Cross-sector tie-ups, sustainability the way forward for oil palm sector, says federal deputy minister
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Chan, seen holding an orangutan plush toy, joins Kiu (fifth left) in a photo-call with some of the exhibitors of Pomtec 2025 in Miri.
MIRI (Feb 18): Embracing sustainable practices and cross-sector collaboration in oil palm industry are seen as the way forward for Malaysia in facing competitiveness and ensuring acceptance of palm oil in the global markets.
In sharing this view, Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Chan Foong Hin regards responsible agricultural practices, technological advancements and regulatory alignment as being more pressing than ever.
“To remain competitive, we must streamline cross-sector operations by fostering partnerships between government agencies, research institutions and industry players,” he said at the opening of the ‘Palm Oil Management, Technology, Exhibition and Conference (Pomtec) 2025’ here today.
Also present were permanent secretary of Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Sarawak Datu Sirai Daha; Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir; and Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) chief executive officer Dr Felix Moh.
Adding on, Chan called for promotion of globally-accepted Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme across the supply chain of palm oil industry.
Statistics from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) indicated that Malaysia’s exports of palm oil and palm-based products from January to December last year amounted to 26.66 million tonnes, with a value of RM109.33 billion.
Meanwhile, the federal deputy minister commended Soppoa for organising Pomtec 2025, which he hailed as ‘a premier platform’ for industry leaders, policymakers, researchers and stakeholders to discuss the latest advancements, challenges and opportunities in this sector.
“It also provides networking opportunities to strengthen collaboration between government agencies, industry players and research institutions,” he added.
Chan also noted that the oil palm sector had evolved into high-technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and mechanisation-driven industry.
Meanwhile, in a press conference later, Chan said the oil palm export market would not be affected by any of the tariffs that might be imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Among Malaysia’s palm oil and related products’ main export markets are India, China and European Union (EU).
In his remarks, Soppoa chairman Eric Kiu said following the success of the inaugural Pomtec back in 2023, which focused primarily on palm oil milling technology, the 2025 edition took a significant step forward by expanding its scope to encompass the entire supply chain.
“There is a lot of progress in home-grown high-quality research undertaken by the local institutions, and we look forward to having the ministry’s support,” he said.
