MINISTRY OF
PLANTATION AND COMMODITIES

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/29/aggressive-rd-undertaken-to-drive-downstream-activities-for-commodities/
Source: theborneopost.com/POSTED ON JANUARY 29, 2020, WEDNESDAY AT 12:10 AMBUSINESS


KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Primary Industries has undertaken various efforts in research and development (R&D) to enhance economic activities including the downstream activities for rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper and kenaf industries.
Its Minister, Teresa Kok Suh Sim said in the rubber sector, for instance, the government had allocated RM100 million last year to build roads spanning 202.68 kilometres using cuplump modified asphalt, and successfully obtained the agreement from government agencies and the private sector to use local rubber products in infrastructure projects such as the East Coast Rail Link and projects carried out by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
“This is to increase the use of local rubber in order to strengthen the income of rubber smallholders. This is following issues arising from the trade war between the United Sates (US) and China which also contributed to the drop in global rubber price,” she said when presenting her ministry’s report card on RTM’s “Bicara Naratif” programme at Angkasapuri here, recently.

JASIN, July 15 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) has urged karas tree entrepreneurs in this country to adopt the bamboo stick and dripping inoculation method for cost-effective production of better quality agarwood.
Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said research on the method was conducted on 100 karas trees by two researchers with a RM100,000 allocation at the Karas Estate near Jus Dam here in November 2017.
He said the research was conducted by Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) in collaboration with the state Economic Planning Unit of Melaka for the production of agarwood and resin agarwood.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Plantation Industries and Commodity Ministry does not intend to replace the country’s main commodity, namely oil palm, with bamboo, said its Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali (pic) on Tuesday.
The ministry according to him, is strengthening the oil palm industry with the application of the latest technology as well as expanding overseas markets, diversifying its value-added products and continuing various studies on the benefits of palm oil.
“At the same time, the ministry is exploring bamboo as another future commodity in addition to various other commodities,” he said when replying to a question posed by Datuk Hatta Ramli (PH-Lumut) during the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Tuesday.

KOTA KINABALU: Tambunan recorded the highest bamboo density of 62 per cent or 3,200 hectares of the total area of bamboo forest in Sabah, said the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB).
“Among the dominant species recorded are Gigantochloa levis, Bambusa vulgaris, Scizostachyum brachycladum, Schizos-tachyum lima and Dendrocalamus asper,” said MTIB, in a statement.
The potential of the bamboo industry, it said, is huge in Sabah.

News Straits Times Page 5

KUCHING: Baram Member of Parliament (MP) Anyi Ngau is the new Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB) chairman replacing his predecessor Ranau MP Jonathan Yasin.
His appointment was announced through a Facebook post by the Plantations and Commodities Ministry (MPC) yesterday.
Anyi, who is a former district officer for Limbang and Marudi, was first elected as MP in 2013 for the constituency of Baram and was reelected in 2018.
The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) MP was touted to replace PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as Deputy National Unity Minister.

JOHOR BAHRU (May 11): The country's export earnings contribution from cocoa and cocoa-based products, as well as cocoa grinding activities, is expected to decline by 18% due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to stem the spread of Covid-19.
“Today, Malaysia is the second-largest cocoa beans processing country in Asia and seventh in the world, accounting for 22% of the market for cocoa-based products in the Asia-Oceania region. The value of chocolate exports last year stood at RM1.14 billion, compared with RM1.03 billion in 2018, an increase of 10.7%.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 -- The Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB) expects more smallholders’ participation with the expansion in cocoa cultivation from the current 15,000 hectares nationwide under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Deputy director-general Dr Ramle Kasin said this aspiration would definitely require more smallholders’ participation from the current 14,000 farmers than the industry to generate handsome earnings compared with RM6.6 billion in 2019.
“Chocolate is something that people love. So, we don’t foresee any shortage in demand. However, we do acknowledge that our production needs to be improved,” he told Bernama.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 -- A total of 4,566 cocoa smallholders, involving 3,134 hectares of planted area, have received agricultural input assistance valued at RM2.69 million under the PRIHATIN Economic Stimulus Package.
Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM) chairman Anyi Ngau said the aid was to assist cocoa smallholders affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I hope LKM's roles and functions will be strengthened to spur the development of the country's cocoa industry,” he said in a statement issued today in conjunction with Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Willie Mongin's working visit to LKM and the Cocoa Innovative and Technology Centre (PITK) in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 29): Guan Chong Bhd’s first quarter ended March 31, 2020 (1QFY20) net profit grew by 35.8% to RM72.17 million from RM53.14 million a year ago on higher selling prices of cocoa products and revenue contributed by its newly-acquired German subsidiary Schokinag Holding GmbH.
The higher quarterly net profit also includes a RM27.8 million gain on disposal of Guan Chong’s entire stake in associate company Fuji Oil Global (M) Sdn Bhd to its joint venture partner Fuji Oil Asia Pte Ltd on Feb 26, it said in a bourse filing.

LANGKAWI: Langkawi chocolate hub is expected to increase the contribution of the country's chocolate manufacturing and cocoa products sector, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

He said the hub would boost the development of the downstream cocoa sector and promote locally made chocolate, further contributing to the development of production activities of chocolate products.
According to him, the manufacturing of chocolate and cocoa products sector recorded an export value of RM1.14 billion, which was 17.3 per cent in 2019, an increase of 10.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

KOTA SAMARAHAN, June 5 -- The Malaysian Cocoa Board has established the Sarawak Cocoa Cluster (SARA Cocoa Cluster) to enhance cocoa cultivation and production in the state.

Plantation and Commodity Industries deputy minister Willie Mongin said today that the establishment of the cluster was also in line with Sarawak's huge potential to become a producer of cocoa-based products, particularly chocolate products.

"SARA Cocoa Cluster is a cocoa cultivation area currently concentrated in Sebuyau, Asajaya, Kota Samarahan and Padawan, and will be expanded to Tebedu and Serian," he told a press conference at the SARA Cocoa Cluster construction site here.

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak’s cocoa bean production showed an upward trend last year following the increased cocoa hectarage in the state.
According to Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM) director (downstream technology) Haya Ramba, the increased cocoa hectarage in Kuching and Samarahan divisions contributed to the upward trend.
Haya, who is also LKM Kota Samarahan Research Centre manager, told Bernama recently that Department of Statistics figured show 6,800 hectares of cocoa farms in Sarawak.

PETALING JAYA: Below is some of the frequently asked questions related to the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry in relation to the movement control order (MCO).
Question: Is there any flexibility in any of the plantation and commodity sectors during the MCO period?
Answer: Yes, for work involved directly with the production of products categorised as essential items and critical under the plantation and commodity sectors.
Q: What are the subsectors, activities and who are allowed in the flexibility in the plantation and commodity sectors?
A: 1) Oil Palm.
(i) The activities involved in the oil subsector are as follows:
(a) Harvesting of fresh fruit bunches by oil companies and smallholders;
(b) Sale of fresh fruit bunches to palm fruit traders;
(c) Processing of fresh fruit bunches carried out by oil mills; and
(d) Processing of crude palm oil at refineries for the production of cooking oil to meet local market requirements.
(ii) The parties involved in this flexibility are the owners of small farms/planters, oil palm traders (DFs), oil palm manufacturers (MFs) and refiners (RFs) whose licences are still valid with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
2) Rubber
(i) The activities involved in the rubber subsector are the tapping of rubber for the purpose of supplying raw materials for the manufacture of medical equipment products such as gloves and catheters; and
(ii) The parties involved in this flexibility are:
(a) Owner of a farm or smallholder with a Rubber Transaction Authorisation Permit (PAT-G) card;
(b) Licensed buyers of rubber with the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM); and
(c) Rubber processing companies to meet the requirements for the manufacture of medical equipment products and others.
Q: What precautions should be taken?
A: Every smallholder and manufacturer must implement the following measures to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection among workers during the MCO period:
(i) Health inspection and monitoring before the start of the operation.
(a) All employees are subject to health checks before entering the operating area using a non-contact thermometer and screening for symptoms;
(b) Information on the health status of the worker should be recorded and kept by the plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers;
(c) All employees must maintain personal hygiene and practise social distancing by maintaining a distance of at least one metre with other workers; and
(d) Any employee who has been identified to have developed symptoms should be given access to prompt medical attention and quarantine action should be taken. Therefore, plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers need to provide appropriate quarantine in the event of such incidents.
(ii) Preventive measures during operation:
(a) The transportation of workers to large operating areas is not permitted. Plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers need to minimise the number of workers to reduce the risk of infection;
(b) All employees must maintain personal hygiene and practice social distancing by maintaining a distance of at least one metre between employees;
(c) Plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers need to minimise situations that require large numbers of workers to assemble. Some of them exercise rest periods in stages to avoid such situations;
(d) Plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers must provide outbreaks of pest control equipment such as hand sanitisers and face masks and place them in strategic locations in focus areas such as entrances to operating areas, prayer rooms, canteens and workers' vehicles; and
(e) Plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers need to carry out regular disinfection in operating areas especially at areas where workers are concentrated.
(iii) Health inspection of visitors or suppliers:
(a) Visitors and suppliers entering the operating area must be restricted and they may only be allowed to enter the operating area for critical purposes only;
(b) The health status of all visitors and providers should be checked using a non-contact thermometer; and
(c) Any identified visitor and provider with Covid-19 symptoms are not allowed in the operating area.
Q: What action will be taken in case of violation of the MCO?
A: The flexibility can be withdrawn in the event that the conditions are not met by the plantation owners/smallholders and manufacturers.
Q: Who to contact for more information?
A: Contact the ministry's corporate communications unit at 03-8880 3321/3325 between 8am to 5pm.

 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/20/plantation-industries-and-commodities-ministry-faq
Source: thestar.com.my
•

http://bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1809637
Source: bernama.com/Last update: 28/01/2020/ By Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 -- The Ministry of Primary Industries has undertaken various efforts in research and development (R&D) to enhance economic activities including the downstream activities for rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper and kenaf industries.

Its Minister, Teresa Kok Suh Sim said in the rubber sector, for instance, the government had allocated RM100 million last year to build roads spanning 202.68 kilometres using cuplump modified asphalt, and successfully obtained the agreement from government agencies and the private sector to use local rubber products in infrastructure projects such as the East Coast Rail Link and projects carried out by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

Source: New Straits Times page 16

Sumber: New Straits Times Mukasurat 19

Sumber: The Edge Financial Daily MUkasurat 10

Sumber: The Star Mukasurat 1 & 2

Sumber: The Star Mukasurat 5

KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities has underlined five operations that will continue as usual throughout the movement control order (MCO).
In a statement today, it said these comprise:
(i) oil palm harvesting by plantation companies and smallholders,
(ii) processing of fresh fruit bunches by mills,
(iii) processing of crude palm oil in refineries for local supply of cooking oil,
(iv) rubber-tapping activities to supply to production of medical equipment like gloves and catheters, and
(iv) logging sector to continue to fulfil ongoing contracts.
The decision was made by the ministry with the endorsement of the National Security Council, and after the ministry had sought the views at a Cabinet meeting this morning.
“All parties involved in the aforementioned activities must ensure all means of prevention and control of the Covid-19 outbreak is followed, including minimising workforce and workforce movement, via social distancing, and for workers to return to their accommodation immediately after work.
“All parties are reminded to maintain their hygiene, such as washing hands with soap [and using] hand sanitisers,” the statement added.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/limited-oil-palm-rubber-logging-activities-continue-during-mco
Source: theedgemarkets.com/

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali (centre) says operations involving the palm oil and rubber industries will resume as normal. - NSTP/ASWADI ALIAS.
By New Straits Times - March 19, 2020 @ 1:21pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Operations involving the palm oil and rubber industries will resume as normal, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s trade is targeted to hit RM2 trillion this year, according to International Trade and Industry Ministry, despite easing 2.5 per cent to RM1.83 trillion last year from RM1.88 trillion in 2018.
Analysts pointed that Malaysia’s export had fallen to its lowest level last year since the global financial crisis in 2009 but still expect a 1.5 per cent growth this year.
The country’s export dropped marginally 1.7 per cent to RM986.4 billion from RM998.01 billion in 2018, while imports declined 3.5 per cent to RM849.01 billion from RM877.74 billion.

KUCHING: The federal government has taken several measures to ease the burden of farmers affected by the falling prices of commodities, a federal minister said yesterday.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said one of the measures is to provide smallholders with agricultural input assistance under the Prihatin 2020 Economic Stimulus Package, amounting to RM3,000 for one hectare, which is given on a one-off basis through issuance of vouchers.
For the oil palm plantation sector, he explained that the efforts undertaken by the government to help smallholders increase their income and overcome the challenges include encouraging them to join the Sustainable Oil Palm Planters Cooperative (KPSM).

PETALING JAYA: After two years of preparation, UNITED MALACCA BHD (UMB) will begin plant ing stevia in Sulawesi this year, marking the start of its first large-scale commercial crops venture into Indonesia.
According to its chief executive officer Peter Benjamin, the planter will initially grow stevia – a popular substitute to sugar – on a 100ha site.

An amount of RM300 per person will be credited today into the accounts of 202,717 people, comprising 85 per cent of smallholders and rubber tappers registered with the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda), who had applied for the Monsoon Season Aid (BMT) 2020.

Risda chairman Datuk Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif said the aid, worth RM600 per person for a total of 237,207 recipients, would be credited to their accounts in two stages, with the balance RM300 to be banked in in January.

http://www.bernama.com/bm/am/news.php?id=1740006
Sumber: Bernama.com | Tarikh kemaskini: 27/06/2019

KUALA LIPIS, 27 Jun (Bernama) -- Kerajaan sedang meneliti harga lantai getah bagi menetapkannya pada paras lebih tinggi dalam usaha membantu pendapatan para pekebun kecil yang menghadapi ketidaktentuan harga komoditi itu.

Timbalan Menteri Industri Utama Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin berkata usaha itu juga selaras dengan kemampuan kerajaan untuk melaksanakannya pada masa akan datang.

"Buat masa ini kita sedang meneliti semua cadangan kerana saya hendak maklumkan di sini bukan sahaja getah kita juga berhadapan dengan cabaran komoditi lain seperti kelapa sawit, lada hitam dan putih.

"Jadi, perlu ada satu kaedah jaringan keselamatan sosial yang menyeluruh dan buat masa ini kita hanya mampu memberi komitmen RM2.50 yang diharapkan dapat dinaikkan," katanya.

Shamsul Iskandar berkata demikian pada sidang media selepas menghadiri Majlis Ramah Mesra Bersama Pekebun Kecil Getah di Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Panglima Garang Abdul Samad di sini, hari ini.

Turut hadir ialah Presiden Pertubuhan Usahawan Getah Bumiputera Malaysia, Kameruzaman Ab Rahman dan Pengarah Lembaga Getah Malaysia (LGM) Shamsudin Atan.

Shamsul Iskandar berkata kementeriannya juga berharap lebih ramai pekebun kecil getah menuntut Insentif Pengeluaran Getah (IPG) yang diwujudkan oleh kerajaan sejak tahun 2015.

"Insentif ini adalah mekanisme sokongan harga di mana IPG akan diaktifkan apabila purata harga bulanan getah gred SMR 20 pada bulan sebelumnya kurang daripada RM6.10 sekilogram atau harga di ladang untuk getah sekerap RM2.50 sekilogram.

"Sehingga 30 April 2019, sebanyak RM164.7 juta telah dibayar untuk IPG di seluruh negara manakala bagi negeri Pahang sahaja, RM11.7 juta dibayar kepada pekebun kecil yang membuat tuntutan," katanya.

Beliau berkata sistem terbaru secara dalam talian juga kini sedang diuji bagi memudahkan pekebun kecil getah menjual getah dan menuntut IPG pada masa akan datang.

"Kita berharap tuntutan IPG ini akan dapat ditingkatkan sekali ganda dalam kalangan pekebun kecil, apatah lagi dengan adanya sistem online(dalam talian) tu nanti," katanya.

-- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 28): Hong Seng Consolidated Bhd (formerly known as MSCM Holdings Bhd) is acquiring a plot of land in Kedah Rubber City (KRC) for RM45.74 million, to build and operate a plant that manufactures nitrile butadiene latex, a core material used in the making of nitrile gloves.
Hong Seng said in a stock exchange filing today that it has received an offer from Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) to acquire the leasehold land plot in KRC, which has a land area of about 105 acres, to set up the plant.

KOTA KINABALU, April 1 -- The Sabah government is now allowing tyre shops and workshops registered under the Public Works Department (JKR) to open three times a week throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO).
However, State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong said the number of tyre shops and workshops allowed to operate would be determined by the local authorities.
“Operation hours are from 8 am to 2 pm, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” he said in a statement here, today.

Sumber : StarBiz Ms 1
30 September 2020

Sumber: StarBiz Ms 2 (samb dari Ms 1)

A total of RM149 million was disbursed for claims made under the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) between January and October, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said this was among initiatives to assist especially rubber tappers who were badly affected by unstable prices due to the United States-China trade war and Covid-19 pandemic.

PUTRAJAYA: Menteri Sumber Manusia, M Saravanan berkata agensi Kastam dan Perlindungan Sempadan (CBP) Amerika Syarikat tidak berhubung terus dengan kementeriannya untuk siasatan lanjut ke atas Top Glove, sebelum melaksanakan sekatan terhadap pengeluar sarung tangan getah itu atas dakwaan penggunaan buruh paksa.
Beliau yang menyifatkan sekatan itu tidak adil berkata, beliau akan ke Top Glove dalam masa terdekat dan menemui wakil AS untuk membuktikan tuduhan penggunaan buruh paksa itu tidak berasas.

Source: New Straits Times page 14

Sumber : New Straits Times
10 Disember 2020

Sumber: Sinar Harian Mukasurat 38

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 -- The production of natural rubber (NR) increased 5.4 per cent in October 2020 to 48,663 tonnes from 46,187 tonnes in the previous month.
Compared with the same month in the previous year, it rose 0.3 per cent, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) in its monthly rubber statistics report for October 2020.
“Exports of Malaysia's NR amounted to 54,492 tonnes in October 2020, an increase of 11.8 per cent against 48,720 tonnes in September 2020.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 -- The Malaysian rubber market ended higher today supported by firmer advices from the regional rubber futures markets, a dealer said.
“The market sentiment was also boosted by the recovery in China’s economy, which showed growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the third quarter,” she told Bernama.
According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the country reported 4.9 per cent growth in GDP year-on year for the third quarter, which she said was smaller than the 5.2 per cent growth forecast.
“However, other indicators

Top Glove Corporation Bhd expects its revenue for the current financial year ending Aug 31, 2021 to be impacted by three per cent following the temporary suspension of manufacturing facilities in Klang, Selangor.
However, the world’s biggest rubber glove manufacturer, in a reply to Bursa Malaysia, said it does not anticipate a penalty from the delay in delivery.

The world's largest rubber glove maker Top Glove Corp Bhd, whose subsidiaries are being investigated by the Government over worker housing issues, is continuing with its share buyback spree from last month, spending RM69.94 million today.
The second day of December also marked the second consecutive trading day of share buyback for Top Glove, with RM110.87 million spent. It spent RM49.93 million yesterday for 7.41 million shares.

The government has set aside RM500 million in loans through the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) for the Forest Plantation Development Programme (PPLH) under the 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP)
In a statement today, MPIC said the allocation is meant to sustain the timber sector and supply of raw materials.
It noted that timber as the third largest sub-sector after palm oil and rubber, had recorded RM17.8 billion in export revenue as at October 2020.

Sumber : The Star, Ms 9
24 Disember 2020

Sumber : The Star, Ms 10
21 Disember 2020

PAPAR, June 30 -- The proposal paper to form a consultative council consisting of timber industry players, the government and related agencies will be presented to the state cabinet soon.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister who is also state Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said the consultative council would serve as a platform to hear and discuss issues faced by the wood-based industry sector.
“The council will comprise the Sabah Timber Industries Association (STIA), Timber Association of Sabah (TAS), the Forestry Department, Yayasan Sabah and other related agencies.

