acquisition by KKM of the Company’s direct and indirect equity interests in its operating subsidiary, Plantations et Huileries du Congo (“PHC”). GlobeNewsWire
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Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia is losing up to 25% of its potential palm oil yield due to a labour shortage that is expected to worsen in the coming months, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) said on Monday.
The group, which represents plantation firms, said the government’s decision to freeze the recruitment of new foreign workers until December could lead to the “demise” of the industry. Reuters |
Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR (July 20): Merger and acquisition (M&A) activities in Malaysian plantations stood at almost RM1 billion in the first half of the year (1H20) largely due to a scarcity of land, said Maybank Investment Bank.
In a note today, its analyst Ong Chee Ting said new planting has slowed drastically in recent years due to weak investment case as well as lack of plantable reserves. TheEdgeMarkets |
Nigeria - Preserving forex reserves, raising local capacity through import substitution
For decades, successive governments in Nigerian resorted to protective measures, including import restrictions and exchange rate control, to manage its foreign exchange (forex) market, and deal with the problems of import and oil dependency. GuardianNG |
Ghana - The Minerals Commission in collaboration with the Birim Central Municipal Assembly has presented 20, 000 oil palm seedlings free of charge to farmers in 11 communities in the Akyem Oda Constituency.
The communities are made up of Aboabo, Oda Community 6, Gyadam, Essam, Yeboakrom, Larbikrom, Oda Nkwanta, Odasco and among others. ModernGhana |
EU - Asian palm oil producers offers to work with EU as it readies new food rules
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Asian palm oil producers, long at loggerheads with the European Union over curbs on imports of the edible oil, have offered to "work together" with the European Commission in drafting rules for the EU's latest 'Farm to Fork' food supply policy. The EU, a major palm importer, has already decided to phase out palm-based transport fuels from its renewable energy sector by 2030, citing the environmental impact of the oil's production, and is expected to set new limits on food contaminant 3-MCPD esters, found in refined fats and oils. In a statement late on Thursday, the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), led by top producers Indonesia and Malaysia, said, "The Farm to Fork strategy recently launched by the European Commission offers a major opportunity for us all to work together and further improve sustainability standards." Reuters |
Procter & Gamble - Procter & Gamble announced plans to go beyond their existing science-based target of reducing emissions from operations 50% by 2030 to have global operations become carbon neutral for the next decade. The consumer goods corporation wants to get there by investing in a portfolio of “natural climate solutions.”
In May 2018, P&G committed to reducing emissions from operations against a 2010 base year. According to the Science Based Targets initiative, this target includes addressing the main source of emissions across the company’s value chain through measures like ensuring that 70% of all washing machine loads are washed in cold water, doubling post-consumer resin use in plastic packaging, and ensuring zero deforestation in the palm oil supply chain. EnvironmentalLeader |
Indonesia/Philippines - Mars Incorporated joins key sustainable farming project for Asian palm oil and cocoa markets
The global Mars, Incorporated group has joined with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), for a five-year research-in-development project, Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes (SFITAL), to support small-scale Indonesian and Philippines palm oil and cocoa producers. As the business noted, it is aiming to explore environmentally sustainable ways to create greater links for farming communities to global supply chains, given that many of the world’s 500 million farmers living in poverty, as well as facing disruption from a number of major issues. These include climate change, increasing demand for food from growing populations, and degrading agricultural and natural landscapes. ConfectioneryProduction |
Indonesia - Covid-19: Indonesia looks to expand countertrade options
The Indonesian government has said it is exploring opportunities with military suppliers to facilitate procurement through countertrade. The move to lean on such methods, it said, is being considered to help the country overcome economic constraints, which have been exacerbated by Covid-19. The Indonesian Ministry of Trade said in a statement on 16 July that it is collaborating with the Ministry of Defence in talks with “several trading partner countries” about expanding the application of countertrade in defence purchases, transferring locally produced commodities to foreign military suppliers in exchange for defence equipment. Janes |
Indonesia seeks to conclude trade negotiation with EU next year to bolster recovery
Indonesia hopes to conclude negotiations for a trade agreement with the European Union next year to bolster the country’s economic recovery after the pandemic, but policies on palm oil remain a major sticking point. JakartaPost |
Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 ― Putrajaya is confident of increasing palm oil export earnings in 2020 to RM65 billion to RM70 billion when compared to the export earnings last year which stood at RM63.731 billion. MalayMail
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INDIA'S SOYBEAN OUTPUT SET TO JUMP AS FARMERS EXPAND AREA ON AMPLE RAINS
MUMBAI, July 15 (Reuters) - India's soybean production is set to jump by at least 15% in 2020 from a year earlier as farmers are increasing the oilseed's acreage due to timely arrival of monsoon rains and as New Delhi raised the minimum buying price. Increased production of India's main summer-sown oilseed could help the world's biggest vegetable oil importer trim costly purchases of palm oil, soyoil and sunflower oil from Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina and Ukraine. Agriculture |
Indonesia - Jakarta, July 15 (Reuters) - Indonesia's state oil company PT Pertamina produced its first successful batch of biodiesel made up of 100% palm oil (D100) in its Dumai refinery last week and is set to produce 1,000 barrels per day (bpd), the company said on Wednesday.
