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Indonesia joins forces with other producers to fight anti-palm oil campaign
Palm oil-producing countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Honduras, Nigeria and Thailand have agreed to cooperate in an effort to drive exports of the commodity.
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Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto (second left) and Malaysian Primary Industries Minister Theresa Kok (center) attend a press briefing at a ministerial meeting of palm oil producing countries in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. (The Jakarta Post/Adrian Wail Akhlas) (The Jakata Post/Adrian Wail Akhlas)
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alm oil-producing countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Honduras, Nigeria, and Thailand have agreed to cooperate in facing the growing campaign against palm oil and to promote sustainability of palm oil production to increase exports of the commodity.
The agreement was made during a ministerial meeting of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in his address at International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition that Malaysia and other producing countries should not hesitate to take countermeasures if importing countries decided to impose discriminatory trade barriers.
“If there is any evidence that such discriminatory trade practices are in violation of any international laws, Malaysia and other producing countries under the CPOPC must seek intervention from the WTO,” he said.
Mahathir said Malaysia and other palm oil-producing nations were stepping up efforts to disseminate accurate information about sustainable oil palm plantations and to counter false allegations concerning palm oil with conclusive facts, including the superiority of palm oil crops, which required less land than other vegetable oil crops.
Mahathir said the palm oil industry had to adopt the latest technologies to remain competitive. “New technologies that are incorporated into the entire value chain should be the catalyst for modernization of the whole industry, making it more productive and efficient,” said the prime minister in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
“It is important for the industry to capitalize on the technological pillars of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which not only enhance operational efficiency but also result in sustainable development,” said Mahathir, adding that the use of technology had “reduced labor input and improved productivity.”