JITRA (June 15): The government, through the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, is allocating Prihatin aid worth RM968,680 for kenaf growers impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic nationwide.
Its Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the aid involves 1,357 growers covering 1,937 hectares (ha) under kenaf cultivation.
"The allocation, channelled through the National Kenaf and Tobacco Board (LTKN), is provided in the form of agriculture input at the rate of RM500 for each hectare under kenaf cultivation," he said in a statement in conjunction with a visit to LKTN Kedah today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will expand the cultivation of kenaf in the country, including west coast states, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

He said 1,977.36 hectares have been cultivated with the non-food fibre crop to date, and concentrated more in the east coast states involving 1,357 growers.

"Currently, the price for one tonne of kenaf is RM500 and each hectare yields up to 10 tonnes in a period of four months.

SETIU, July 18 -- The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (KPPK) is targeting 1000 hectares (ha) of kenaf cultivation in Terengganu by the end of the year.
Its minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the crop was currently being grown on over 391.6 ha of land in Terengganu, and he was optimistic that the target could be achieved, as the state had more than 8,000 parcels of idle land.
"We hope to attract the interest of young university graduates to get involved in the plantation sector...a massive campaign should be carried out to encourage them to venture into kenaf cultivation.

SETIU, Dec 12 --The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) targets all construction projects nationwide to use at least 20 per cent of kenaf-based building materials in the future.
Its Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry, through the National Kenaf and Tobacco Board (LKTN), was actively holding discussions with various parties including the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Public Works Department to realise the aspiration.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Five brands of local chocolate products will potentially enter the international market by end 2025 when Langkawi in Kedah becomes a national chocolate hub.
Plantation Industries and Commodities deputy minister II, Willie Mongin said the five brands are Ryverra Chocolate, Grandeur Chocolate, Malsa, D&J Chocolate and Hazleen Chocolate, which will be marketed in China, Middle East and Singapore.

Sumber: Sinar Harian Mukasurat 41

https://www.utusanborneo.com.my/2019/06/25/nilai-eksport-coklat-meningkat-sejak-2015
Sumber: utusanborneo.com.my

KULAI: Coklat buatan Malaysia diterima baik di luar negara apabila nilai eksport produk itu menunjukkan peningkatan sejak 2015.

Menteri Industri Utama Teresa Kok Suh Sim berkata nilai eksport coklat meningkat kepada RM1.03 bilion pada 2018 daripada RM868.60 juta pada 2017.

“Manakala bagi suku pertama tahun ini, ia mencatatkan RM233.42 juta,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan pameran produk komoditi dan pelancaran produk koko di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai, di sini semalam.

Beliau berkata, nilai eksport coklat berjumlah RM598.09 juta (2016) dan RM470.99 juta pada 2015.

Kok berkata buat masa ini, coklat negara dieksport ke 128 negara terutama Singapura, Indonesia, Amerika Syarikat, Jepun dan China.

SUMBER : STARBIZ , MS 3

28 SEPTEMBER 2020

Sumber : New Straits Times 
30 September 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 --The rise in domestic consumption of crude palm oil (CPO) will not be able to offset the losses in exports, and exports are likely to shrink by between eight per cent and 15 per cent by end-March, said palm oil analysts.
Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said domestic consumption in February was 346,720 tonnes -- a 13-month high, but it only accounts for 16 per cent of total annual demand.
He added that demand is expected to grow higher to 400,000 tonnes in March on panic buying among the people for essentials like edible oils and products containing oleochemicals from palm oil like home care and hygiene products during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ROMPIN, May 28 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Primary Industries have urged Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers to facilitate the ownerships of land which are worked by the Orang Asli by planting oil palm.

Its deputy Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said this was because the ownership of land was the main prerequisite in the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification which must be mandatorily complied with by the end of the year.

‘’The government have stipulated the MSPO certification which involves the participations of all quarters in the palm oil industry including smallholders, plantation owners and factories to ensure the national palm oil is sustainably produced.

‘’We are facing several challenges to help the Orang Asli smallholders obtain the MSPO certifications but the most challenging issue is in the land ownership and hope we can get the co-operation of the Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers in solving it,’’ he told Bernama here Monday.

Shamsul Iskandar was met after launching the programme ‘Jom MSPO Pekebun Kecil Orang Asli Pahang’ at Dewan Besar DARA, Muadzam Shah here today, which was also attended by the Pahang Orang Asli development Department (JAKOA) director Johari Alwi.

During the ceremony, Shamsul Iskandar also handed over the MSPO certifications to 26 Orang Asli oil palm smallholders from Pahang and a fund of RM10,000 each to the Sustainable Oil Palm Planting Co-operatives of Bera and Maran districts.

He said the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) also took the initiative of uniting smallholders by forming the Sustainable Palm Oil Clusters (SPOC) in the effort to help them obtain the MSPO certification.

-- BERNAMA

TANJUNG PIAI: The Primary Industries and Commodities Ministry is looking into introducing an integrated plantation system for oil palm and rubber trees as a way to increase the income of small-time farmers, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng.

The Deputy Minister said to date, two plants had been identified as a suitable addition – pineapples and mushrooms.
“Oil palm and rubber trees may take years to produce, so we are proposing an integrated system for the farmers to sustain themselves during this period.

“The proposal is still in the research phase as we need a third party that can manage these additional crops, such as how to plant, gather and market the produce,” he said after chairing the Tanjung Piai flood mitigation plan at the Tanjung Piai MCA division office yesterday.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve Mukasurat 7

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 10

KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Palm oil industry players are told to bring along a copy of Malaysian Palm Oil Board's permission letter when undertaking the transaction and movement of palm oil products during the Movement Control Order period.

KUALA LUMPUR: The rise in domestic consumption of crude palm oil (CPO) will not be able to offset the losses in exports, and exports are likely to shrink by between eight per cent and 15 per cent by end-March, said palm oil analysts.
Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said domestic consumption in February was 346,720 tonnes – a 13-month high, but it only accounts for 16 per cent of total annual demand.
He added that demand is expected to grow higher to 400,000 tonnes in March on panic buying among the people for essentials like edible oils and products containing oleochemicals from palm oil like home care and hygiene products during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“However, looking at the bigger picture, the smallholders will inevitably suffer due to some sort of disruption.
“They live on fresh fruit bunches (FFB) collection revenue. But against the backdrop of lower CPO prices, FFB prices paid will be lower,” he told Bernama.
CPO prices was at a record high of more than RM3,000 per tonne in January, but has since dropped to between RM2,400 and RM2,500 per tonne due to the effects from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although there is a plethora of assistance available to the smallholders to ease their
burden amid the escalating pandemic, it is not enough, said Sathia.
While the plantation industry was allowed to continue operating during the movement control order (MCO), it would still disrupt the palm oil supply chain.
“Harvesting is a job where social distancing comes naturally, and the manpower needs for oil palm is lower compared to other tree crops. Depending on yield rates, one full-time worker can manage up to four hectares.
“But given the general slowdown in movement of people and activities, transport services like trucking of CPO from mills to refineries and subsequently to ports or packaging location will also be affected, leading to slower movement and lower export volume in the month,” Sathia said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Palm Oil Board director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said during the Review and Outlook seminar held in January, the industrial regulator predicted that Malaysia’s exports for 2020 would decline by 2.5 per cent.
“However, due to the current development of Covid-19, we expect that exports of palm oil would decline further due to limited exportable caused by the pandemic.
“If the current situation is prolonged, the impact of Covid-19 on palm oil production and exports would be bigger,” he said, adding that it was still too early to estimate the losses as it would depend on the MCO period.
While palm oil exports are expected to decline due to a projected low demand from major palm oil importing countries, the pandemic is also anticipated to affect local palm oil production.
“Thus, the real problem that we might be facing this year is not lower export demand, but limited exportable supply to the world due to tight CPO production caused by Covid-19.
“Additionally, Malaysia also has to fulfil its commitment to the B20 Biodiesel programme,” said Ahmad Parveez.
The B20 programme has been implemented in stages beginning with Langkawi and Labuan in January 2020.
By May 2020, the B20 programme will take effect in Sarawak, followed by Sabah in September 2020. — Bernama

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/04/01/palm-oil-domestic-consumption-cannot-offset-losses-in-exports/
Source: theborneopost.com

BANGI: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities aims to expand the oil palm market by entering new markets such as Africa and the Middle East, as well as increasing production and plantation areas.
Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry will conduct a comprehensive study on the strength of the markets in the Middle East and Africa via the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
He added that he had received a call from a Middle Eastern ambassador requesting for a meeting to discuss the market opportunities for palm oil products in the country.

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.
Presently, about 62,009 private smallholders with 243,666ha of oil palm plantations and 231,576 organised smallholders with 670,010ha of oil palm have obtained the MSPO certification.
“Organised smallholders are very easy to obtain MSPO’s certification as they are under the supervision of various government agencies such as the South Kelantan Development Authority, Central Terengganu Development Authority, South East Johor Development Authority and others.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 -- More than 85 per cent of Malaysia’s 5.9 million hectares (ha) of oil palm plantation and about 90 per cent of 452 palm oil mills have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as of July 30, 2020.
Additionally, 99.64 per cent or 231,576 organised smallholders with 679,075 ha of palm oil plantations have received their MSPO certification, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said in a statement today.

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 Dec 31, 2019.
In a statement today, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) director-general Dr 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 Dec 31, 2019.

EVEN as Malaysia and Indonesia work towards combating misperceptions behind anti-palm oil products from grocery store shelves, anti-palm oil campaigns in Europe continue to gain momentum.
The various types of anti-palm oil campaigns such as no palm oil labels, do not eat the rainforest and eat plants, no palm please, are driving a number of food manufacturers to reduce the consumption of palm oil in foods.
Children in advanced countries have also sent petitions to pressure food companies to improve palm oil policy in food products. Transparency in food labelling has become a key determinant of food choice.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 31): The closure of palm oil estates and mill operations in three additional districts in Sabah amid the rising trend of Covid-19 cases has been seen as a cause for concern for the palm oil industry.
In a joint statement, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owner Association (MEOA) said with the closure of operations in three additional districts yesterday, 65% of Sabah’s total planted hectarage of 1.2 million hectares and 75% of production in Sabah — translating to 100,000 workers — are now affected.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 -- The whole palm oil supply chain needs to work together in meeting the European Commission (EC) proposed regulation of 2.5 ppm for 3-MCPD esters or the industry may face another trade barrier with the trading bloc, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
Head of unit of analytical and quality development Dr Azmil Haizam Ahmad Tarmizi said the supply chain, while working together to effectively address the environmental and sustainability issues, must also pay an important role to tackle the food safety issue.

By By Azanis Shahila Aman - March 5, 2020 @ 6:17pm
KUALA LUMPUR: FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) says all of its 68 mills and 173 estates, covering some 373,517 hectares nationwide, are now fully certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.
FGV said its subsidiary Asian Plantation (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd was the last to undergo this exercise and received its certification on February 27.

Source: StarBiz page 4

KUALA LUMPUR (May 13): The anticipated gradual recovery in palm oil export demand has driven the Plantation Index on Bursa Malaysia to retain its steady performance.
Among plantation heavyweights pushing the index higher, IOI jumped 18 sen to RM4.03, KLK added eight sen at RM20.68, while Sime Darby Plantation was unchanged RM4.74 at 3pm.
Yee Lee, also a manufacturer of edible oil, added four sen to RM2.06, while Sarawak Oil Palm and Boustead Plantations were flat at RM2.48 and 29.5 sen respectively.
FGV, however, dropped one sen to 92 sen and Hap Seng Plantations was unchanged at RM1.38.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Malaysia, the world's top palm oil producers, accused the European Union on Friday of unfairly targeting palm oil under a plan to impose new limits on levels of contaminants considered harmful to health in vegetable oils and fats.
The EU intends to set new limits for food contaminants in refined oils and fats, including for palm oil, that may have long-term harmful effects on kidneys and male fertility.
Palm oil is widely used in food so the move could hurt demand for its use. The tropical oil is already facing restrictions on its use in transportation fuel in the EU.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Commodities Ministry has asked companies to delay the nationwide implementation of the B20 biodiesel mandate as the country grapples with the coronavirus outbreak, according to an official letter reviewed by Reuters on Thursday.
The mandate for biofuel with 20% palm oil component will be delayed for regions that have yet to implement it, UR Unnithan, president of the Malaysian Biodiesel Association, told Reuters.
“This might be reviewed after the movement control order is lifted,” he said. – April 16, 2020, Reuters

NEW DELHI, Feb 20 -- An Indian trade group representing vegetable oil importers on Thursday slammed the government for issuing licences to import refined palm oil, saying this was not in line with the "stated objective" of last month's order restricting RBD palmolein imports.
Referring to media reports that the Ministry of Commerce's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued permits to import 1.1 million tonnes of RBD palmolein, the Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India asked for a review of "the rationale for issuing such licences which are at variance with our country's stated objective" of supporting local refining.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 -- The government’s implementation of the B20 programme planned earlier this year may not be economical to proceed this year based on the current low crude oil price, said the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to over 190 countries and is having a noticeable impact on global economic growth while the crude oil price has plunged by half to below US$30 per barrel, further delaying the government's B20 agenda.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 -- The National B20 Biodiesel Programme for the transport sector, which is already underway in Langkawi and Labuan since January 2020, will be expanded nationwide in June 2021, Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim said.

She said the B20 biodiesel programme, which involves blending 20 per cent palm methyl esters with 80 per cent diesel, would also be extended to Sarawak in April and Sabah in August this year.
The implementation entails collaboration between the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) with five local authorities, of which the Subang Jaya Municipal Council, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and Shah Alam City Council had already conducted B20 field tests, she added.

https://www.thesundaily.my/business/berjaya-corp-pledges-support-for-malaysian-palm-oil-AM1925103
Source: thesundaily.my / SUNBIZ /22 JAN 2020 / 13:42 H.

PETALING JAYA: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok has enlisted support and commitment from Berjaya Corp Bhd (BCorp), via the group’s chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan, as part of the ongoing Love My Palm Oil campaign.
At a product exhibit hosted today, Tan emphasised that BCorp is a true supporter of all things Malaysian, and as such the group would be actively looking into various locally grown and available supply chains to be added to their long list of already successful consumer platforms.
The exhibit showcased a number of Malaysian commodities particularly palm oil, cocoa and pepper successfully incorporated into various food and non-food formulations that are finding niche markets including in Japan and other developed markets.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/berjaya-corp-teams-govt-promote-palm-oil
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): As part of the ongoing Love MY Palm Oil campaign, the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), Malaysian Palm Oil Council and Berjaya Corp Bhd have teamed up to boost palm oil awareness in the country.
In a statement today, Berjaya’s chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan said there were many unexploited opportunities in the nation’s commodities sector, adding that the company was actively looking into various locally grown and available supply chains to be added to its list of successful consumer platforms.
In the same statement, MPI Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim said the ministry is currently spearheading research on several downstream applications for the commodities.

Malaysian benchmark crude palm oil prices have plunged nearly 30% since the start of the year to trade at RM2,227 per tonne on Wednesday after global lockdowns to contain the coronavirus outbreak shuttered restaurants and curbed travel, reducing demand for the edible oil.
KUALA LUMPUR: Crude palm oil prices may rise to RM2,300-RM2,400 per tonnne in the coming months as Malaysia's relationship with top importer India improves, industry regulator the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 -- The implementation of the Biodiesel B20 Programme for the transport sector is expected to provide sustainable support for palm oil demand, hence ensuring price stability for the commodity, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
She said the increase in biodiesel blends could accelerate the growth of the country's biodiesel industry, while palm biodiesel mills could step up their production capacity to meet local market demand.
“Malaysia should also dare to double the use of the environmentally-friendly biodiesel fuel to strengthen the country’s palm oil industry and economy.

https://www.sinchew.com.my/content/content_2146900.html 
Source: sinchew.com.my

(Putrajaya 14th) Bohai Malaysian ASEAN Commodity E-Commerce Trading Platform today signed a memorandum with China's Bohai cross-border e-commerce and Hakan Agro DMCC from the United Arab Emirates, pledging to sell 2.5 million metric tons of palm oil to China and India next year.

Prime Minister Tun Mahathir, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifu Fuding and former Minister of Industry Guo Suzhen witnessed the signing ceremony today at the Chief Leadership Foundation.

Bohai cross-border e-commerce is committed to assisting the export of 1.5 million metric tons of palm oil to the inland provinces of China, and another 1 million metric tons will be sold to India.

Source: The Star page 2

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 -- With economies in a cautious mode amid market volatility due to COVID-19, the price outlook for crude palm oil (CPO) is not going to be favourable, gravitating towards the cost of production of between RM1,500 and RM1,800 per tonne, veteran industry analyst Dorab Mistry said.
He said currently the market has discounted to trade at the RM2,000 level per tonne, and this price has yet to unfold post the fasting month of Ramadan, that is June and July onwards.
Mistry, a director at Godrej International, said that the medical emergency taking place following mounting COVID-19 has caused an economic emergency which disrupted world consumption of the commodity.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/01/22/china-will-keep-buying-malaysia039s-palm-oil-leiking-says
Source: thestar.com.my

SINGAPORE: Malaysia is unlikely to suffer any loss in its palm oil business from China, despite Beijing pledging to boost soybean purchases from the U.S. amid the trade war, according to the Southeast Asian nation’s trade chief.
“I don’t think so, ” Malaysia’s Minister of International Trade and Industry Darell Leiking said Wednesday in a Bloomberg Television interview with Haslinda Amin at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, when asked about the impact on its critical palm oil exports.
“China and Malaysia have had a long relationship, ” and Kuala Lumpur has offered diplomatic and economic help to Beijing amid “challenges” with the US, he said. “The Chinese have continued to be a good friend.”

KUALA LUMPUR (June 11): Chinese palm oil imports are expected to normalise and to decline to 5.95 million tonnes this year, after rising to 7.55 million tonnes in 2019 when domestic oil production was hit by a drought.
Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) Business Director Ooi Liang Hin explained that 2019 was a “special year” as there was a drought in domestic oil production in the republic, which led to China importing more palm oil.
“What is also very interesting for our friends in the MPOC is Malaysia’s share of Chinese palm oil imports. If you look at the last four to five years, Malaysia’s share has been falling from about 40% to 30%,” he said during a webinar organised by Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) entitled Palm Oil in the Post Pandemic Market.

NEW DELHI, May 13 -- Palm oil consumption in India is down by 40 per cent as the food service industry reels from the coronavirus shock.
As India continues the world's biggest shutdown, keeping most of its 1.3 billion population indoors, restaurants and hotels are either shut or working at a minimal capacity.
"The reduction in palm oil imports is a reflection of demand in the food service industry. There is a definitely a 40 per cent drop," Sudhakar Desai, president of the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA), told Bernama.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 -- India is seen as having very little choice and could soon turn to Malaysia and start importing back, especially if the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia gets worse and the country goes into full lockdown as most of the countries are doing at the very moment.
“The country (India) could step up purchases in the coming months as shipments are reportedly easing up,” the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said in its second quarter outlook for palm oil in the South Asian countries.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 4): The potential impact of Covid-19 on Sime Darby Plantation Bhd’s business has been limited at this point of time, said its chairman.
In its annual report for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2019 (FY19), chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman said the group forecasts palm oil demand to continue as it is an important and essential ingredient of food and non-food products even during times of crisis.
“Based on preliminary assessment, the potential impact of Covid-19 on the group’s business and results has been limited at this juncture,” he said.
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KUALA LUMPUR (May 4): The potential impact of Covid-19 on Sime Darby Plantation Bhd’s business has been limited at this point of time, said its chairman.
In its annual report for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2019 (FY19), chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman said the group forecasts palm oil demand to continue as it is an important and essential ingredient of food and non-food products even during times of crisis.
“Based on preliminary assessment, the potential impact of Covid-19 on the group’s business and results has been limited at this juncture,” he said.
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KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 -- Several government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country's commodity sector have come forward to contribute essential medical and protective items for health professionals and workers responding to COVID-19.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): The COVID-19 pandemic will not have a large impact on the nation’s oil palm industry as it continues to be supported by local and international demand, commercialisation of downstream products, exploration of new markets as well as Government initiatives.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/cpo-futures-end-higher-news-b20-biodiesel-scheme
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed higher underpinned by expectations of stronger demand following news of the B20 biodiesel programme.

Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh today said the B20 biodiesel programme for the transport sector is expected to be launched in phases next year.

"She announced an allocation of RM35 million for the programme that would give a fillip to CPO prices, which are projected to reach RM3,000 per tonne,” Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa told Bernama.

Sathia said the gains in the local market were also tracking the firmer overnight performance on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean oil market following the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirming higher biodiesel quota for lifter palm.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly given his commitment that biofuel requirements would be expanded in 2020.

Meanwhile, palm oil trader David Ng said the uptrend in the local market was also supported by expectations of lower production following the seasonal monsoon period.

“We locate the next support at RM2,850 per tonne and resistance at RM2,950,” he said.

At the close, the CPO futures contract for January 2020 added RM44 to RM2,897 per tonne, February 2020 was RM46 higher at RM2,915 per tonne, while March 2020 increased RM38 to RM2,912 per tonne and April 2020 rose RM35 to RM2,892 per tonne.

Volume, however, declined to 37,426 lots from 49,986 lots yesterday and open interest decreased to 277,451 contacts from 286,974 contracts previously.

On the physical market, December South increased to RM2,950 per tonne from RM2,900 per tonne on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended higher today after newly-appointed Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said Malaysia would strengthen its ties with India to boost palm oil exports to the country.

KUALA LUMPUR: The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives rallied today to close at the highest level in more than five months, tracking the robust rise in soybean oil and palm olein prices on the Dalian Exchange.
The benchmark palm oil contract for August 2020 rose to RM2,754 per tonne -- the highest since Feb 18,2020.
Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics’ owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said a lower production outlook amid improving exports also kept the market prices firm.
"CPO price is likely to advance and test RM2,700 per tonne while a bout of profit-taking will set in, ” he told Bernama.

KUALA LUMPUR: The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives would likely experience a technical correction next week to stabilise the market, said a dealer.

Interband Group of Companies senior palm oil trader Jim Teh said the futures contract would likely trade between RM2,500 and RM2,600 per tonne next week, as the COVID-19 outbreak is causing a supply disruption.
"The new export tax figure of six per cent released by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board coupled with COVID-19 may partially impact CPO demand,” he told Bernama.
He said in view of COVID-19, many CPO shipments are not cleared at Chinese ports, a situation which is affecting supplies.
The CPO futures market fell significantly on Wednesday on export tax concerns but this was temporary as the market recovered the following day, boosted by expectations of lower output, although concerns on the fast-spreading COVID-19 capped the gains.
The market finished in a cautious tone as sentiment remained affected by the outbreak.
On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the CPO futures contract for March 2020 decreased RM17 to RM2,683 per tonne, April 2020 lost RM8 to RM2,652 per tonne, May 2020 trimmed RM5 to RM2,622 per tonne and June 2020 rose RM2 to RM2,598 per tonne,
Weekly turnover increased to 293,695 lots from 339,279 lots in the previous week, while open interest depreciated to 315,582 contracts from 331,097 contracts.

On the physical market, the CPO price for March South stood at RM2,700 per tonne. - Bernama

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/2020/02/22/cpo-futures-likely-to-experience-technical-correction-next-week
Source: thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 -- The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed higher today, with stronger crude oil prices spurring demand for the commodity.
Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics’ owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said the CPO futures were also higher due to the expectation of a lower output for the month of June.
At press time, Brent crude oil rose 1.40 per cent to US$43.40 per barrel.

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/03/cpo-price-outlook-remains-robust/
Sumber: theborneopost.com | BY SHARON KONG ON JANUARY 3, 2020, FRIDAY AT 12:09 AMBUSINESS

KUCHING: The crude palm oil (CPO) price outlook remains robust, analysts project, as they revise their estimates upwards for current year 2020 (CY20).
The research arm of Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd (Kenanga Research) revised up its CY20 CPO price forecast, from RM2,400 per metric tonne (MT) to RM2,700 per MT.
“For the first half of CY20 (1HCY20), we believe CPO price should trade around the range of RM2,700 to RM3,100 per MT and average RM2,700 per MT for CY20,” Kenanga Research said in its plantation sector update.
According to Kenanga Research, this was supported by continuous CPO production decline, robust demand from biodiesel mandates and widening soybean oil-crude palm oil (SBO-CPO) premium of US$48 per MT, versus month to date (MTD) average of US$37 per MT.
Post-CPO price revision, the research arm upgraded planters’ earnings on average for FY20 by 60 per cent (coming from a low base).

KUCHING: Crude palm oil (CPO) prices will likely remain under pressure as the several factors, including the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak, are expected to continue limiting demand in the coming months.
In a sector update, the research team at MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd (MIDF Research) believed that there are several factors at play to keep demand under pressure in coming months.
“The worsening Covid-19 outbreak that is causing a slowdown in business activities, logistical constraints and restricted travelling will continue to put a dent in CPO demand from major economies such as China and European Union (EU),” it said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/01/29/cpo-prices-bounce-back
Source: thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Crude palm oil (CPO) futures on Bursa Derivatives jumped the most in 11 years on Wednesday after sharp losses in the previous session, helped by expectations of lower output.
However, fears over the fast-spreading coronavirus capped the gains.
The benchmark palm oil futures contract for April delivery rose as much as 9.1% in early trade.
However, the contract pared some gains and closed 5.8% higher at RM2,723 per tonne.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 8

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) is optimistic that the price of crude palm oil (CPO) will continue to rise up to RM2,500-RM2,600 per tonne by the end of this year.
Its Minister, Datuk Muhd Khairuddin Aman Razali said demand for the country's palm oil products continued to record an increase despite COVID-19.
"Alhamdulilah, we are seeing an increase in demand from the Middle East, Africa and even regions such as the Philippines. We are confident that this pandemic will not constrain the palm oil industry but instead propel it,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has hit back against the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to avoid consuming saturated fats – including palm oil.
In a statement, the CPOPC announced that it had sent an objection letter to the WHO for publishing and disseminating an infographic flyer entitled “Nutrition advice for adults during Covid-19”.
The letter is also requesting that the WHO revise its earlier statement with an official explanation, with a representative of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean office having confirmed the receipt of the objection letter.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 5): The Secretariat of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) is asking American food company Kraft Heinz Company to withdraw its misguided negative campaign on palm oil and “palm oil-free” claims and discriminatory messages on the company’s products.
It said the company, a member of the Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), should take into account the sensitivity of the debate on palm oil in palm oil-producing countries, and a far more balanced assessment of global sustainability and the environment.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — The ousting of Malaysia’s former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose criticisms of India’s policies in Kashmir damaged palm oil trade between the nations, has kindled hopes among Malaysian exporters for a rapid restoration of ties.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/earnings-boost-seen-plantation-sector-2020
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR: With palm oil currently trading at its highest level in almost three years — with prices above the RM3,000 per tonne mark — analysts see an earnings boost for the plantation industry in 2020.

The industry’s recovery, they said, will be aided by demand for crude palm oil (CPO) outstripping supply due to factors such as lower production and the mandated biodiesel programmes in Malaysia and Indonesia.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/26/eu-banning-palm-oil-there-are-other-markets-local-palm-oil-producers-say/1831490
Source: malaymail.com/ Sunday, 26 Jan 2020 07:03 AM MYT/ BY DANIAL DZULKIFLY


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 ― The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) has dismissed any heavy impact of the European Union’s (EU) ban on local producers, saying there are still other markets available.
Speaking to Malay Mail, MPOA chief executive Datuk Nageeb Wahab said MPOA and its members are instead feeling upbeat over the increased demand for palm oil in the domestic market for both Malaysia and Indonesia.
“The concerns of EU not buying palm oil from Malaysia has all been addressed by the increased of local consumption. We are not unduly worried it as this is a zero-sum game,” he told Malay Mail.
“To put it simply, if they do not want to buy from us, we can supply other markets with our palm oil. Perhaps they will use other vegetable oils as an alternative however they still need our palm oil to supplement other products.

MANCHESTER, March 4 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has urged the European Union (EU) not to give in to the usual “lobbies” which suggest palm oil, Malaysia, Indonesia, and their related industries are the culprits when it comes to deforestation.
Chief executive officer Datuk Dr Kalyana Sundram said the solution for deforestation cannot and should not be to target and punish a single commodity as a convenient scapegoat.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 16): The Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy launched recently by the European Commission offers a major opportunity for palm oil producing countries to work together and further improve sustainability standards, the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) said.
It will also serve as a useful tool to enable European consumers to appreciate the excellent qualities of palm oil, which is — and remains — the most widely sold vegetable oil in the world.
“The CPOPC secretariat understands the desire of national governments to support domestic producers of vegetable fats and oils, particularly during such challenging times.
“However, we are confident that the European Union (EU) will act in the interest of all its citizens, and with a view to global development, by guaranteeing the importation of, and access to, sustainable palm oil,” it said in a statement today.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/01/30/europe-tour-for-teresa-kok-to-explain-palm-oil-policies/
Source: freemalaysiatoday.com

KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia is to explain to four European countries the new directions being taken by the palm oil industry, Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said today.
She said that during her week-long visit to Britain, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, she would emphasise Malaysia’s stand on the importance of environmental conservation efforts such as forest replanting and wildlife protection.
“I would also state that Malaysian oil palm operators are very concerned about the environment, including wildlife protection,” she told reporters today after a briefing on the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification in Johor Oil Palm Planting in Taman Kota Jaya, near here.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 9): Following the government's decision to exempt the export duty on both refined and crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil, investors have showed keen interest in plantation stocks.
As of noon market close, FGV Holdings Bhd was up by 0.9% or a sen higher at RM1.12 per share. The counter reached an intra-morning high of RM1.16, but is now trading at its intraday low.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd rose by 1.91% or 42 sen at RM22.46. The integrated planter gyrated between its intra-morning high of RM22.62 and -low of RM22.36, and has since recovered from the low.
Plantation behemoth Sime Darby Plantation Bhd was up by 2.42% or 12 sen higher at RM5.08, giving it a market value of RM39.97 billion. It saw 1.87 million shares traded.

https://themalaysianreserve.com/2019/12/18/export-levy-to-balance-the-cpo-price-rally/
Source: themalaysianreserve.com | Wednesday, December 18th, 2019 at , Economy | by SHAHEERA AZNAM SHAH/ pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

THE activation of the export duty for crude palm oil (CPO) purchases after a long suspension is practical as the commodity has been performing progressively since its low point last year, said Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa.

Last Friday, the government raised the export levy for January buying to 5% from the exempted rate currently, the first time since August last year, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

KUALA LUMPUR (June 23): The exports of Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) to the African continent are expected to increase to about nine million tonnes this year, compared with six million tonnes over the last decade, said 3XG UK Consulting Limited.
Its founder and chief strategist, Abah Ofon, said the higher demand had signalled that the consumption of the edible oil in the continent is growing at a rapid pace, for use among others in processed food.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 -- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) today announced that all its 68 mills and 173 estates covering 373,517 hectares of land nationwide are now 100 per cent certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme under Malaysian Standard MS 2530:2013.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 -- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) today announced that all its 68 mills and 173 estates covering 373,517 hectares of land nationwide are now 100 per cent certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme under Malaysian Standard MS 2530:2013.
FGV’s subsidiary Asian Plantation (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd was the last to undergo this exercise and received its certification on Feb 27 this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: FGV Holdings Bhd has subscribed to new shares amounting to a 60 per cent stake in the enlarged share capital of RedAgri Farm Sdn Bhd for RM10 million.
FGV said the acquisition marked its entry into the dairy farming business and fresh milk processing, the first step towards becoming an integrated agrifood company.
The acquisition of RedAgri, which owns the Bright Cow brand of dairy products, enables FGV to create more value from its existing resources and to tap into synergies within the palm-based circular economy.
FGV group chief executive officer Datuk Haris Fadzilah Hassan said dairy farming is one of the identified pillars of the group’s integrated farming business.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 -- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) says it is continuing its transformation agenda through the introduction of the model plantation concept (MPC) project, particularly for its estates and mills nationwide.
The MPC project is a new systematic initiative to strengthen, standardise and sustain best practices in plantation and manufacturing practices, the company said in a statement today.
Its implementation sets new overall standards of procedures for operation and agriculture practices, processing and manufacturing, increased compliance of occupational safety, health and environment policies, optimising human resources, improvement of employee housing, and the use of technology and ICT.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 28): Loss-making FGV Holdings Bhd is anticipating an uptick in fresh fruit bunches (FFB) production from the second quarter ending June 30, 2020 (2QFY20) onwards on the back of improved weather conditions.
FGV's net loss widened to RM142.35 million in 1QFY20 from RM3.37 million a year earlier, as poor weather, which was particularly severe in Sabah where about a third of the group's estates are located, took a toll on its supply chain.
If FFB production picks up for the rest of the year, FGV will achieve its yield target of 18.4 tonnes per hectare by year end, compared with about 17-odd tonnes in 2019, said group chief executive officer Datuk Haris Fadzilah Hassan.
"The weather pattern is a nationwide situation and plantations have their own cycles but we do expect the second quarter to be better. Hopefully, the remaining quarters will be able to catch up, in terms of the target.
"Last year, the pricing was quite challenged. This year, pricing looks good but production seems to be a bit of a constraint," Haris Fadzillah told a media briefing today.

KUALA LUMPUR: FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) has lodged an appeal against the resuspension of its Serting mill complex by the complaints panel (CP) of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
FGV said on Wednesday it also appealed against the decision to suspend all certification processes for currently uncertified FGV mills.
In a statement, it said this decision was communicated to FGV on Jan 13,2020. FGV submitted its appeal to the RSPO on April 3.
In its appeal, FGV pointed out two independent verification bodies appointed by the RSPO, Bureau Veritas Certification (BVC) and TUV Nord (M) Sdn. Bhd. (TUV), had in fact recognised FGV’s efforts and progress made in its operations.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 -- FGV Holdings Bhd has joined Sime Darby Plantation and other industry players in thanking Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and the Sabah state government permitting the palm oil supply chain in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Semporna, Kunak and Kalabakan to resume operations with specific conditions.
FGV welcomed the much-deliberated decision by the state government, which was made in time with the extended Movement Control Order (MCO).

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 -- FGV Holdings Bhd will be looking to traditional markets to assess the impact on demand of crude palm oil (CPO) as production picks up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said its chairman Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid.
He said the expectations are that the longer-term outlook for the traditional uses of palm will stabilise although most analysts are bearish on the sector in the shorter term.
“Questions will remain on the biodiesel sector, though FGV’s exposure in this area is minimal, with 2.6 per cent of total production used for biodiesel in 2019,” he said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today
Azhar said in the first quarter of 2020 (1Q 2020), crude palm oil (CPO) production was adversely affected, particularly in Sabah due to a number of factors including dry weather from August to October in 2018 and again in Q1 and Q3 of 2019.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 15

KUALA LUMPUR (March 5): FGV Holdings Bhd, one of the world's largest producers of crude palm oil, said today that all of its 68 mills and 173 estates, which cover some 373,517ha of land nationwide, are now fully certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 -- FGV Holdings Bhd has come forward in support of concerns raised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) over the Sabah government’s decision to close oil palm operations in three additional districts in the state until April 14.
FGV said it understood the state government’s concerns on the increasing COVID-19 spread in Sabah but at the same time, the company was concerned about the social impact of the closure.
“All operations related to the palm oil industry need to be continued to avoid worse financial and social implications,” the company said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 -- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV), via its indirect wholly-owned unit FGV Trading Sdn Bhd (FGVT), is forming a joint-venture (JV) company with Hyderabad-based Pre-Unique India Pvt Ltd (PreU) to directly participate in the food and agri-based products market in India, particularly in South India region.
Under the agreement signed today, the partners would conduct intelligence work; provide advisory work and services for agricultural, plantation, and downstream related activities; operate agriculture, plantation, food and non-food processing facilities; and trade and market food and non-food products, FGV said in a statement today.

Source: New Straits Times page 16

KUALA LUMPUR (April 30): FGV Holdings Bhd, whose CPO production fell 30% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, is expecting its crude palm oil production to chart "a significant improvement" in the second quarter of this year, as the impact of historically poor weather abates.
But what is uncertain is the impact on demand that the Covid-19 pandemic will have, as several of the group's traditional markets remain closed or partially closed at this time, said FGV chaiman Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid.

Workers sort out the oil palm bunches. File photo: Bernama
KUCHING: The Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) appeals to the Human Resource Ministry to consider allowing the palm oil industry in Sarawak to continue hiring foreign workers during the duration of the year in view of the serious shortage faced by the industry here.
They said that Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan’s recent announcement that there would be no new intake of foreign workers in all sectors in Malaysia until the end of the year was a major concern to the palm oil industry in Sarawak, and urged the ministry to seriously consider the special circumstances in Sarawak.
“Such a blanket move to freeze the intake of foreign workers is a detrimental blow to the already critical shortage of labour in the palm oil industry in Sarawak,” said a spokesperson from Soppoa in a statement yesterday.
“While we value the minister’s stance that the freeze will give locals opportunities to take up some of these jobs, it should be noted that despite numerous initiatives to employ locals in the ‘3D’ jobs in the palm oil industry including job advertisements and others, these still failed in Sarawak,” they said.
As such, Soppoa expressed their hope that the ministry would consider the plight of the survival of the palm oil industry in Sarawak, allowing companies here which have tried to recruit locals but are still unable to fill vacancies to recruit foreign workers to immediately plug the gap of acute shortage of 20 to 35 percent of workers.
“In view of the current Covid-19 checks, the palm oil industry in Sarawak is ever ready to follow the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs), including quarantine and Covid-19 tests for the intakes of foreign workers to meet the current shortage of workers in the industry in Sarawak,” they said.
According to Soppoa’s spokesperson, Sarawak’s small populace of workers was a major factor for the shortage of workers in the palm oil industry here.
They pointed out that with the emergence of new industries, including manufacturing, oil and gas, timber, and construction, locals tended to shy away from the “3D” jobs in the palm oil industry – as also seen in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah where the majority of workers in the palm oil industry were foreign workers.
“Moreover, the palm oil industry in Sarawak has to also compete with better established companies of other sectors in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah for foreign workers, which further raises the cost of hiring foreign workers in Sarawak.
“Since the recent movement control order (MCO) in March until today, the freeze on foreign workers recruitment has further adversely impacted the palm oil industry here with the departure of many foreign workers being expatriated after their contracts expired,” they said.
They noted that the palm oil industry in Sarawak was the second highest contributor of income revenue for the state government and also the federal government through taxes, as well as being one of the top employers in the state for providing jobs to professionals in Accountancy, Law, Biology, Engineering, and Chemistry among others.
“A major concern is that the peak season for harvesting is due in a few months from now and the palm oil industry is crucially dependent on such harvests to meet increasing cost of production and other capital expenses incurred in the setting up of estates, mills, and refineries, which also provide jobs opportunities for locals in various categories of skilled and semi-skilled professions,” said Soppoa’s spokesperson.

https://www.newsarawaktribune.com.my/foreign-labour-still-needed/
Source: newsarawaktribune.com.my
By Tania Lam

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will have fully implementation of B20 Programme in the transportation sector by June 2021, deputy prime minister Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
The implementation of the B20 Programme in the transportation sector will support demand for palm oil and stabilise its prices, she said at the launching of the programme, here today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/538580/greater-demand-malaysian-palm-oil-india-and-china
Source: nst.com.my | By Azura Abas | November 14, 2019 @ 5:10pm

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian palm oil industry is gaining stronger support from India and China with the signing of two memoranda of understanding today.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad witnessed the signing of these MoUs between Bohai Commodity Exchange (Boce) Malaysia/Asean with Hakan Agro DMCC from India as well as Boce Global from China.

Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said through these MoUs, Malaysian signatory, BOCE Malaysia/Asean had struck a partnership with two major supply chain managers in the United Arab Emirates and China.

“Hakan Agro DMCC, from Dubai is a major player in the commodities supply chain and has extensive business exposure in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and the UAE.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 15

KUALA LUMPUR (May 29): Timber and oil palm player Ta Ann Holdings Bhd's net profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 (1QFY20) jumped 26.85% year-on-year, following higher average selling prices for crude palm oil (CPO) and fresh fruit bunch (FFB).
This led its quarterly net profit to rise to RM10.25 million from RM8.08 million a year ago. Revenue grew 7.98% to RM252.6 million from RM178.92 million. Earnings per share (EPS) rose to 2.33 sen from 1.83 sen, the group's stock exchange filing showed.

JAKARTA: Indonesia is likely to delay plans to raise bio-content in palm oil-based biodiesel to 40%, and keep going with an already ambitious 30% content, a senior official said, amid speculation that low crude prices could force a government re-think.

The biodiesel programme is a key part of the government's strategy to soak up excess supplies of palm oil and curb expensive fuel imports, one of the main contributors to the country's current account deficit problem.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/26/how-malaysia-is-tackling-anti-palm-oil-propaganda-and-protecting-affected-o/1831489
Source: malaymail.com/ Sunday, 26 Jan 2020 06:50 AM MYT/BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 ― More Malaysians have shed their anti-palm oil sentiments following the “Love My Palm Oil” awareness campaign spearheaded by the Primary Industries Ministry, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has claimed.
Its chief executive Datuk Kalyana Sundaram said that many initiatives have also been taken by the council itself to address Western propaganda on the edible oil, often painted as a destructive force which displaces wildlife and causing rampant deforestation.
“Malaysian consumers have definitely been influenced by all these anti-palm oil messages, by the social media and the electronic media they have access to.

Source:  The Edge Markets page 9

KUALA LUMPUR: India is seen as having very little choice and could soon turn to Malaysia and start importing back, especially if the Covid-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia gets worse and the country goes into full lockdown as most of the countries are doing at the very moment.
“The country (India) could step up purchases in the coming months as shipments are reportedly easing up,” the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said in its second quarter outlook for palm oil in the South Asian countries.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/01/01/india-cuts-tax-on-palm-oil-imports-could-lift-shipments
Source: thestar.com.my

MUMBAI: India has cut import taxes on crude and refined palm oil from Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries after a request from suppliers, a government notification said on Tuesday.

The reduction will lead to higher imports of palm oil by the world's biggest edible oil buyer in coming months as it would narrow the difference between the tropical vegetable oil and competitors such as soyoil and sunflower oil.

Higher imports could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which have risen 44% in 2019.

NEW DELHI (Aug 14): India bought 387,817 tonnes of palm oil from Malaysia in July as the country's edible oil imports improved.
Its monthly import volumes grew to 1.51 million tonnes in July from 1.16 million tonnes in June, according data released on Friday by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India.
India's July palm oil imports were 824,078 tonnes, growing 46.4 percent from the previous month, while palm oil's share in edible oil imports was 54 percent.
The imports from Malaysia were made up of 385,317 tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO) and 2,500 tonnes of crude palm kernel oil (CPKO).
India imported no RBD palmolein last month.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/11/14/india-resumes-buying-malaysian-palm-oil-as-kl-offers-discount 
Source: thestar.com.my

MUMBAI: Indian refiners have resumed buying Malaysian palm oil after a gap of nearly a month and contracted around 70,000 tonnes of shipments in December as Kuala Lumpur has been offering a $5 per tonne discount over supplies from rival Indonesia, five traders told Reuters on Thursday.

The resumption in purchases by India, the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil this year, could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which are trading near their highest level in two years.

Indian refiners stopped purchases from Malaysia last month fearing New Delhi could raise import taxes or enforce other measures to curb imports after Kuala Lumpur criticised New Delhi for its actions in Kashmir.

Malaysian palm oil is available at a $5 discount amid congestion at Indonesian ports, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm. "This is giving a few buyers a reason to start buying Malaysian oil in small quantities to run their refineries." - Reuters

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/11/14/india-resumes-buying-malaysian-palm-oil-as-kl-offers-discount#KP0tuOOelgMeih4J.99

KUALA LUMPUR: India intends to import palm oil from Malaysia as it seeks to fulfil 25 million tonnes of vegetable oil and fats for local domestic use, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.
In a statement on Friday, he said this was communicated to him by Telangana’s Minister of Agriculture Singireddy Niranjan Reddy during a video conference held on Thursday.
Mohd Khairuddin said the state of Telangana is seeking help from Malaysia via the transfer of technology in the areas of palm oil plantation management, palm oil processing and the ecosystem of the industry.

NEW DELHI (May 12): Indian oilseed crushers have welcomed the Indian Commerce Ministry’s move to suspend permits for imports of refined palm oil as a move to protect local refiners.
On Monday, the ministry suspended 39 licences for imports of refined, bleached, and deodorised (RBD) palmolein, after a surge in purchases from Nepal and Bangladesh, countries which are not producers of the commodity.
The ministry's Directorate-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said it would investigate suspected violations of the rules of origin.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 -- The implementation of the Biodiesel B20 Programme for the transport sector is expected to provide sustainable support for palm oil demand, hence ensuring price stability for the commodity, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
She said the increase in biodiesel blends could accelerate the growth of the country's biodiesel industry, while palm biodiesel mills could step up their production capacity to meet local market demand.
“Malaysia should also dare to double the use of the environmentally-friendly biodiesel fuel to strengthen the country’s palm oil industry and economy.

NEW DELHI, May 6 -- India saw a 34 per cent drop in its edible oil imports in April 2020 compared with the same month a year ago as the coronavirus pandemic hit shipping and logistics services.
Month-on-month, the country’s edible oil imports declined to 790,377 tonnes compared with 941,219 tonnes in March, a Mumbai-based industry group said on Wednesday.
"The drop in April 2020 is mainly due to logistics issues at destinations as well as at discharge ports," the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India said.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 8

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 4

NEW DELHI, July 23 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked farmers in the country's northeastern states to develop oil palm plantations to serve an "assured market" for the imported commodity.
Modi said agriculture scientists and economists informed him recently about the potential of oil palm plantations in the northeast region that would help India's drive for self-sufficiency.

Jakarta: Indonesia's state oil company 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%.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/indonesia-collect-us50-tonne-palm-oil-export-levies-jan
Source: theedgemarkets.com

JAKARTA (Dec 27): Indonesia is set to collect an up to US$50 per tonne export levy on palm oil in January.

The reference price for crude palm oil (CPO) has been set at US$729.72 per tonne for January, the trade ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Under current rules, the world's top palm oil producer collects export tax when its CPO reference price is above a US$750-per-tonne threshold and levies when it is above US$570 per tonne.

Malaysia, the world's second biggest palm oil producer, delayed a nationwide rollout of a B20 biodiesel mandate last month due to movement curbs to contain the coronavirus outbreak.(File pic shows a car using biodiesel.)
JAKARTA: Indonesia's ministry of economic affairs is set to discuss how the country will continue its ambitious biodiesel programme, a ministry official told Reuters on Wednesday.
The economic affairs ministry was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to decide the government's next moves to ensure the continuity of a mandate which requires biodiesel to have 30% bio-content (B30) made from palm.
"We want to discuss how to keep the continuation of B30 (programme)," Musdhalifah Machmud, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture told Reuters in a text message.
The meeting, however, has been postponed to a later date, she said late on Wednesday.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/01/25/indonesia-to-increase-imports-from-india-amid-new-delhi-malaysia-spa
Source: thestar.com.my


KUALA LUMPUR/NEW DELHI: Indonesia has agreed to immediately increase imports of Indian buffalo meat, sugar and auto parts after India boosted purchases of Indonesian palm oil amid a spat with rival supplier Malaysia, two Indian government sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Indonesia and Malaysia account for 85% of the world's palm oil output while India is the biggest buyer of edible oil. India has effectively halted imports of refined palm oil from Malaysia since early January in retaliation for Malaysia's accusation that recent Indian policies discriminate against Muslims.

https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2019/12/550113/indonesia-eu-trade-row-over-palm-oil-escalates
Source: nst.com.my | By Reuters - December 22, 2019 @ 6:46pm

JAKARTA/BRUSSELS: What started as a spat with the European Union (EU) over Indonesian palm oil has escalated into a far broader trade dispute with imported European spirits and now dairy products caught in the crossfire.

Trade tensions have ratcheted up since the European Commission concluded in March that palm oil causes excessive deforestation and should not be considered sustainable, meaning it would not count as renewable and will effectively be phased out as fuel for transport between 2023 and 2030.

Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, threatened retaliation.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/indonesia-palm-oil-exports-hit-record-2019
Source: theedgemarkets.com

JAKARTA (Feb 3): The world's top palm oil producer Indonesia exported a record 36.18 million tonnes of palm oil and its products, including biodiesel and oleochemical last year, data from the Indonesia Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) showed on Monday.
Exports rose by 4.2% from 34.71 million tonnes in 2018, supported by rising demand from China, the Middle East and African markets, which offset declines in demand from other countries notably India, chairman Joko Supriyono said.
He said India, the world's top vegetable oil buyer, recorded the biggest decline among shipment destinations last year following higher import tariffs on Indonesian shipments compared to those from rival Malaysia.

JAKARTA, March 30 (Jakarta Post/ANN) -- The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) said export volume to China fell by 381,000 tons or 57 percent in January and this had contributed to the sharp fall in the country’s total palm oil exports, which declined by 35.6 percent to 2.39 million tons in January, from 3.72 million tons in December 2019.
"The drastic export decline in January could be because importing countries were still holding on to their stock while waiting for the Indonesia government to implement a 30 percent blended biodiesel [B30] program," the association said in the statement.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 11): India is expected to import an average of 800,000 tonnes of palm oil a month in the third quarter of this year, Indian Vegetable Oil Producers (IVPA) said today.
Speaking in a webinar organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), IVPA president Sudhakar Desai said India’s imports of the commodity averaged 650,000 tonnes a month during the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) has elected Datuk Lee Yow Chor as its new chairman for the 2020-2022 term to replace Datuk Franki Anthony Dass who retires after serving from 2016 to 2020.
MPOA said Lee is group managing director and chief executive of IOI Corporation Bhd and was chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) from February 2009 to March 2020.
“His vast and long experience in the Industry will definitely give the association the added boost in addressing issues plaguing the plantation sector,” it said in a statement today.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 9

KUALA LUMPUR (June 29): Plantation firm Kim Loong Resources Bhd's net profit rose 57.9% to RM22.9 million for the first financial quarter ended April 30, 2020 (1QFY21), from RM14.51 million a year earlier, on higher fresh fruit bunch (FFB) and crude palm oil (CPO) prices by 26% and 25% respectively.
This resulted in higher earnings per share of 2.45 sen from 1.55 sen for 1QFY20.
Quarterly revenue climbed to RM201.36 million from RM168.97 million previously.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5): Shares of palm oil-related companies — led by Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) and Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd (SOP) — climbed as palm oil inventories were seen to fall 12% to 1.76 million tonnes in January, the lowest in two and a half years.
KLK closed up 56 sen or 2.45% at RM23.44, emerging as the top gainer on Bursa Malaysia.
Meanwhile, SOP rose 23 sen or 6.74% to close at RM3.64, also among the top ten gainers on Bursa Malaysia.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 7

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 8

KUALA LUMPUR: A proposal to provide aid for some 650,000 oil palm smallholders will be made under the government’s economic stimulus package to weather the Covid-19, says Teresa Kok.

“The matter is still under discussion as there are different commodities in the sector.
“We will check with the industry players and board (Malaysian Palm Oil Board) before submitting the proposal,” the Primary Industries Minister told reporters after launching the B20 biodiesel programme for the transportation sector at Dataran Merdeka here yesterday.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 10

Source: StarBiz page 3

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 3

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (KPPK) is coming up with strategic solutions to rid the country from allegations regarding labour in the palm oil and rubber industries, deputy minister Willie Mongin said.
Malaysia according to him, does not condone forced labour, adding that as this is a very delicate issue and requires cooperation from various ministries as well as agencies.
“We are doing our part in coming up with the solutions and it is going to be our continuous effort to expel these allegations and eradicating labour issues that plaques the commodity sector,” he said in a special address ‘Powering Malaysia’s Plantation and Commodities Industry’ at Invest Malaysia 2020 – Virtual Series 2.

Source: New Straits Times page 15

KUALA LUMPUR (March 9): Local palm oil market players will keep an eye on the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry's move on key policies that have been supporting the industry following the appointment of Datuk Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali as the minister today.

PETALING JAYA: Plantation operations are expected to be affected by lower exports and prices in the coming months given disruption in the global palm oil supply chain led by the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/11/15/msia-enhances-trade-ties-to-boost-palm-export/
Source: theborneopost.com

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia strikes key palm oil partnership deals with two major supply chain managers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China to facilitate greater palm oil penetration in China, India and the Indian sub-continent.

The deals are sealed through the Bohai Commodity Exchange (BOCE) Malaysia/Asean platform, which inked two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Dubai-based Hakan Agro DMCC and China’s BOCE Global here, yesterday.
The event was witnessed by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim, and Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

Speaking to reporters after the MoUs signing ceremony, Kok said Hakan Agro, with extensive business exposure in the Indian sub-continent, Middle East and the UAE, would facilitate exports of more than one million metric tonnes of Malaysian palm oil in their core markets in the Indian sub-continent in 2020.

BOCE Global meanwhile aimed to import about 1.5 million metric tonnes into China by 2020, she said.

KUALA LUMPUR: 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.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 3

KUALA LUMPUR:Malaysia and India will work on improving ties that soured under former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and badly affected palm oil trade between the countries, officials from both nations said on Sunday.
India is the world's biggest palm oil importer but its purchases from Malaysia, the second-biggest palm exporter behind Indonesia, dropped drastically in recent months after attacks on India's policies by Mahathir.
Malaysia swore in a new prime minister on Sunday after last week's resignation by the outspoken Mahathir, 94, after a power battle in his coalition government.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 4): Malaysia has cancelled its biggest palm oil conference for the first time in 31 years after initially postponing it to June due to uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The Palm and Lauric Oils Price Outlook Conference and Exhibition or POC2020, was initially scheduled for March 2-4 and typically draws thousands of industry players from more than 50 countries.
"We have made this difficult decision to cancel POC2020 out of concern for the health and safety of all our participants, as well as to adhere to the government’s advice to avoid mass gatherings," the POC2020 Secretariat said on its website.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- I wish to refer to the Reuters report, 14 February 2020 titled, “Malaysia backs off from WTO suit against EU on palm oil”.

I wish to categorically state that at no time did I inform the media that Malaysia will back off from our plans to file the WTO complaint against the EU and its Delegated Regulation.

We continue to view the Delegated Regulation as a discredit to the Malaysian palm oil industry's commitment towards mandatory sustainability since it creates additional trade barriers and impedes our sustainability efforts throughout our palm oil supply chain.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 6

KUALA LUMPUR: 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.
"Pre-COVID, we were already short of 36,000 workers. This (shortage) has already resulted in us not realising our potential production by 10%-25%," MPOA Chief Executive Officer Nageeb Wahab said in a conference.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 -- Malaysia has not retracted its option of filing a complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union’s (EU) Delegated Regulation, Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said.
She said in fact, Malaysia’s highest level legal team is examining the potential response “with a fine-tooth comb” to make the petition as watertight as possible.
“We continue to view the Delegated Regulation as a discredit to the Malaysian palm oil industry's commitment towards mandatory sustainability since it creates additional trade barriers and impedes our sustainability efforts throughout our palm oil supply chain,” she said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 -- Malaysia does not see the production of synthetic palm oil by US start-up company, C16 Biosciences, as a threat to natural palm oil supply chain particularly when produced under the best agricultural practices and sustainability standards.
In fact, the world's second largest palm oil producer wishes the best to the company, the investment arm of Bill Gates-led Breakthrough Energy Ventures, in its endeavours and even will be prepared to work with them if the desire.
“There are so many other intrinsic difficulties that will come with trying to copy nature’s palm oil.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/558300/malaysia-open-davos-talks-india-amid-palm-oil-spat
Source: nst.com.my

Malaysia’s trade minister is open to meeting his Indian counterpart at the World Economic Forum gathering this week. -REUTERS
By Reuters - January 20, 2020 @ 9:37pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s trade minister is open to meeting his Indian counterpart at the World Economic Forum gathering this week, his ministry said on Monday, after New Delhi said no such encounter was possible amid a spat over palm oil supplies.
It was the second time in the last four days Malaysia expressed the possibility of such a meeting in Davos, during a standoff between a major supplier and buyer of palm oil caused by Malaysia’s criticism of Indian policies.
Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) reiterated that India’s trade ministry first sent a request on Dec 24 - before India placed curbs on imports of refined palm oil - for a bilateral meeting between the two ministers in Davos.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 21): Malaysia has resumed crude palm oil (CPO) exports to India as the latter has started buying the commodity again from Malaysia after barring such imports in recent months.
In a statement today, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the country expects India’s June and July 2020 purchasing contracts of Malaysia CPO to strengthen the commodity's prices.
He said Malaysia hopes India will continue importing Malaysian CPO to fulfil India’s vegetable oil needs.
"The government expects the situation to have a positive impact on the oil palm industry and the country's (Malaysia) economy. I wish to stress that the Malaysian government is committed to maintain a good relationship with the Indian government to further enhance diplomatic and trade ties between both nations,” he said.

BRUSSELS: The government no longer plans to file a WTO lawsuit against European Union (EU) restrictions on palm oil-based biofuel and will instead seek to convince the European body to change its treatment of the crop in a review scheduled for 2021.
The European Commission concluded last year that palm oil cultivation results in excessive deforestation and should not count towards renewable energy targets.
So palm oil-based diesel will not be regarded as a renewable and its use in transport fuel will effectively be phased out from 2024.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/11/14/malaysia-signs-2020-palm-oil-export-deal-for-south-asia
Source: thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia signed a pact on Thursday for exports of palm oil to south Asia next year, amid uncertainty over trade with India after its dealers last month urged a boycott of palm oil from the southeast Asian nation.

In October, India's top vegetable oil trade body told members to stop buying palm oil from the world's second largest producer and exporter of the commodity, after remarks by Malaysia's prime minister on disputed Kashmir stirred anger.

Malaysia has signed a preliminary pact with Dubai-based Hakan Agro DMCC, which is confident of exporting more than 1 million tonnes of palm oil to its core South Asian market, Malaysian minister Teresa Kok said in a statement.

Kok added that she was confident differences with India would "be settled amicably".

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is eyeing to capture at least half of Pakistan’s large palm oil market now that the country has agreed to increase imports, says Teresa Kok.
The Primary Industries Minister said that Malaysia hoped to increase its stake in Pakistan’s market to 50% or 60% over time.
Currently, Malaysia holds only 22% of Pakistan’s palm oil market share.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is working on creating better trade relations with India, its top palm oil buyer last year, and addressing some of the issues that have negated the country’s palm oil share in the global market, Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) chief executive officer Datuk Kalyana Sundram said.