Indonesia, which has one of the world's most ambitious biodiesel programmes, raised the bio-content in its biodiesel mandate to 30% (B30) late last year from 20% (B20) before, and is planning to upgrade the bio-content gradually to 100%. Agriculture |
Thailand - Palm oil prices on agenda
The cabinet on Tuesday ordered working panels be set up to tackle oil palm prices in five southern provinces while instructing the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and the Energy Ministry to accelerate purchasing additional crude palm oil to help boost domestic palm oil prices. BangkokPost |
Europe - Eni to Exit Traditional Oil Refineries in Next Decade
(Bloomberg) -- The coronavirus pandemic will accelerate Eni SpA’s pivot away from conventional refineries to investing in greener facilities. “Instead of slowing down, we see Covid as a reason to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy,” Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi said in an interview on Monday. YahooFinance |
Europe - Palm oil boycott leads to use of more land for less-efficient vegetable oils, says UN advisor
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — Boycotting problematic commodities implicated in deforestation will only lead to exports of those same commodities being redirected to regions with far lower environmental standards, says advisor to the United Nations Fazlun Khalid. He said the European Union has quietly conceded that its previous approach to stopping deforestation due to palm oil is unlikely to work. MalayMail |
Nigeria - The Golden Seed Fats and Oils Limited has built a 100,000-tonne palm kernel shell milling plant to boost the sector.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Lanre Sam-Akinkunmi, who disclosed this in Lagos, said that there had been a gap in the Crude Palm Oil (CPO) production chain majorly as a result of non- availability of cracker equipment in the country. “Our 155,000 tonnes per annum capacity of palm nut cracker is largest in West Africa; 100,000 tonnes palm kernel shell plant; 15,000 tonnes of palm kernel oil and 20,000 tonnes of palm kernel cake. GuardianNG |
Nigeria - Obaseki’s agric reforms attract N29bn investment in oil palm, rubber plantations
Benin, July 10, 2020 The Edo Government on Friday said it attracted over N29 billion private investment in the agricultural sector, targeted at oil palm and rubber plantation development. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin. Naija247news |
Nigeria - Oil palm expansion will enhance employment , Odedina
Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Samson Odedina, has emphasized the need to expand the state’s oil palm plantation. The commissioner gave the hint during a visit by delegations of the State Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lomiro oil palm Plantation in Ogun Waterside. PMNewsNigeria |
European Union - EU’s trade deals can put an end to deforestation
The EU needs to adopt a “stick and carrot” approach to trade deals The big question missing from the EU’s ruminations so far is how to achieve this buy-in. There is one way: Working in partnership with the global south will mean adopting an aggressive “stick and carrot” approach to trade deals. Nations that meet environmental standards can be put on track for Free-Trade agreements. Those that refuse to do so would fall outside the negotiating table. That would be a huge step in spurring a global green economic revolution. Euractiv |
India - 'Poor man's oil': Palm's image problem in top market of India
Industry heads discuss plunging demand for palm oil in India as sales fall due to virus curbs and 'less healthy' image. As the highest ranks of the world's palm oil industry gathered in a virtual conference last month, it became clear they were anxious about the same issue: The oil has a severe image problem in India. The South Asian nation, home to more than $5 billion in palm sales a year and the top export market, is no longer enthralled with the oil. Demand, mostly driven by the service sector, has dried up due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, and households just don't want it. AlJazeera |
Nigeria - Ogun seeks CBN intervention to boost oil-palm production
Ogun State Government says its oil-palm mill, established since 1958, needs to be refurbished for maximum output, adding that the facility sited on 8,000 hectares of land requires the Central Bank of Nigeria intervention for proper maintenance to enable it process palm oil in larger quantity. NationalAccordNewspaper |
Malaysia - THE Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) targets about 492,000 smallholders nationwide to be certified with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification by year-end, said its chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub.
The certification by the MSPO, he said, was crucial to ensure the commodity produced by smallholders adhered to the requirements set by the developed countries, especially in Europe. TheMalaysianReserve |
Indonesia - Indonesia has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 29pc by 2030 in a business-as-usual scenario, rising to 41pc conditional on international cooperation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Jakarta increased the national biodiesel blending mandate to 30pc (B30) from 1 January, up from 20pc last year, but low crude prices and stalled demand because of Covid-19 lockdowns meant the country had to adjust its formula pricing and funding structure to keep the programme going. ArgusMedia |
Indonesia - JAKARTA • Indonesia is accelerating plans to almost double its oil refining capacity, ignoring a temporary slump in demand triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, as the former OPEC member seeks to cut reliance on fuel products imports.
PT Pertamina Tbk will spend US$48 billion (RM205.44 billion) over the next seven years to increase processing capacity to 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) from one million currently. The expansion, which also includes building 8.6 million metric tonnes (MT) of petrochemicals capacity, will help the country halt refined products imports, according to the state-owned company. TheMalaysianReserve |
Nigeria - Experts said the oil palm industry offers diversified ways where Nigerians could make money.
Also, palm kernel oil has large value in the market, thus more people are interested in getting it. With two-thirds of Nigerians living in villages, the Co-founder/Chief Executive Officer, Golden Seed, Lanre Sam-Akinkunmi, said pushing oil palm as the economic engine of rural Nigeria will have a multiplier effect on investments, consumption and exports. TheNationNG |
Malaysia Pushes Palm Certification
More than 96pc of palm oil estates and 88.5pc of mills in Malaysia have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as of 30 June. Over 4.06mn hectares of land and 400 palm oil mills have been certified, up from 2.97mn ha and 340 mills at the turn of the year. But private smallholder participation remains low at around 25pc, or 244ha, of land as of 31 May, prompting an extension of ArgusMedia |
Malaysia - Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation on Wednesday said it would look into “serious allegations” of forced and child labour conditions in its estates, after a Hong Kong-based activist group petitioned the US Customs to ban imports of its palm oil.
The world’s largest palm oil company by land size is the latest Malaysian palm giant to be hit with calls for an import ban, following two similar petitions against FGV Holdings in August last year. SCMP |
Malaysia - Statement on Petition Submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection concerning Sime Darby Plantation Berhad
Kuala Lumpur, 8 July 2020 - As a responsible producer of palm oil, Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (SDP) is concerned over the serious allegations in a petition that was submitted to the United States (US) Customs and Border Protection on 20th April 2020 to “exclude palm oil and palm oil products produced wholly or in part by forced labour and child labour by Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (SDP) owned and affiliated companies” which was made public by Liberty Shared yesterday. SimeDarby |
Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — As of June 30, some 3,040 oil palm estates or 96.04 per cent of the total, comprising 4.06 million hectares, have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, up from the 1,753 estates (71.1 per cent) comprising 2.97 million hectares on December 31, 2019.
In a statement today, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) director-general Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said in addition to this, 400 palm oil mills or 88.50 per cent had obtained the MSPO certification on June 30, 2020 compared with 340 palm oil mills or 75.2 per cent on December 31, 2019. MalayMail |
Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 - Owners of estates and oil palm factories who have not yet begun the mandatory process of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification can be compounded and followed by a suspended or revoked license action beginning Jan 1, 2021.