Malaysia aims to delay nationwide adoption of plans to step up the use of palm oil in biodiesel, the Malaysian Biodiesel Association said on Thursday, amid movement curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
The world's second-largest producer of palm oil, Malaysia has one of the highest numbers of infections in Southeast Asia with more than 5,000 cases, 85 of whom have died.
The mandate to manufacture biofuel with a 20% palm oil component - known as B20 - for the transport sector was first rolled out in January, and was set to be fully implemented across the country by mid-June 2021.

BRUSSELS: Palm oil powerhouse Malaysia urged Europe not to forget the world’s farmers when it strives to meet its Green Deal ambition for carbon neutrality.
The European Union in December embarked on an major plan committing member states to build a carbon neutral economy by 2050 along with other climate-friendly measures including a boost in investment.
This would be in addition to Brussels existing commitment to ban palm oil as a biofuel in Europe by 2030, a plan that has angered Malaysia, the world’s second biggest palm oil producer after Indonesia.

MALAYSIA aims to increase the palm oil export to Pakistan to 60% from the current 22% after Islamabad sounded interest to import more palm oil from the country as India slashes imports of the commodity.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok (picture) said Malaysia’s palm oil market share in Pakistan currently stands at 22% only, as it is sold at a higher price due to export duty, among other reasons.
“There is room for improvement, but they are also asking for crude palm oil (CPO) with a lower price, so there needs to be detailed discussions between both countries.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 8

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities will file legal action against the European Union over alleged discriminatory anti-palm oil campaign through a dispute settlement mechanism under the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Its minister, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said, the legal action, in collaboration with the Attorney General's Chamber, was based on principle and justification, as well as in line with the trade practices underlined by the WTO.

INDIA’S decision not to extend the safeguard import duty on several varieties of Malaysia’s palm oil would not necessarily improve exports as New Delhi still imposed restrictions on certain refined products of the commodity.
India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recently issued a statement of New Delhi’s decision not to extend the bilateral safeguard duty imposed for 180 days since September last year.
Malaysia and India’s relationship has been on thin ice after former Prime Minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir criticised New Delhi’s action in Kashmir. India had voiced its anger over Dr Mahathir’s criticism, leading to calls for PM Narendra Modi to ban Malaysia’s palm oil imports.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 -- Malaysia has reduced its export duty on crude palm oil (CPO) to zero for June 2020 from this month’s rate of 4.5 per cent, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) website.
The tax was exempted for most of last year -- from May 1 to Dec 31 -- but it was reinstated at a rate of five per cent in January this year.
The MPOB said the country, which is the world‘s second largest producer and palm oil exporter, had calculated the palm oil reference price at RM2,122.77 per tonne for June 2020.
Meanwhile, palm oil trader David Ng said this was a welcome move as Malaysia's palm oil inventory rose to more than two million tonnes in April, and production increased to a six-month high amid COVID-19 which had impacted traders’ demand.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s crude palm oil (CPO) futures benchmark price may trade higher in June and July at RM2,400 per tonne if the world’s second largest edible oil producer maintains its higher export figures, including its export to India, Palm Oil Analytics owner and co-founder Dr Sathia Varqa said.

However, as production reach its peak from August until October, the commodity price may falls slightly to RM2,200 per tonne.

"The good numbers of export from Malaysia to India have been positive in the month of May which we see supporting the crude palm oil futures in the last two weeks,” he said at a global webinar titled "Is Covid-19 a Bull or a Bear for Veg Oils?” hosted by the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association.

ALOR SETAR, June 16 -- The nation’s palm oil industry is expected to rebound on the back of increasing demand for crude palm oil (CPO) and refined palm oil from several countries, including Turkey.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry is confident that the country’s current palm oil supply is sufficient to meet the external demand.
“There has been an increase in demand (for palm oil) from several countries such India and Middle Eastern countries, including Turkey, due to the 100 per cent export duty exemption which is in force up to December this year.
“Currently, our CPO supply is less than one million tonnes, but we are confident that this is sufficient,” he said to reporters after his meeting with Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor here today.
The tax exemption was one of the measures under the Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), aimed at managing the country’s stock level and stabilising CPO price.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — Malaysia's total palm oil stocks fell 10.55 per cent to 1.698 million tonnes in July from 1.898 million tonnes recorded in the previous month, says the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 -- Malaysia's total palm oil stocks eased 12.69 per cent to 1.76 million tonnes in January 2020 from 2.01 million tonnes recorded in December 2019.
In a statement today, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said crude palm oil (CPO) stock decreased by 17.13 per cent to 844,867 tonnes in January 2020 from 1.02 million tonnes previously.
Meanwhile, processed palm oil stock dropped 8.11 per cent to 910,613 tonnes from 991,017 tonnes.
CPO production fell 12.60 per cent to 1.17 million tonnes in January 2020 from 1.33 million tonnes in December 2019, while palm kernel output was 9.79 per cent lower at 285,274 tonnes from 316,240 tonnes.
MPOB said palm oil exports depreciated 13.20 per cent in January 2020 to 1.21 million tonnes from 1.40 million tonnes in December 2019, while exports of oleochemical dropped 5.36 per cent to 245,340 tonnes compared to last month’s 2019's 259,242 tonnes.
Exports of palm kernel cake fell 10.70 per cent to 183,119 tonnes from 205,071 tonnes.
However, biodiesel exports in the month under review surged 23.85 per cent to 58,524 tonnes from 47,252 tonnes in the preceding month.
Meanwhile, palm kernel oil exports increased by 5.30 per cent in January 2020 to 97,331 tonnes from 92,431 tonnes in the preceding month.
MPOB said CPO imports went down 61.42 per cent to 29,298 tonnes during the month from 75,933 tonnes in December 2019.
-- BERNAMA

https://bernama.com/en/business/news.php?id=1812790
Sumber: bernama.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s palm oil inventory rose to 1.73 million tonnes in March, its first increase after five straight months of declines, as production exceeded total consumption.
Affin Hwang Capital said Malaysia’s crude palm oil (CPO) production in March continued to increase to 1.4 million tonnes, up 8.4 per cent month-on-month as production started to pick-up,.
But the output fell 16.4 per cent year-on-year partly due to the dry weather and cutbacks in fertiliser applications in 2019 due to low CPO prices then.

MUMBAI (Reuters): India's exports of sugar to Malaysia so far in 2020 have nearly tripled over the figure for all of last year, as Kuala Lumpur steps up purchases to placate New Delhi in a trade dispute that halted its palm oil exports to India, trade officials said.

MALAYSIA’S palm oil exports to the Chinese market is likely to face fierce competition from Indonesia due to their competitive price point and higher crude palm oil (CPO) output.
Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd’s business director Ooi Liang Hin said CPO from Malaysian refineries are more expensive in comparison to oil produced in Indonesia that rides on cost advantages due to the nation’s large oil palm plantation and production.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's biggest palm oil producer Sime Darby said on Friday it is committed to working with environmental groups, days after a senior executive called for government action against them.
Franki Anthony Dass, chief advisor and value officer at Sime Darby Plantation - the world's biggest palm oil company by land size - told an industry forum on Tuesday that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were orchestrating attacks on palm oil.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil producers must use technology to improve yield and compensate for restrictions on land use, as the industry wrestles with concerns about sustainability, the chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council said on Monday.
Malaysia, the world's second biggest palm oil producer, has set a cap of 6.5 million hectares on the area under palm oil cultivation. In 2019, the total area planted with oil palm in Malaysia was about 5.9 million hectares.

KUALA LUMPUR: After five years of often back breaking work on a Malaysian palm oil plantation, Bangladeshi national Babul told his employer this month he was ready to call it quits.
The plantation owner immediately countered with a bonus of RM500 – around a quarter of Babul's monthly salary – to entice him to extend his contract by at least a year.
The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating a labour shortage in the Malaysian palm oil industry, which is heavily reliant on foreign workers. Thousands have already abandoned plantations in the world's second largest producer, heading home as borders closed, adding pressure in an industry where around 2-3% of foreign workers "abscond" each year.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): Malaysian palm plantations have urged the government to let foreign workers return, warning of severe damage to the palm oil industry if it is not granted an exemption from a hiring freeze.
The Malaysian Estate Owners' Association implored the government in a statement yesterday to consider the survival and sustainability of the sector and let grower companies that have been unable to recruit locally hire foreign workers immediately.
The palm oil industry in Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer and exporter of palm oil, faces a worsening of its chronic labour shortage. It relies on foreigners for 70% of its plantation workforce and almost all its field work, especially people from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 4): Crude palm oil (CPO) output in May is expected to be the highest since 2015, according to CGS-CIMB Research.
In a note, the research house's Ivy Ng and Nagulan Ravi forecast the 3% month-on-month (m-o-m) growth in output for May would buck historical trends, and would rank as the strongest m-o-m growth for May since 2017.
"Over the past 10 years, CPO production has posted an average 1.4% m-o-m decline in May. However, this year is different as workers were not able to return to their home countries to celebrate Hari Raya due to Covic-19. As such, CPO production did not see the usual dip," they said.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 -- The Malaysian Biodiesel Association (MBA) has commended the government for implementing the B20 programme in the transport sector, saying it is in line with the call by the biodiesel industry and will benefit the industry and country as a whole.
MBA said the programme has commenced in phases from Jan 1, 2020 in Langkawi and Labuan, and will now be expanded in phases to Sarawak in April 2020 and Sabah in August 2020, and will be made mandatory nationwide on June 15, 2021.

SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) have appealed to the State Government to reconsider the decision to close all palm oil mills in plantations in Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kinabatangan.
“Allow us to resume operations only for the essential and critical operation, such as harvesting, crop evacuation as well as milling during the MCO (Movement Control Order). We strongly feel that we can better contain the spread by continuing operations rather than curbing them,” the MPOA and MEOA said in a joint statement yesterday.

PUTRAJAYA, April 11 ― The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (KPPK) is ready to assist the Sabah government ensure oil palm plantations and mills comply with movement control order (MCO) directives following the state government’s decision to allow them to operate throughout the MCO.
Its minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry, through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) will ensure oil palm plantations and mills comply with all Covid-19 pandemic operation guidelines issued by the Sabah Health Department.

PUTRAJAYA, April 11 -- The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (KPPK) is ready to assist the Sabah government ensure oil palm plantations and mills comply with Movement Control Order (MCO) directives following the state government’s decision to allow them to operate throughout the MCO.
Its minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the ministry, through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) will ensure oil palm plantations and mills comply with all COVID-19 pandemic operation guidelines issued by the Sabah Health Department.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two palm oil grower groups on Tuesday asked the Sabah government to reconsider the extension of an order suspending palm operations as part of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Sabah produces about 25 per cent of Malaysia’s palm oil. On Monday, it expanded the shutdown of palm oil plantations and factories to six districts in the state from three and extended the order until April 14, from March 31, after several palm estate workers tested positive for the virus.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 -- The one-day forum on 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters (GE) in Jakarta today, hosted by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), adjourned with suggestions that one maximum level of 3-MCPD at 2,500 µg/kg or 2.5 ppm for all vegetable oils is the acceptable safety limit for consumption.
It said the one maximum limit should be adopted and there should be no differentiation between vegetable oils as there are no justifications whether from a consumer health risk or scientific perspective.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=36591
Source: bernama.com
Tuesday 21/01/2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) would like to refer to the Government announcement on 5 October 2019 that ONLY those who have successfully obtained the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification or initiated the certification process before 1 January 2020 are eligible to apply for MSPO incentive.

Thus, with effect from 1st January 2020, MSPO incentives are only claimable by those entities who have signed agreements with Certification Bodies (CBs) before 1st January 2020 or are already in the process of MSPO certification audit.

Source: The Star page 2

PONTIAN: The Primary Industries and Commodities Ministry is urging unemployed Malaysians to consider working in the palm oil industry.
Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng said this would help reduce the unemployment rate in Malaysia, which has spiked due to Covid-19.
The Tanjung Piai MP said the ministry has met with industry players such as IOI Group and Sime Darby Plantation which were willing to offer a minimum wage of RM2,000 to locals.

PETALING JAYA: The manufacturing of crucial products will be allowed to operate but subject to certain conditions, said the National Security Council (NSC).
These include companies manufacturing and importing critical products including food items such as rice, sugar, bread, and agricultural and fish.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 -- More than 100 Malaysian food and beverage (F&B) companies will participate at the world’s largest F&B trade fairs, Gulfood, to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) beginning from tomorrow until Feb 20.
The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said other public sector agencies including Malaysia Palm Oil Council, Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Department of Industrial Development and Research, Sabah and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority would be joining the event.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) has proposed that all plantations and palm oil mills which have not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in six districts in Sabah to be allowed to resume operations.
The six districts are Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Kunak, Semporna and Kalabakan.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board is collaborating with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to develop the latest machinery and technology for the oil palm plantation sector.

Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali (pix) said the innovations would reduce the sector’s dependence on foreign labour.
“The ministry is also moving to promote oil palm cultivation among the indigenous people and draw their interest in working in the plantations, and Gerik in Perak has been selected for this pilot project,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board is collaborating with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to develop the latest machinery and technology for the oil palm plantation sector.
Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the innovations would reduce the sector’s dependence on foreign labour.
"The ministry is also moving to promote oil palm cultivation among the indigenous people and draw their interest in working in the plantations, and Gerik in Perak has been selected for this pilot project,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat today.

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) will explore new palm oil markets to avoid over reliance on traditional markets such as India, China and European Union countries.
Its newly-appointed minister, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the search for new palm oil markets would help nearly one million people engaged in oil palm activities in the country.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) have called on the Sabah state authorities to allow plantations and mills with no COVID-19 cases in six districts to resume operations.
The six districts are Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Kunak, Semporna and Kalabakan.
“Any further prolonged shutdown is a lost social-economic opportunity, as a commodity like palm oil is one of the few sectors that can keep the economic momentum of the state running in the current down-turn,” MPOA and MEOA said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has appointed Machang Member of Parliament Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub as its new chairman effective yesterday.Ahmad’s appointment was announced by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali.
Ahmad replaces Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh who served until March 31, 2020.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — About 30.4 per cent of the Malaysian palm oil technologies has so far been commercialised with a market value of RM3 billion, benefiting the industry in all sectors.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said in the upstream sector, technologies and inventions are aimed at improving oil palm yields further.
“These include beneficial plants and fogging formulation for bagworm control and rotting fungi to accelerate biodegradation of oil palm trunks, as well as bio-fertilisers for treatment in controlling the diseases of oil palm.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): Crude palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to reach RM2,300-RM2,400 per tonne in the next few months, said Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub.
In a statement today, he said CPO prices had begun to strengthen following the recent improvement in diplomatic relations between India and Malaysia.
“This is certainly good news for the MPOB and the government as the commodity’s contribution accounts for 4.76% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP),” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is exploring palm oil-based medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) as an anti-viral property, with the aim to boost the immune system to protect from the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) attack, director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said.
Noting that the process is still at the preliminary stage, he said more studies needed to be conducted in order to confirm the anti-viral effects.

THE Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) criticises the benefit of the newly developed synthetic palm oil as an alternative to the natural palm oil.
MPOB DG Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the synthetic version of the edible oil does not contain essential nutritional values such as vitamin A and vitamin E which could be found in natural palm oil.
“Recently, a couple of international media highlighted that a start-up based in New York is ready to go big in producing synthetic palm oil.
“However, the synthetic version of palm oil, which is currently being produced in the US, lacks originality as it does not have the vitamins that present in natural palm oil,” he said in a statement yesterday.

MACHANG, July 9 -- 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 adhere to the requirements set by the developed countries especially in Europe.
Presently, about 62,009 private smallholders with 243,666 hectares of oil palm plantations and 231,576 organised smallholders with 670,010 hectares of oil palm have obtained the MSPO certification.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 9): The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Techbond Greentech Sdn Bhd have signed a technology development collaboration for the production of palm-based polyol to be used as one of the components of polyurethane adhesives to replace formaldehyde-based adhesives.
The MPOB said it signed a memorandum of agreement with Techbond for the commercialisation of palm-based polyol technology in February, which involved two stages, namely research and development (R&D) to produce polyurethane adhesive formulations followed by commercialisation of technology.

MALAYSIAN Palm Oil Board (MPOB) plans to provide incentives through the Malaysian Palm Oil Training Centre (Plasma) to encourage more local participation in the plantation industry.
Its chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said the industry’s relatively low salary may have deterred locals to work in the plantations which then forces companies to heavily rely on foreign labour, particularly on the heavy manual works.
“MPOB plans to increase the efficacy of Plasma and widen the expertise provided at the centre beyond the plantation management.
“Higher salaries and incentive schemes may boost the participation of local workforce to work in the plantations, which hopefully can reduce Malaysia’s dependency on foreign labour,” he said in a press conference in Puchong, Selangor, yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) will hold its annual seminar, the MPOB Technology Transfer Seminar (Webinar TOT 2020), online on July 7, 2020.
Director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the Webinar TOT 2020 aims to disseminate MPOB's latest research findings, and offer business opportunities in the palm oil industry based on the commercialisation of technologies offered by MPOB.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 2): The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) will introduce seven new technologies to industry players during its Transfer of Technology virtual seminar (Webinar TOT 2020) on July 7.
Its director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the new commercialised technologies would cater for both the upstream and downstream sectors of the industry.
"We will introduce a number of new technologies that could be used by the industry or anyone interested in increasing their income," he said during an interview on Radio Television Malaysia’s ‘Biz Malaysia’ programme today.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is currently working on a proposal to incentivise Malaysians, especially the youths, to join the plantation industry – a move that will help to reduce the country’s dependency on foreign labour, chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said.
He said the board plans to provide the incentives to students enrolled at the Malaysian Palm Oil Training Centre (PLASMA).
“Maybe Malaysians assume that the minimum wage in the country is still small, thus they are not that interested to take part in the industry.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is currently working on a proposal to incentivise Malaysians, especially the youths, to join the plantation industry – a move that will help to reduce the country’s dependency on foreign labour, chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said.

He said the board plans to provide the incentives to students enrolled at the Malaysian Palm Oil Training Centre (PLASMA).
“Maybe Malaysians assume that the minimum wage in the country is still small, thus they are not that interested to take part in the industry.
“This is why Malaysia, being the world’s second largest oil palm producer, has to rely on foreign workers,” he said during his visit to Orion Biosains Sdn Bhd’s laboratory here yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) aims to recruit 400 students in a year through its Malaysian Palm Oil Training Centre (Plasma).
Plasma is offering Farm Mechanisation Operators Course that provides skills training for local youths in oil palm cultivation.
MPOB said Plasma serves as a centre of excellent to train those who are interested in palm oil management as part of efforts to reduce dependence on foreign workers in the plantation sector.
As of April this year, the industry employs nearly 338,206 foreigners in the palm oil sector.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 -- Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has entered into collaboration with True Trichoderma Technology Sdn Bhd to commercialise Trichoderma 159c endophytic fungal technology, which acts as a biological control agent against palm basal stem rot disease.
Trichoderma 159c is commercialised under the trade name 'TrichoShield'.
MPOB chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said True Trichoderma Technology had collaborated with MPOB in the research for the technology since June 2018.
"Today, we are witnessing the commencement of the commercialisation of MPOB technology, a biological control agent technology using Trichoderma which is an effective method for the palm oil industry," he said in a statement after the signing of the memorandum of agreement here today.

THE government deferred the implementation of the national B20 Biodiesel Programme due to lower crude palm oil (CPO) demand and to focus resources in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The green fuel programme was launched in February but has been retailed in stages in Langkawi, Kedah, and Labuan since January.
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) DG Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the subsequent launches of the biodiesel in other states were postponed indefinitely, starting with Sarawak which was supposed to be instituted this month.

Source: StarBiz page 5

KUALA LUMPUR (June 12): The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is forecasting total palm oil production to decline to 19.5 million to 19.6 million tonnes in 2020, compared with 19.86 million tonnes a year ago.
Speaking at the webinar organised by the MPOC, its CEO Datuk Dr Kalyana Sundram said Malaysia’s palm oil exports are projected to be 4.65 million tonnes in the third quarter of the year (3Q), up 2.5% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q), due to the gradual increase in demand from traditional markets.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 11): The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is forecasting total palm oil production to increase to between 19.5 million to 19.6 million tonnes in the third quarter, compared with 16.44 million tonnes a year ago.
Speaking at the webinar organised by the MPOC, its CEO Datuk Dr Kalyana Sundram said that Malaysia’s palm oil exports are projected to be 4.65 million tonnes, up 2.5% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) due to the gradual increase in demand from traditional markets.

KUALA LUMPUR: Crude palm oil (CPO) prices will likely average RM2,573 a tonne, with the potential to reach a high of RM2,944 a tonne, this year, said Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Kalyana Sundram.
“Our output projection for 2020 is 19.6 million tonnes, while global stock usage ratio is 14.68 per cent. As a result of this higher demand and uptrend in prices recently, we are bullish on the ‘high’ that the commodity can reach in 2020.

MIRI: The newly appointed chairman of Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC), Muhtar Suhaili is looking forward to a close collaboration between stakeholders and industry players.
Muhtar, 39, who was officially appointed on May 11, dedicated the appointment to his father Suhaili Rasdan, his mother Norsiah Junaidi, his wife Wan Lydia Salmi and other family members.
It is the sacrifice of his parents that has fueled his spirit to be a successful and useful man to the society.
“To all MPOCC, stakeholders and industry players, I hope we will work closely together in driving MPOCC to achieve its goals and strategies, In shaa Allah. Let’s power progress together,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 10): The Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) have established a special committee with the aim of boosting the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification among independent smallholders.
In a statement, MPOCC said the Board Committee for Smallholders’ MSPO Certification was formed, as only 24.1 percent of the 986,331 ha plantation area owned or leased by independent smallholders had been certified as of yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has postponed its biggest palm oil conference that typically draws thousands of industry players from more than 50 countries, according to sources.
The Palm and Lauric Oils Price Outlook Conference and Exhibition or POC2020, originally scheduled for March 2-4, will be rescheduled to June.

http://bernama.com/en/business/news.php?id=1809641
Source: bernama.com/ By Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Intensive efforts by various parties to strengthen the country’s palm oil industry has borne fruit with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification gaining important international recognition.

Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Him said MSPO has received recognition from Tokyo Olympic 2020 as a source of sustainable palm oil and from China’s Green Food Development Centre.

The certification has also been recognised for introducing MSPO-Trace which showed the supply chain of palm oil products.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/mspo-incentives-only-those-who-sign-agreement-certification-bodies
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): The Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification scheme incentives are only claimable by industry players who have signed agreements with the certification bodies before Jan 1, 2020, says the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC).

Its chief executive officer Chew Jit Seng in a statement said the eligibility criteria, which took effect on Jan 1 this year, also include those who are already in the process of MSPO certification audit.

“As such, growers with more than 40.46 hectares or 100 acres of oil palm and palm oil processing facilities who have initiated the MSPO/Supply Chain Certification Standard certification process will need to submit a copy of the signed agreement with the appointed certification body to the MPOCC,” he said.

Source: New Straits Times page 19

MANCHESTER, April 8 — The Italian Union for Sustainable Palm Oil has identified five challenges in promoting a culture of sustainability for the commodity in Italy, which includes poor recognition of products containing certified sustainable palm oil.
The union said the industry is also facing the demonisation of palm oil by the media and politicians as well as the widespread use of “palm oil free” claims; lack of discussion based on scientific evidence; and public debates that are solely focused on health and nutritional aspects.

PUTRAJAYA, May 19 -- The implementation of the B20 biodiesel programme in Sabah and Sarawak’s transportation sector will be rescheduled to start from later dates in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO), said Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.
He said the programme would be implemented in Sarawak from Sept 1, 2020, instead of April 2020, and in Sabah from Jan 1 next year compared with the earlier target of August 2020.
“The date to implement the programme in the peninsula, previously set on June 15, 2021, has not changed,” he told the media after meeting with petroleum companies’ representatives here today to discuss current issues and the plan for B20 programme’s implementation in the transportation sector.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Newly-appointed Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub undertook an official visit to the MPOB yesterday.
The Machang Member of Parliament was briefed on the progress of MPOB’s research and operations as well as the development of the country’s oil palm industry by the board’s director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir.
“With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Ahmad Parveez is confident that Ahmad Jazlan will lead the MPOB board to greater heights, particularly in the sustainable development of the palm oil industry,” it said in a statement today.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/20/no-meeting-planned-with-indian-officials-in-davos-says-minister/1829786
Source: malaymail.com | Monday, 20 Jan 2020 03:28 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — There is no plan for a formal meeting between Malaysian and Indian officials to discuss issues regarding palm oil during the World Economic Forum’s summit in Davos, Switzerland next week, says Datuk Darell Leiking.

However, the International Trade and Industry Minister did not discount the possibility of an encounter with officials from India during the event which may lead up to a discussion on matters concerning bilateral interests.

“There was never any plans to meet any in particular but along the way, we always bump into each other and I’m sure Hello always start with something good,” he told reporters when met at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of agreement between InvestKL China Special Channel and Chinese Business Chamber today.

PALM oil plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring global food security in the vegetable oils and fats industry.
Yet, there are so many attacks on the sustainability of palm oil that there is a need to produce synthetic products in place of natural products.
According to the director-general of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board as quoted in New Straits Times, a startup based in New York sought to produce synthetic palm oil as an alternative to natural palm oil.

TAWAU, Feb 22 -- Operators of oil palm estates which are above 40 hectares are required to have the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification effective this year.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) would be withdrawing the licence of operators who failed to comply with the matter.
"MSPO certification is mandatory for palm oil estates which are 100 acres (40.47 hectares) and above,” she said when met by reporters after the launch of Sabah level ‘Love MY Palm Oil’ campaign at Teck Guan Cocoa Village here today.

PASIR GUDANG: Locals are urged to take up jobs in the oil palm sector to reduce the current shortage of labour.
Deputy Primary Industries and Commodities minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng said the problem was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the ministry would work with the relevant authorities to promote jobs available in the oil palm industry among Malaysians, especially those who had lost their employment elsewhere earlier.

Source: StarBiz page 4

KUCHING (Aug 24): Only 17,785 out of 39,391 oil palm smallholders in the state have received the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as of July 31 this year, said Ministry of Plantations and Commodities (KPKK).
In a statement today, the ministry asserted the MSPO certification in the state among the smallholders were still low as there were 21,606 smallholders have yet to achieve the certification.
“The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has found that the percentage of MSPO certification among smallholders is still low. Among them are the Q8 cluster (Pantu, Bukit Begunan, Lingga, Simanggang), Q22 (Marudi) and Q30 (Sebauh).

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 4): Pakistan will buy more palm oil from Malaysia, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday, to try and compensate after top buyer India put curbs on Malaysian imports last month amid a diplomatic row.
India imposed general restrictions on refined palm oil imports, and informally asked traders specifically to stop buying from Malaysia, the world's biggest producer of the edible oil. Sources said the move was in retaliation after Malaysia criticised India's new religion-based citizenship law and its policy on Kashmir.

Source: New Straits Times page 18

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 4

KUALA LUMPUR/BEIJING: The double-whammy to palm oil demand from a trade spat with India and the coronavirus in China is likely to prove only temporary, according to FGV Holdings Bhd, one of the world’s largest producers.

That’s because supplies are low this quarter, and food and fuel demand is set to stay robust over the long term, according to Chief Executive Officer Haris Fadzilah Hassan (pic).

India and China are the two biggest importers of palm, the world’s most consumed cooking oil.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2020/01/27/palm-oil-a-versatile-and-nutricious-edible-oil/1831756
Source: malaymail.com/Monday, 27 Jan 2020 10:11 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 ― With 80 per cent of palm oil used in food applications, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) says it is constantly focusing on providing evidence of the nutritional properties of the versatile oil, backed by credible scientific research carried out in collaboration with renowned research institutions as well as in-house.
Numerous studies found that palm oil carries health benefits such as being anti-oxidant, anti-cancer as well as having the potential to be a key ingredient for high value-based food products such as infant food formulation.
“Palm oil is very unique in the sense that it is the only vegetable oil high in tocotrienols, which demonstrate positive attributes, namely anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, cardio-protective and neuroprotective effects,” director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir told Bernama.

https://themalaysianreserve.com/2019/12/27/palm-oil-closes-above-rm3000-for-1st-time-in-3-years/
Source: themalaysianreserve.com | Friday, December 27th, 2019 at , Business | By BLOOMBERG

SINGAPORE • Palm oil futures closed above RM3,000 per tonne for the first time in almost three years, with concerns about output from second-biggest producer Malaysia prompting investors to buy more at the end of 2019.

Crude palm oil production in the South-East Asian country is estimated to have dropped 16.4% during Dec 1-20 from a month earlier, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Association. The growers’ group said output fell 20% in Peninsular Malaysia, 10.9% in Sabah and 7.4% in Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Plantation industry players have stepped up measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19 by requiring employees who may have been exposed to the contagion prior to the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to self-quarantine.

https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/06/20/palm-oil-industry-makes-joint-call-for-cspo-support/
Sumber: theborneopost.com
 
Sime Darby and EPOA as well as other industry associations, stakeholder companies and civil society bodies, have issued a joint call to action for all European stakeholders to actively support the sustainable palm oil choice initiative. — Reuters photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and the European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA) as well as other industry associations, stakeholder companies and civil society bodies, have issued a joint call to action for all European stakeholders to actively support the sustainable palm oil choice initiative.

EPOA chair Frans Claassen said the initiative’s objective was to drive the uptake of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) by all stakeholders in Europe’s food manufacturing value chain.

“The goal is for all manufacturers and retailers to choose and use only CSPO in their production and to achieve the target of 100 per cent CSPO in European food manufacturing by 2020,” he said in a statement yesterday in conjunction with the Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue event in the Netherlands recently.

He added that the initiative sought to reverse this and increase market acceptance for CSPO by engaging stakeholders who are already committed to it to speak up for CSPO and inspire others not only to choose and use it, but also to advocate it.

“We have to empower companies, retailers and consumers to choose sustainable palm oil. I believe we will achieve this by telling honest stories about the impact of sustainable production on the ground,” he said.

Claassen also said that making the choice for sustainable palm oil across Europe would help safeguard rainforests and their biodiversity across the world.

“Choosing palm oil that is produced sustainably also protects smallholders, uplifts their earning potential, and helps create fair and socioeconomic conditions for growers and workers active across the global palm oil supply chain,” he said.

Meanwhile, Orangutan Land Trust executive director Michelle Desilets said palm oil did not have to result in deforestation or biodiversity loss, and by demanding responsible palm oil, the industry can help ensure that it does not occur.

“Our supporters have been confused by messages in the public domain, such as from some UK retailers, that a blanket boycott of palm oil is desirable, a position we categorically do not share. I am personally committed to supporting and promoting 100 per cent sustainable palm oil in Europe,” she said.

The Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue event was attended by Sime Darby Plantation, Agropalma, Cargill, Fedepalma, Nutella and Palma Organica, among others. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR (July 22): The palm oil industry may see a full recovery in the fourth quarter of this year (4Q20) if the Covid-19 pandemic is manageable and contained, the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) said.
The council also believed that there is a possibility of a rebound in the market given the ultra-loose monetary policies of many central bankers and the government’s stimulus package.

THE Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) have been diligently engaging with the relevant authorities in Sabah and putting relevant measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the palm oil supply chain.
In a joint statement, both associations said they were also grateful to the chief minister and state government for granting the palm oil supply chain the approval to resume operations in the affected six districts.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — Palm oil prices in the market are expected to strengthen following India’s move to resume importing Malaysian palm oil, said Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.
He said the Indian government’s move to discontinue its import sanction on refined palm oil and the Malaysian government’s willingness to close the trade gap helped to boost palm oil imports by the country.
“Diplomatic relations has improved with contracts for palm oil purchases for June and July 2020, and this is expected to have a positive impact on the nation’s oil palm industry as well as the economy,” Mohd Khairuddin said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia is appealing to the Sabah government to allow industry players and its supply chains to work in unison during the extended movement control order (MCO) period.
This is simply to avoid operational disruption for the benefit of the consumers and economy as a whole, its chairman, Jamil Haron said in a statement.

Source: StarBiz page 6

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 8

KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Palm oil’s use in the oleochemical industry is expected to increase as consumers use soap and other personal hygiene and cleaning products more often due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) webinar titled "Mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on the Malaysian Palm Oil Trade", Sime Darby Oils (the downstream business of Sime Darby Plantation Bhd) managing director Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad said the usage of palm oil in oleochemicals will become more prominent.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 5): Palm oil industry veteran M R Chandran has hailed the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) for rebuking the World Health Organization (WHO) over its advice to consumers to not consume palm oil products.
“Congratulations to MPOC on its compelling and clear criticism of the WHO for its negative stance on palm oil as a dietary ingredient during the Covid-19 outbreak, and the promotion of alternatives such as olive oil instead,” said the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) advisor.
Chandran added that the fact the MPOC’s rebuke was published in the New York Times was all the more exciting and gratifying for Malaysia and the palm oil industry.
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KUALA LUMPUR (May 6): Demand and production of palm oil-based biodiesel is expected to remain under pressure at home and abroad owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and its wide disruption of economic activities and global trade.
S&P Global Platts Agriculture Analytics Business Analyst Loren Puette noted Malaysia’s implementation of a Movement Control Order (MCO) in the past seven weeks will likely lead to a decline in biodiesel production in the country – an effect likely to also unfold in Thailand which has also imposed a quarantine and social distancing measures.
On the other hand, Indonesia’s production of palm oil-derived biodiesel is expected to remain above 2019 levels for now, buoyed by the country’s B30 biodiesel programme. Puette said at the Asia Biofuel and Diesel Market - Impact of COVID-19 webinar today.
Malaysia’s biodiesel blending rate is expected to stagnate this year at 9.6%, before rising to 20% in 2024.
Consumption of biofuel this year is forecast at 15 million barrels a day (mbd), and reaching 35 mbd by 2024.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- Newly-appointed Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said Malaysia would strengthen its ties with India, particularly to boost palm oil exports.
Relations between the two countries became strained following a political row linked to criticism of New Delhi’s actions in Kashmir and India’s new citizenship law.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Sustainability criteria will become more important for palm oil in a post Covid-19 world.
Sustainability certification will become more important post-Covid-19 and the Malaysian palm oil industry has to lead the way, said U.R Unnithan, chief executive office at vegetable oil consulting firm Sumwin Global Pte Ltd, in response to a question on the impact of Covid-19 on at the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC)’s webinar "Mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on the Malaysian Palm Oil Trade" held today.
“Increasingly post Covid-19, there will be more and more emphasis on sustainability. We cannot run away from it. It is in the best interest of the palm oil industry that we put up the best front as far as sustainability is concerned,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: Plantation experts are concerned about crude palm oil (CPO) exports from May onwards, as many nations are still battling against the Covid-19 pandemic, with no vaccine in sight to-date.

In a bid to curb the spread of the virus, people are practising social distancing, resulting in the shutting down or scaling down of businesses, including those in the food and consumer goods industry that buy Malaysian palm oil.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 23): Plantation experts, who attended the web-based palm oil internet seminar (Pointers), have mixed views on the crude palm oil price (CPO) outlook, following Covid-19 that would continue to slowdown the demand for the commodity globally, Public Investment Bank said.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 -- As world’s edible oil demand has and will drop by about 25 per cent due to COVID-19 amid higher production and lower prices, Malaysian palm oil experts have underlined ways for the local industrial players to mitigate the pandemic impact.
Companies are told to manage their costs during this difficult period and adapt to digitalisation in doing business to further enhance their branding and sustainability.
“The key to survival for us is to manage costs and at the same time not to disappoint our customers. Palm oil is the best cooking oil in the world by far and we should do our very best to market it for the benefit of the crop,” Sime Darby Oils managing director Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) say they have been actively engaged with the Sabah government on the closure of oil palm operations in six districts to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In a joint statement, the associations said they have provided the state authorities information on the list of the plantation operations in the six districts, together with maps indicating their locations.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 May -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodity held a meeting with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) yesterday where they discussed various issues related to the palm oil industry.
The ministry said its minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali received a courtesy call by the CPOPC's executive director Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron.
Both sides touched on Malaysia's commitment and action in fighting issues related to the anti-palm oil campaign to safeguard the interests of the industry.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 20): The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodity held a meeting with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) yesterday where they discussed various issues related to the palm oil industry.
The ministry said its minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali received a courtesy call by the CPOPC's executive director Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron.
Both sides touched on Malaysia's commitment and action in fighting issues related to the anti-palm oil campaign to safeguard the interests of the industry.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 14

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) have appealed to the State Government to allow plantations and mills having no Covid-19 cases to resume operations in six districts.
In a joint statement, they said all operations would implement voluntary lockdowns and adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to mitigate Covid-19.
“We believe the Chief Minister and his Cabinet will be able to appreciate the overall view of the whole situation pertaining to Covid-19 and the oil palm sector.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 9

KUALA LUMPUR: The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives is expected to see quiet trading next week, with prices trending at the current level of between RM2,270 and RM2,340 per tonne, said Interband Group of Companies senior palm oil trader Jim Teh.
He said market players continued to worry in anticipation of a rise in production amid not-so-encouraging demand following the COVID-19 pandemic, as many countries were implementing a national lockdown.

Source: New Straits Times page 19

PETALING JAYA: India should reconsider its decision to advise its palm oil importers to shun Malaysian palm oil as the country’s political situation has changed.
“I would like to take this opportunity to send a message to the Indian government, ” said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).
“The situation has changed within our country. India should reconsider its decision to ban palm oil imports from Malaysia, ” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Planters with oil palm estates and mills in Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kinabatangan in Sabah became the first casualty of a Covid-19 lockdown within the plantation sector in the country, say analysts.

As a result of some plantation workers being tested positive for the coronavirus, the state government has decided to temporarily suspend the upstream operation in the districts for seven days starting March 25.

It will also temporarily suspend the mills operation in the affected areas for five days starting March 27.

An industry expert told StarBiz that the affected districts constitute about 60% of total CPO production in Sabah.

For an efficient estate, the ratio is 1:24 ha for harvesters, he noted.

BETONG: The Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) will improve its palm oil production by collaborating with Sime Darby.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 22): Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd's first quarter net profit came in over eight times higher year-on-year, mainly due to a fair value gain on derivatives and higher palm oil product prices. There was also a substantial decline in cost of sales.
Hence, despite selling less palm products, which pushed its revenue down 30% y-o-y to RM518.08 million from RM742.07 million, the group's net profit for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (1QFY20) rose to RM71.2 million from RM8.35 million in the year before.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): The government is keeping to its plan to roll out its B20 biodiesel programme in Peninsular Malaysia by mid-June next year, though it has postponed the implementation of the same in Sabah and Sarawak due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The B20 biofuel programme entails the use of a biofuel mixture with 20% palm oil and 80% petroleum diesel.
Sarawak was originally supposed to implement the programme last month, while Sabah was to follow in August this year. Sarawak will now introduce the programme on Sept 1, while Sabah will start next year. As for Peninsular Malaysia, the roll-out date remains on June 15 next year.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 -- Sime Darby Oils (SDO) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) have announced a collaboration in the world’s first comprehensive clinical trial to determine if the palm oil derived Tocotrienols, an antioxidant in the vitamin E family, could be used as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
In a filling with Bursa Malaysia today, the parties said a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the collaboration, which is expected to run for two years, was signed today.
They expect to see preliminary results within six months from the commencement of the clinical trial this month and a full publication of the findings in 2021.