In giving the warning, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Director General Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said rule 15 (1) (a) of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (Licensing) Regulations 2005 also allowed the company to take legal action against the industry including smallholders. failed to do so. Bernama |
BREAKING NEWS - Malaysia to file WTO legal action against EU over palm oil
KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Malaysia, the world’s second largest palm oil producer, will take legal action against the European Union’s restrictions on palm oil-based biofuels with the World Trade Organisation (WTO), calling the policy a “discriminatory action”. Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said today the EU’s renewable energy directive “restricts free trade practices”. “The policies adopted by the EU in the Delegation Regulation under the European Union Renewable Energy Directive II have created unreasonable restrictions on Malaysia’s sustainability efforts,” he said in a statement. MalayMail |
Malaysia has strong case against EU over palm oil ban
THE preliminary assessment on the consequences of the European Union (EU) to restrict market access to palm oil has pushed Malaysia to join Indonesia in filing a lawsuit against the trade bloc at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Recently, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry, with the cooperation of the Attorney General’s Chamber, Malaysia would file a legal action through the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism. The European Commission has adopted the delegated act proposal to implement the EU Renewable Energy Directive for 2021-2030, which will gradually limit and phase out biodiesel imports into the bloc until 2030. TheMalaysianReserve |
India - If Modi govt wants Aatmanirbharta in agriculture, oil palm is a crop to work on
With the disruption in global supply chains due to the Covid-19 crisis, and now, the border stand-off with China, prime minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call for Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The Modi government banned 59 Chinese apps, stepped up effort to check imports and investments from China, even raised import duties, and exhorted the masses to ‘be vocal for local’. Many economists called it ‘back to protectionism’. FinancialExpress |
Kenya - Boost palm oil making, State urged
A local manufacturer of edible oil products wants Kenya to boost cultivation of palm trees, for palm oil production, as is the case in Uganda. Kenya, like Uganda, largely relies on imported palm from farms in Indonesia. "We are talking of a move that could boost domestic production as well as processing of palm oil locally," Maalim Ahmed Osman, Director of Salwa Kenya Limited in Kilifi said. StandardMedia |
India - Adilabad: In an effort to encourage farmers to explore alternative crops, the State government is planning to encourage oil palm cultivation in an expected area of 73,000 hectares on a pilot project basis in the erstwhile Adilabad district. A decision to this effect was made based on findings of a State-level expert team which carried out a study to assess suitable mandals for raising the trees.
The erstwhile Adilabad district has a total area of cultivation by 5.7 lakh hectares. The district, which has staple crops include cotton, paddy, soya, red gram, etc., has not seen the raising of oil palm trees so far. However, the government is now mulling to promote the growing of the trees in this region considering the growing demand for oil seeds and assured profits to farmers. TelanganaToday |
India - India is using its economic clout to buy friends in its fight against China
Through aid or trade, India influences not only internal but also external policies of client states: Rafale deal with France, US$3 billion Raytheon/Lockheed helicopter and air defence deal with the USA, and trade relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. GlobalVillageSpace |
EUROPE - Danish soy and palm oil imports account for 7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year
DEFORESTATION A new report released by University of Copenhagen researchers indicates that Danish soybean and palm oil imports account for seven million tons of CO2 emissions annually. By comparison, Danish agriculture’s combined CO2 emissions are 12 million tonnes annually. Deforestation-free imports, enhanced traceability and common EU policy can all contribute towards reducing CO2 emissions. UniversityofCopenhagen |
EU - JUL 3, 2020. Less palm oil imported into the UK and EU-27
The EU-27 and the UK imported around 5.5 million tonnes of palm oil between July 2019 and the end of June – a drop of around 0.7 million tonnes or 11% year-on-year. The Netherlands (1.61 million tonnes), Spain (1.52 million tonnes) and Italy (1.35 million tonnes) remained the largest importers. Germany only imported around 0.2 million tonnes. According to EU Commission statistics, the Netherlands remained the largest EU palm oil importer within the EU, but the country is also a palm oil exporter to other member states. BiofuelsInternational |
Global - Could coconut oil be more environmentally-damaging than palm oil?
The researchers say this disparity in impact and perception highlights the difficulties of ‘conscientious consumption’ and note consumers lack objective guidance on the environmental impacts of crop production. EnergyLive |
Malaysia worries new EU food rules could hurt palm oil exports
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia’s massive palm oil industry has warned that the European Union’s (EU) recent proposal to make its food industry more sustainable could eventually lead to stricter regulations for imports of the world’s most-consumed vegetable oil. REUTERS |
Wilmar - Wilmar's upcoming China listing expected to gain strong investor interest
SINGAPORE (July 2): DBS Group Research continues to rate Wilmar International a “buy” and back to its target price of S$4.60, as in its previous report on Wilmar, DBS cut its S$4.60 target price to S$4.00. TheEdgeMarkets |
AS Watson - AS Watson Group is the first signee to the New Plastics Economy global commitment to reduce plastics waste.
The firm has also taken up group membership with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to help address the environmental impact of the industry. InsideRetailAsia |
European Union - Malaysia will file a lawsuit at the World Trade Organisation over the European Union’s plans to end the use of palm oil-based biofuels, a minister said Wednesday (2 July).
The Southeast Asian country is the world’s second biggest palm oil producer after Indonesia and would be hit hard by the EU’s plan to phase out its use in biofuels by 2030. Euractiv |
Europe - A new report has found that more than half the Used Cooking Oil (UCO) used in Europe for biodiesel in 2019 was imported (1.5 million tonnes out of 2.8 million tonnes). The biggest share comes from China (34%) and about 20% comes from Malaysia and Indonesia, the world’s biggest producers of palm oil. Euractiv
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