KUALA LUMPUR: The world's largest producer of sustainable palm oil Sime Darby on Thursday made its million-dollar research into creating higher-yielding oil palm trees publicly available, in a move it said could help the industry slow deforestation.
Palm oil is the world's cheapest and most widely used vegetable oil, and is found in everything from cookies to lipstick.

Source: New Straits Times page 15

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/solvent-extractors-association-unaware-if-malaysias-palm-oil-cargo-held-ports
Sumber: theedgemarkets.com | Bernama -January 21, 2020 03:17 am +08

NEW DELHI (Jan 20): The Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India said it has not received any reports of refined palm oil cargoes from Malaysia being held up at India’s ports as a result of customs clearance.

SEA is a trade body representing India’s vegetable oil importers.

"We have not received any information from our members that their cargoes are being held up," said SEA executive director, B.V. Mehta to Bernama.

Earlier on, news agency Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported thousands of tonnes of refined palm oil were stuck at various Indian ports, as the government had placed imports of RBD palmolein on the "restricted" list of goods early this month.

PETALING JAYA: Local plantation companies are now placing strict measures on all their operations, particularly on harvesting and millings, where “social distancing” can be practiced to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two organisations to accelerate Malaysia’s aspirations in regard to sustainable palm oil production.
In a statement, MPOB said the MoU was signed with a Netherlands-based organisation which promotes sustainable trade - IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative titled Sustainable Climate Smart Palm Oil Production by Smallholders in Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR: Synthetic palm oil does not contain vitamins A and E compared to natural palm oil rich with these nutritional values, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said in a statement yesterday.
Its director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the raw materials used to produce synthetic palm oil may not be from original sources, and as such it may not be priced as competitively.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 -- The synthetic palm oil that is currently being produced by a United States-based startup is lacking in terms of originality and vitamins present in natural palm oil, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said.
MPOB director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said the synthetic version of palm oil does not contained Vitamin A and E, the nutritional value which is rich in natural palm oil.
“The raw material used to produce the synthetic version palm oil may also not be from renewable sources. As such, the synthetic version of palm oil may not be priced competitively.

KUCHING: Ta Ann Holdings Bhd (Ta Ann) is expecting the palm oil commodity prices to be negatively affected by a slowdown of the market demand in the short and possibly medium term.
According to executive chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi in Ta Ann’s Annual Report 2019, last year presented itself as a challenging one for Ta Ann in view of the unfavourable market conditions for the commodity prices.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 -- Malaysian palm oil exporters should take advantage of market opportunities in Romania, with its declining sunflower seed production, increasing oil and fat consumption and lack of adequate storage facilities, says the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).
Romania produces more than 700,000 metric tonnes (MT) of oils and fats annually, with sunflower oil comprising 65 per cent or 500,000 MT of total production. The country is the largest producer of sunflower seeds in the European Union.
However, production of sunflower seeds in the country is forecast to decline by 13 per cent in 2020/21 due to lower profit margins and crop rotation, compared with an expansion of 26 per cent in 2019/20, said MPOC.

KUALA LUMPUR: Covid-19 hit oil palm smallholders and companies can heave a sigh of relief overt a tax exemption provided under the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) that was aimed at managing the country’s stock level and stabilise the crude palm oil (CPO) price.
The government on Friday announced a 100 per cent exemption on export duty on crude palm oil, crude palm kernel oil and processed palm kernel oil from July 1, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020,
Commenting on the initiative, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said the tax exemption will encourage industry players to sell more palm oil and help them earn more income while solving their problems, including the additional costs incurred during these difficult times.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 -- Oil palm yield and by-products can be enhanced by 23 per cent from 19 per cent through upgrading and improving the technology at the plantation and production level, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
MPOB director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir described technology as essential in value-adding a product and driving the palm oil industry forward rather than become obsolete.
“For instance, when we introduce new technology for the palm oil industry, we also look at what it could be used for.
“Instead of just thinking about food products, we can also look at non-food products such as soap, cosmetics, oleochemicals and so on,” he said in Bernama TV’s ‘Bual Bicara’ programme recently.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 8 

KUALA LUMPUR: Teresa Kok has denied informing the media that Malaysia will back off from its plans to file the WTO complaint against the European Union (EU) and its Delegated Regulation.
Referring to a news report by Reuters today, the Primary Industries Minister said on the contrary, Malaysia has not retracted its option to file the WTO complaint.
"We continue to view the Delegated Regulation as a discredit to the Malaysian palm oil industry's commitment towards mandatory sustainability since it creates additional trade barriers and impedes our sustainability efforts throughout our palm oil supply chain," the minister said in a statement today.

PUTRAJAYA: The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China is expected to have a temporary impact on prices of commodities, especially crude palm oil (CPO).

“Of course, prices will come down and this (will) only (be) a temporary phenomenon…not only on commodities prices, but share prices are also going down,” Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim told reporters after the Reach and Remind Friends of the Industry Seminar 2020 and Dialogue here yesterday.
The seminar was organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

KUALA LUMPUR: The anticipation of tight supply of palm oil will continue to support crude palm oil (CPO) prices of up to RM2,800 a tonne this month, say analysts.
CPO prices have gained more than 19% over the past month to settle at RM2,853 a tonne.
“We expect CPO prices to trade in the range of RM2,400-RM2,800 per tonne in August due to the current tight stock situations and at an average of RM2,300 per tonne for 2020,” CGS-CIMB Securities said.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily page 15

AS palm oil production moves into the seasonally higher months during the second half of the year, the improved diplomatic relations between India and Malaysia has been timely.
In April alone, the palm oil inventory level was higher than the projected consensus of 1.89 million tonnes, rising 18% month on month to 2.04 million tonnes. Analysts say this was due to higher production and lower domestic consumption of the commodity, largely because of the implementation of the Movement Control Order.
India’s move to lift its restrictions on refined palm oil, imposed in January, is expected to boost exports to the country.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/25/to-convince-palm-oil-critics-malaysia-looks-to-affordable-mandatory-local-s/1831248
Source: malaymail.com/ Saturday, 25 Jan 2020 06:54 AM MYT/ BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY AND DANIAL DZULKIFLY


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — For decades, Malaysia has been facing an uphill task in convincing palm oil critics of the sustainability and trustworthiness of its palm oil — as the West continues to bombard the edible oil with discriminative labelling and protests.
Working towards this goal, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is banking on the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme, in an attempt to certify plantations owned by smallholders, struggling to adhere to international standards.
“The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification has an ability to reach out very rapidly to the organised sector of the plantation industry, but not very effective in reaching out to the smallholders although they have various programmes,” MPOC chief executive Datuk Kalyana Sundaram told Malay Mail.

(March 24, 60.5 sen)
Maintain buy with a lower target price (TP) of RM1.10: We believe the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the palm oil supply chain globally as most affected countries have put travel and movement restrictions to curb the virus. We believe demand for crude palm oil (CPO) is relatively inelastic and expect a rebound in CPO exports when the supply chain disruption dissipates and movement restrictions are lifted.
TSH Resources Bhd’s share price has fallen more than 50% from its peak since the onset of Covid-19 outbreak and oil price crash. We believe the stock is oversold at 0.6 times book. TSH’s share price is 28% below its 2019 low of 87 sen, although CPO prices are still higher compared to the 2019 low. Our “buy” call is maintained with a lower TP of RM1.10.
We expect a lower sales growth for TSH due to trade restrictions imposed due to Covid-19. However, we believe low production yields caused by trees experiencing a resting period after two years of high production yields, coupled with the haze and El-Nino phenomenon in late-third quarter ended Sept 30, 2019 (3QFY19), would help mitigate the fall in exports due to Covid-19.
On the restricted movement order, the National Security Council has issued a notice that the plantation sector is considered an essential service and will continue operating without disruptions. Hence, TSH’s Sabah estates can operate normally. Channel checks with the management also showed no restrictions concerning the company’s operations in Kalimantan, Indonesia as almost 90% of its estates are in Kalimantan.
Unlike oil, it is not possible for plantation players to harvest their desired amounts of CPO as fresh fruit bunch (FFB) supply is finite and oil palm trees require a long gestation period to produce. Hence, we expect a V-shaped recovery for palm oil prices when the virus dissipates as supply is expected to remain constant while demand increases and the supply chain normalises.
We believe a recovery in oil prices or a dissipation of Covid-19 would boost CPO demand, resulting in higher prices.
TSH has always maintained an FFB yield per hectare way above the market average. Its pure upstream exposure also means the firm’s profit will grow exponentially with higher CPO prices. We believe plunging CPO prices are only temporary as most countries need to stock up exponentially when the virus dissipates.
We do not foresee production yields picking up significantly in the next six months — this would be a mitigating factor, keeping palm oil prices afloat at the current levels.
TSH’s current share price is also approaching its lowest point in almost 10 years; its current share price of 63 sen is 28% below its 2019 low of 87 sen. — AllianceDBS Research, March 24

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/tsh-earnings-seen-grow-higher-cpo-prices
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 -- Smallholders which have yet to secure their Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification may seek for assistance from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)'s guidance and counseling (TUNAS) offices nationwide.
MPOB chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry had provided sufficient allocation to ensure that the certification can be achieved.

By :Datuk Dr. Kalyana Sundram
COVID-19 has resulted in a global pandemic which has reportedly infected more than 3.6 million and killed over 250,000 people globally as of May 5. With much of the world practising social distancing via some form of stay-at-home order, many countries may be facing health crises and the global economy has been impacted to the tune of several trillion dollars. With no effective cure until a suitable vaccine is developed, the outlook in the near term remains uncertain.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 -- Plantation sector mainly palm oil and rubber, which are the two top contributors to the gross domestic product (GDP) for agriculture industry are in dire need of workers to speed up their production capacity due to higher demand, especially for the rubber gloves as the world battle against coronavirus.
Sadly, this industry was deemed as the 3D industry – dirty, dangerous and difficult (some even say demeaning) by the locals, resulting in companies to hire more foreign workers.
As of March 31, 2020 it was estimated that there are more than 500,000 workers involved in this sector and under plantation, palm oil has the highest reliance on foreign workers, which is at 77 per cent mainly from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) has appealed to the government to approve the recruitment of more workers from Bangladesh due to the labour shortage in the industry.
“Indonesian workers are not coming in and they are not going to come in anytime soon. We need to open up to Bangladeshi workers, they will be our saviour,” said MPOA chief executive Datuk Mohamad Nageeb Wahab.
“I hope the government will listen to us to get Bangladeshi workers to come in. Maybe not during the Movement Control Order but certainly in the near future,” he added.
Naqeeb was speaking at the Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s webinar today on “Mitigating the Impact of Covid-19 on the Malaysian Palm Oil Trade”.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) is optimistic that the price of crude palm oil (CPO) will continue to rise up to RM2,500-RM2,600 per tonne by the end of this year.
Its minister, Datuk Muhd Khairuddin Aman Razali, said demand for the country's palm oil products continued to record an increase despite Covid-19.
"Alhamdulilah, we are seeing an increase in demand from the Middle East, Africa and even regions such as the Philippines. We are confident that this pandemic will not constrain the palm oil industry but instead propel it,” he said.

http://bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1807593
Source: bernama.com
Last update: 18/01/2020 By Aishah Mohmad Afandi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 -- A picture of an orangutan clinging to its life with the backdrop of a burning forest covered in smoke and linking it to oil palm and deforestation has had its fair share in determining the golden crop's reputation globally.

However, is it the whole truth or a game of perception by some quarters in cherry-picking what they want the world to believe in

In fact, the cultivation of soybean to date is still a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon basin, to a point it is quickly endangering the animals who call it home.

Source: New Straits Times page 14

BETONG: A pepper processing machine will be installed at the Farmers’ Organisation office here for the benefit of local farmers.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas revealed this when officiating at a Community Extension Outreach Programme organised by the Agriculture Department at Rumah Jambai Bunsu in Kerapa Spak, Betong on Sunday.
Uggah said the Ministry of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development would supply the machine for the pepper farmers, as Betong is one of the largest producers of the commodity in the state.

KUALA LUMPUR: About 0.08% of the country’s current total rubber production was used in the construction of roads using rubber-based technology Cuplump Modified Bitumen (CMB) in 2019.
Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister II Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng (pix) said about 400 tonnes to 500 tonnes of rubber were used for road paving using CMB technology with an allocation of RM100 million.
“Although the (percentage) level is small, the use of CMB for road paving for 202.7km is very beneficial to the agencies involved such as the Public Works Department (JKR) to evaluate and commercialise research in collaboration with the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB),“ he said in response to a question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PAS-Kuala Krai) at the Dewan Rakyat here today.

BALING, April 12 -- Some 80 per cent of the smallholders nationwide have not yet applied for the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG), introduced by the government to help them during the drop in the commodity prices.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the government is currently looking into factors that contribute to the issue.
“When the farmgate price for cupclumps or scrap rubber falls below RM2.50 per kilogramme, IPG will be automatically activated.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 28): There is no doubt that the main beneficiaries from this Covid-19 outbreak are rubber glove makers as demand continues to surge worldwide while the pandemic remains unabated.

Therefore, when Terang Nusa (M) Sdn Bhd — a manufacturer and distributor of surgical and medical gloves that is owned by Aspion Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Top Glove Bhd — raised import alerts and was placed under Level 1 detention by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over product quality issues, analysts were not concerned.
“We understand that this is for the examination gloves and the seized shipment failed the pinhole test. To be released from Level 1, Terang Nusa's next five shipments will need to pass the US FDA test,” said Maybank Investment Bank Research, in a recent text message sent to institutional clients.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/31/coronavirus-malaysia-to-donate-18-million-medical-gloves-to-china
Source: thestar.com.my/ Friday, 31 Jan 2020/1:03 PM MYT/ By JOSEPH KAOS Jr

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will donate 18 million pieces of medical gloves to China to assist in the fight against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic.
Malaysia is the world’s largest producer of medical gloves, exporting approximately 180 billion pieces worldwide.
“I am pleased that the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC) and the rubber gloves manufacturers in Malaysia have pledged to donate 18 million pieces of medical gloves to be sent to Wuhan.
“The medical gloves, both natural rubber and nitrile, will be sent to China in batches with the first shipment already on its way to Wuhan.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 -- The COVID-19 pandemic will drive up the rubber price in the market to a higher level as well as increase the demand for Malaysian rubber gloves this year, said the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB).
Director-general Datuk Dr Zairossani Mohd Nor said economic experts had projected that Malaysia would control 65 per cent of the global rubber gloves market in 2020, up 3.0 per cent from 62 per cent share currently.
He said the 3.0 per cent increase is equivalent to RM3 billion additional income to the country but this would depend on the COVID-19 situation.

PUTRAJAYA, April 1-- The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) today received one million rubber gloves to help its personnel in JBPM's efforts to tackle COVID-19.
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the gloves would be used by JBPM personnel in carrying out the sanitisation exercise at public areas and People's Housing Project areas.
“As of yesterday, the JBPM has carried out sanitation operations at 85 areas,” she told reporters after receiving the gloves from the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Top Glove Corporation Bhd, the world’s largest glove maker, expects a product shortage as demand from Europe and the United States spikes because of the widening Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak is exceeding its capacity.
The company has extended shipping times to cope with the demand surge, executive chairman Lim Wee Chai told Reuters by phone on Friday.
Lim said orders received in the past few weeks, mainly from Europe and the United States, were almost double the company’s production capacity. Top Glove can produce 200 million natural and synthetic rubber gloves a day.

Source: Sunday Star page 21

PUTRAJAYA (July 21): Investigations by the Labour Department on rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove Corp Bhd, relating to claims that the company used forced labour, was found to be baseless, said Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
Commenting on the detention order on Top Glove products by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Saravanan said it could affect the country's credibility and image at the international level, as well as influenced foreign investors’ confidence in the country following the baseless allegation.

Source: The Star page 4

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — From September 2015 to March 2020, the government has disbursed a total of RM282.3 million under the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) scheme nationwide, encompassing two million claims.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said smallholders wishing to claim for the IPG must have a Rubber Transaction Authority Permit card (PAT-G).
As of March 2020, 456,421 PAT-G cards have been registered nationwide.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 20): Any move to impose a windfall tax on glove companies given their supernormal earnings due to the Covid-19 pandemic would only curb their expansion programme, said Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) vice president Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam.
In the third session ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Malaysian Glove Sector Post Covid-19’ at the second instalment of the Invest Malaysia 2020 virtual conference today, Supramaniam highlighted that a 24% corporate tax is already imposed on companies, which means government revenue from the said tax also increased alongside with the bumper earnings seen now.

Source: StarBiz Page 4

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Bernama) -- The removal of operating limitations on manufacturers, especially glove makers in Malaysia, will be welcome news for governments across the world, says Oxford Business Group (OBG), a global publishing and consultancy company.
As Malaysia meets 65 per cent of global demand for rubber medical gloves, OBG said this gave some sort of relief to countries that are still struggling to procure personal protection equipment for their frontliners who are fighting COVID-19.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/02/01/malaysia-lends-a-helping-hand-to-china
Source: thestar.com.my/Saturday, 01 Feb 2020/By JOSEPH KAOS Jr

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will be donating 18 million pieces of medical gloves to China to assist in the fight against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) epidemic.
Malaysia is the world’s largest producer of medical gloves, exporting about 180 billion pieces worldwide.
“I am pleased that the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council and the rubber gloves manufacturers in Malaysia have pledged to donate 18 million pieces of medical gloves to Wuhan.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — The Monthly Rubber Census for April 2020 stated that the production of natural rubber increased 0.3 per cent in April 2020 to 34,616 tonnes compared to 34,506 tonnes in the previous month.
The report, released by the Department of Statistic Malaysia (DOSM), stated that the year-on-year comparison also showed an increase of 2.0 per cent from the same month in the previous year.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said exports of Malaysia’s natural rubber decreased by 10.2 per cent to 40,596 tonnes in April 2020 from 45,198 tonnes in March.
China remained the primary natural rubber export destination, with a share of 48.9 per cent from total exports in March followed by Germany (12.1 per cent), the United States (6.2 per cent), Iran (5.3 per cent), and Taiwan (3.5 per cent).

KUCHING, June 9 -- The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, through the Malaysian Rubber Board, is intensifying efforts to encourage more smallholders to claim the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) especially when rubber prices are low.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 4): Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association ( MARGMA) has cautioned local and international buyers to stay vigilant amidst the race to purchase medical gloves, due to fraudsters and scammers having quickly emerged and harming both the genuine sellers and buyers in the industry.
The warning came after MARGMA said it recently received over a dozen reports from its members which discovered frauds and fake agents claiming to represent their respective companies for the glove supplies.
“Some members reported that fake company letters were produced to appoint bogus agents while others were prompted by customers as quoted prices soared higher and promise of delivery timeline were cut short,” said MARGMA President Denis Low in a statement today. Buyers are reminded that while glove prices have soared and demand is over-whelming, industry’s supply are being fully booked until early next year.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 -- Malaysia’s rubber glove exports are likely to surge nearly 20 per cent to 230 billion pieces in 2020, up from 192 billion pieces last year, as the world rolls up its sleeves to fight against the deadly novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV).
Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) president Denis Low said the export growth forecast is higher than the 210-220 billion pieces predicted by the association earlier.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 -- The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) has pledged to donate 19 million medical gloves to the Malaysian government in the race against the COVID-19 pandemic.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 -- The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has exempted import duty and sales tax for the purchase of medical and laboratory equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) and disposable products by any parties donating to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to help address COVID-19.

MELAKA, May 28 -- The Malaysian Rubber Board’s (MRB) Rubber Research Institute Research Station (RRIMINIS) project in Jasin is being developed following a comprehensive and holistic study, taking into account various benefits to the rubber smallholders and industry.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Industry Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said the project spanning 58.5 hectares, which was approved by the MRB in 2010, also took into account its financial impact on the government.
“The important fact about Jasin is that it has the highest rubber crop acreage in Melaka, covering more than 48 per cent of the areas under rubber and the number of smallholders is also higher than in other parts of the state.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 -- The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry says it is ready to provide technical advice through the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) to MARDEC Processing Sdn Bhd to identify the problems that have brought losses in the latter’s factory operations.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) is contributing 4.5 million rubber gloves to the frontliners in battling COVID-19 in the country.
Its minister, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said of the total rubber gloves contributed, 2.5 million gloves were for the Home Ministry for distribution to its agencies and another one million for the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
“Apart from that, one million gloves will be handed over to the Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence on April 2,” he said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) views seriously and will not compromise with manufacturers, who flouted the rules, especially those who were allowed to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
Its minister, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the public had off late made several complaints pertaining to contamination from factories producing rubber-based products.
“The ministry is very concerned about environmental pollution and is committed to regulating the operations of factories continuously, especially during the MCO period.
“The ministry will also enhance cooperation with other relevant ministries and agencies in monitoring effort and investigations," he said in a statement today.

RUBBER has proven to be a vital material during the Covid-19 pandemic – latex surgical gloves for one have been life-saving for the millions of crisis frontliners around the world, medical and non-medical alike.

But if you think rubber trees are grown just for their latex or rubber elastomer to manufacture tyres, gloves, condoms and other related products, think again.

Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) scientists are moving beyond this with attempts to shift its paradigm from supplier of “high volume, low value” commodities to one that produces fine chemicals of “low volume, high value”, and they are succeeding.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 – The Eastern Region Rubber Technology Centre project for the Jerantut parliamentary constituency is still in the planning phase and has yet to receive the approval of the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) board of directors, Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) and government.
MRB chairman, Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris, said in a statement today that approval to use public funds of RM100 million for the project is an MRB idea.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 -- The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) has launched the “RRIMniaga”, a mobile application (app) to ease rubber trade for licensees, buyers and dealers registered with the MRB.
In a statement today, it said that the app allows dealers to record their rubber trade transactions, while enhancing the operational efficiency of the local rubber supply chain.
“RRIMniaga will help to ease rubber trade activities as dealers will no longer have to buy receipt books as well as sale and purchase record books from MRB’s office.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17-- The Malaysian Rubber Products Manufacturers' Association (MRPMA) breathes sigh of relief as several small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the industry are being considered to operate in partial or full capacity under the critical sector category.
Its vice-president/chairman, Yeaw Kok Kwey said however, each company should be allowed to regulate their own operational capacity, as each of them has its own technical and operating system and should not be restricted by production limitations.

MUMBAI (June 2): Global production of natural rubber is likely to fall by nearly 5% this year as the coronavirus pandemic has depressed demand and put the industry in crisis, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) said on Tuesday.
The association, which at the beginning of this year forecast that both production and demand would rise in 2020, now sees output falling — particularly in No. 2 producer Indonesia — due to the economic impact of the coronavirus and the hit to the car industry.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 15): The Monthly Rubber Census for April 2020 stated that the production of natural rubber increased 0.3% in the month to 34,616 tonnes compared with 34,506 tonnes in the previous month.
The report, released by the Department of Statistic Malaysia (DOSM), stated that the year-on-year (y-o-y) comparison also showed an increase of 2% from the same month of the previous year.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said exports of Malaysia's natural rubber decreased by 10.2% to 40,596 tonnes in April 2020 from 45,198 tonnes in March.

Datuk Seri Stanley Thai, Supermax Corp Bhd’s founder has seen his net worth jumping by almost four times from the end of last year. Thai has seen his net worth increase the most, by some 370%. He is now a billionaire with a net worth of RM3.16bil from RM672.62mil at the end of last year, having experienced the biggest increase in his net worth among the glove companies’ main shareholders.
THE Covid-19 pandemic has created a windfall for a handful of people: it has minted a new billionaire in a span of a few months and added many more billions to the net worths of rubber glove companies’ main owners/shareholders.

Sumber: StarBiz Mukasurat 2

THE Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) plans to produce more rubber gloves to meet the rising demand from the central Chinese city of Wuhan that is battling the novel coronavirus.
Margma VP Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam said the demand for rubber gloves has surged 100% globally due to countries implementing defensive and preventive strategies to avoid cross contamination.
“Overall, if you look at it, it puts us (glove manufacturers) in a very good situation because it means that we need to produce more.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 26): The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) has reminded all rubber licence holders to operate normally during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period to ensure continued operation of the country’s rubber industry.
Compliance with the directive is in the best interests of everyone from smallholders to rubber processors and rubber products manufacturers as well as consumers, said MPIC.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 -- The Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) for April 2020 has been activated for Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, and smallholders may apply for the IPG payments from May 1.
In a statement today, the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) said the IPG was activated after the average farmgate rubber price for April 2020 for cuplumps stood at RM1.65 per kg in the peninsula, RM1.35 per kg in Sabah and RM1.50 per kg in Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 -- The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) has activated the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) for March 2020, and smallholders may apply for the IPG payments from April 1-30, 2020.

In a statement today, the MRB said the payments are based on a cuplump payment of 55 sen per kilogramme (kg) for the peninsular, 90 sen per kg for Sabah and 70 sen per kg for Sarawak.
In March 2020, the average farmgate rubber price for cuplumps stood at RM1.95 per kg in Peninsular Malaysia, RM1.60 per kg in Sabah and RM1.80 in Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 3): The Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) for May has been activated for Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, and smallholders may apply for the payments based on their May production from June 1-30.
In a statement today, the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) said the IPG was activated based on the average farmgate rubber price for cuplumps in May 2020, which stood at RM1.65 per kilogramme in Peninsular Malaysia, RM1.35 per kg in Sabah and RM1.50 per kg in Sarawak.

KUCHING: The Ministry of Rural Development has urged Sarawak rubber smallholders to be actively involved in the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) development programmes.

Its minister Datuk Abd Latiff Ahmad said the ministry has allocated a total of RM521 million to manage development programmes and strengthen replanting programmes.
“Besides this, Risda is also helping smallholders to be involved in entrepreneurship activities, intensifying smallholders development activities through the Agro-food New Product Development programme, and increasing touchpoint programmes,” he said when officiating the opening of the Risda office in Kota Samarahan, here, today.

KUCHING, April 13 -- The State Agriculture Department is inviting smallholders to apply for the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) introduced by the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) last month to help smallholders nationwide obtain better rubber prices.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today said the state government had decided to chip in to make the incentive more attractive.

PUTRAJAYA: Rubber smallholders in Sarawak have been urged to register for their Rubber Transaction Authorisation Permit (PAT-G) card with the state Agriculture Department or any Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) office to enable them to benefit from the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG).
Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Willie Mongin in a statement today said his ministry welcomes the state government’s proactive move to give the smallholders an additional 50 sen per kg, bringing the total incentive to RM1.90 per kg.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/teresa-kok-first-batch-one-mil-gloves-way-wuhan-next-batch-wednesday
Source: theedgemarkets.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The next batch of one million medical gloves is scheduled to be sent to Wuhan, China on board MASkargo this Wednesday (Feb 5), Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said.
This follows the first batch of one million gloves dispatched to Wuhan aboard AirAsia flight commissioned by the government to bring back Malaysians from the 2019 novel coronavirus-hit city on Monday (Feb 3).
“This is the first batch of medical gloves to be sent after my announcement on the donation of 18 million medical gloves to China last week,” she said in a statement on Monday.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- On behalf of the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), I sincerely welcome the provident measures taken by our Sarawak State Government which has helped the smallholders by providing an additional RM0.50/kg on rubber prices, which generate the total Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) to RM1.90/kg.

This initiative will certainly help ease the burden and increase the income of the smallholders in Sarawak particularly.

This also proves that the government of our Sarawak State and the Federal Government are serious in defending the fate of the people. For public information, the RM2.50/kg cuplump is the Federal Government's IPG activation price.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 -- Top Glove Corporation Bhd has made good progress in its engagements with the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in relation to the latter’s order on disposable gloves manufactured by Top Glove Sdn Bhd and TG Medical Sdn Bhd.
In a statement today, the rubber glove maker said it is looking forward to arriving at an agreement on remediation next month, upon which it plans to commence payments immediately.

Source: StarBiz page 4

PETALING JAYA: Top Glove Corp Bhd is expecting its profit margin in its second quarter of the financial year ending Aug 31,2020 (FY20) to rise by between 20%-40%.
“Our profits in the second half will definitely be much better than the first half of the year. The average selling price (ASP) has increased, especially from April to June 2020, so in the third quarter we would see a much better profit margin ranging from 20%-30% extra on the improvement of ASPs and increase in capacity which leads to a reduction in fixed costs, ” its founder and chairman Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai said during a conference call with reporters, analysts and fund managers yesterday.

MALACCA: The world’s biggest rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove Corp Bhd is working to address the detention order imposed by the United States Customs on imports from two of its subsidiaries to ensure the undisrupted supply of rubber gloves amidst the global Covid-19 crisis.
Senior Minister cum International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (pix) said the company is currently engaging with US authorities after the US Customs placed Top Glove Sdn Bhd and TG Medical Sdn Bhd on its Withhold Release Order list; a move taken against firms suspected of using forced labour.
He said the ministry hopes that the US administration would be able to assess the issue involving the foreign workers fairly.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 14

Source: The Malaysian Reserve page 12

KUALA NERUS, March 28 -- Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) today received a contribution of RM50,000 from the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry to build the COVID-19 Risk Assessment System for Higher Education Institutions (CRASH).

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia’s Top Glove Corporation Bhd , which makes one in every five gloves globally, expects a product shortage as demand from Europe and the United States spikes because of the widening coronavirus outbreak is exceeding its capacity.
The company has extended shipping times to cope with the demand surge, Executive Chairman Lim Wee Chai told Reuters by phone on Friday.

CHUKAI, June 27-- Youths have been urged to get involved in rubber cultivation sector to produce quality latex as the source of income and at the same time reducing the country’s dependence on the import of the material.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said that currently the average of those involved in rubber cultivation were in their 50s, with most of them were collecting their tapped rubber as cuplumps.
“There is a possibility that the number will dwindle lot further within the next 10 years because it is hard work to produce quality latex as tapping have to be done in the morning and then the latex must be collected in the same day ... unlike cuplumps that can be left overnight,” he said when speaking at the launch of the RRIMniaga application at the Kampung Ibok multipurpose hall, here today.
He said market price for latex was also relatively high at about RM 4 a kilogramme (kg) compared to cup lumps at only RM2.50 a kg.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — The Ministry of Plantation and Commodity Industries (MPIC) today reminded rubber glove industry players to comply with the directives set by the government in their operations.
Deputy Minister Willie Mongin revealed that the MPIC has received reports against two rubber glove operators for allegedly violating regulations that could lead to environmental pollution.
“We do not want this to happen again,” he warned, adding the ministry’s eyes would keenly be on the rubber glove sector to make sure that operators adhere to the standard operating procedure set by the ministry.

https://berita.rtm.gov.my/index.php/semasa/19236-airasia-bakal-bangunkan-penerbangan-biodiesel-berasaskan-minyak-sawit
Sumber: berita.rtm.gov.my

KUALA LUMPUR - Syarikat penerbangan tambang rendah, AirAsia akan membangunkan penerbangan biodiesel berasaskan minyak sawit dalam penerbangan mereka.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AirAsia Group Bhd, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes menjelaskan, syarikat tersebut akan bekerjasama dengan syarikat penyelidikan dan kementerian berkaitan untuk merealisasikan perkara itu.

Katanya, industri penerbangan menambahkan kira-kira 2% kepada pelepasan karbon.

SANDAKAN, Sept 13 -- The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) is vigorously undertaking its ‘Jom MSPO’ programme to promote sustainability certification among smallholders.
MPOB chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said the programme is aimed at ensuring adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) by the palm oil players and enhancing their income.
"Sustainable palm oil production is crucial for Malaysia to expand its market, what with the country being the second largest producer and exporter of palm oil in the world.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/negara/1-155-hektar-tanaman-kelapa-sawit-terengganu-diserang-ulat-pemakan-daun-1.827324
Sumber: Kosmo | EZZUAN AHMAD | 22 Januari 2019 7:30 PM

Azman (dua dari kanan) sedang memasukkan cecair kimia pada sebatang pokok kelapa sawit yang disyaki diserang ulat pemakan daun di Felda Kerteh 5 dekat Dungun hari ini.

DUNGUN - Sebanyak 1,155 hektar tanaman kelapa sawit merangkumi ladang dan kebun kecil di Terengganu didapati telah terjejas disebabkan serangan ulat pemakan daun.

https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2019/11/628280/25-juta-tan-tambahan-minyak-sawit-untuk-pasaran-india-china
Sumber: bharian.com.my | Oleh Suhaila Shahrul Annuar | 

PUTRAJAYA: Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini menyaksikan majlis menandatangani memorandum persefahaman (MoU) antara Bohai Commodity Exchange (BOCE) Malaysia/ASEAN dengan Hakan Agro DMCC dan BOCE Global.

MoU itu berkaitan penembusan permintaan tambahan pasaran sebanyak 2.5 juta tan minyak kelapa sawit dari Malaysia ke India dan China.

Menerusi MoU berkenaan, Hakan Agro DMCC, sebuah syarikat yang menguruskan rantaian bekalan utama komoditi di Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) yang mempunyai rangkaian perniagaan luas di India, memberi komitmen untuk membeli lebih sejuta tan minyak kelapa sawit untuk pasaran India.

BOCE Global dari China pula sudah memohon kuota sejumlah 1.5 juta tan minyak kelapa sawit bagi pasaran China untuk tahun depan.

Pada majlis itu, BOCE Malaysia/ASEAN diwakili Pengerusinya, Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan manakala Hakan Agro DMCC diwakili Pengarah Urusannya, Sudhakar Tomar dan BOCE Global diwakili Pengerusinya, Yan Dong Sheng.

A total of 88.1 per cent or 5.1 million hectares out of 5.9 million hectares under oil palm cultivation in the country have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as at Nov 19, according to the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC).

Deputy Minister Willie Mongin said that 100 per cent of oil palm plantations in Sarawak are MSPO-certified, followed by Kelantan (95.5 per cent) and Pahang (94.75 per cent), while MSPO-certification in other states are within the 40-80 per cent range.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/niaga/afjets-hasilkan-bahan-bakar-sawit-1.925797
Sumber: kosmo.com | FATTAH MOHD. SAPIAI | 28 Jun 2019 3:00 AM

 
Ahmad Kadim menunjukkan hasil minyak sawit yang akan dibekalkan untuk menjana elektrik di Jepun ketika ditemui baru-baru ini.

SHAH ALAM - Afjets Property Sdn. Bhd. (Afjets Property), berjaya menghasilkan bahan bakar daripada minyak sawit yang dikenali sebagai RBD Palm Oil Gen serta mewujudkan kerjasama untuk membekalkan dua juta tan produk berkenaan bagi penjanaan tenaga elektrik di Jepun setiap tahun.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Ahmad Kadim Abdul Majid berkata, kerajaan Jepun melalui Kementerian Perdagangan, Ekonomi dan Industrinya telah bersetuju menggunakan bahan bakar tersebut melibatkan tempoh konsesi selama 20 tahun bermula 2020.

Katanya, rancangan Afjets Property untuk menghasilkan bahan bakar daripada minyak sawit telah dijalankan sejak 2006 dan ia semakin giat dilaksanakan selepas Jepun mula menggantikan penggunaan tenaga nuklear kepada tenaga boleh diperbaharui dan lebih lestari.

“Selepas menghantar sampel minyak sawit yang dihasilkan, ternyata mereka sangat ber¬puas hati dengan kualitinya.

“Tambahan pula, Malaysia mempunyai kelebihan sebagai pengeluar minyak sawit kedua terbesar di dunia dan memiliki kemampuan untuk memberikan komitmen, ditambah hubungan baik yang sedia terjalin antara kedua-dua negara,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui Kosmo! di ibu pejabatnya di Shah Alam baru-baru ini.

Mengulas mengenai kemampuan dan kapasiti syarikat untuk membekalkan produk yang diminta, Ahmad Kadim memberitahu, pihaknya telah menghantar kertas cadangan kepada Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (Felda) untuk menjadi pembekal utama minyak sawit kepada Afjets Property untuk penghasilan bahan bakar tersebut.

Difahamkan Felda memiliki kira-kira 450,000 hektar tanaman kelapa sawit yang mana sehektar tanaman boleh menghasilkan 19 tan kelapa minyak sawit.

“Disebabkan itu Afjets Pro¬perty memilih untuk bekerjasama dengan Felda kerana kemampuannya untuk menjadi pembekal bagi tempoh yang lama dan pada masa sama, turut memberi pendapatan kepada institusi tersebut.

“Bagi peringkat permulaan dan sebaik sahaja Jepun bersedia dengan stesen jana kuasa elektrik biomas, Afjets Pro¬perty akan meminta bekalan kelapa sawit antara 1.2 juta hingga 1.5 juta tan setahun de¬ngan bayaran sebanyak RM125 juta sebulan kepada Felda,” ujarnya.

Sumber: Berita Sawit @ Berita Harian Mukasurat 4

KUALA LUMPUR: Asian palm oil producers, long at loggerheads with the European Union (EU) 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.

Sumber: Berita Sawit @ Berita Harian Mukasurat 6

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 -- Crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives today ended higher for the sixth consecutive day in anticipation of higher export demand for this month, dealers said.
A dealer said inventories showed a declining pattern on the back of strong export in the first 10 days of October and a tight supply scenario in the fourth quarter of the year.
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) announced today that export of palm oil in September increased by 1.88 per cent month-on-month to 161 million tonnes versus 1.58 million tonnes previously.
Stocks, however, were slightly higher by 0.40 per cent to 934,710 tonnes during the reviewed month from 930,990 tonnes in the preceding month.
Another dealer said the stronger soyabean oil prices in China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange had also helped to support the CPO price.
At the close, the CPO futures contract for October 2020 gained RM40 to RM3,060 per tonne, November 2020 surged RM80 to RM3,047 per tonne, December 2020 soared RM83 to RM2,994 per tonne, and January 2021 climbed RM79 to RM2,944 per tonne.
Total volume reduced to 58,695 lots from 61,241 lots on Friday, while open interest narrowed slightly to 253,605 contracts from 258,490 contracts previously.
Meanwhile, the physical CPO price was RM80 higher at RM3,090 per tonne for October South.
-- BERNAMA

https://www.bernama.com/en/market/news.php?id=1889065
Sumber : Bernama

Sumber : Berita Harian Ms 50
30 September 2020

Palm oil industry players must remain committed and stay firm on fostering sustainable development and promoting responsible growth for the industry, amidst efforts to mitigate the effects from the COVID-19 health crisis.

Bursa Malaysia Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift said while COVID-19 is said to have affected about 25 per cent of the world's edible oil demand, continuous efforts to revitalise plantations must be made to increase the competitiveness of palm oil through increased farm productivity.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 -- Crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives rebounded from yesterday's losses to close higher today, lifted by stronger export figures by cargo surveyors and some bargain buying.
According to reports, cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services said Malaysia's palm oil products export rose four per cent to 1.08 million tonnes for the Oct 1-20 period compared with 1.03 million tonnes during Sept 1-20.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 -- Crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended higher for the fifth consecutive day due to weaker production against improving exports so far this month.
Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics’ owner and co-founder, Dr Sathia Varqa said exports showed an improvement within the first 10 days of this month, causing a drop in stocks and a tight supply scenario in the fourth quarter of the year.
“The first 10 days of exports are up (an estimated) nine to 13 per cent, a massive improvement from the first five days which recorded a drop of 1.34 per cent,” he told Bernama today.
The expectation of a moderate rise in palm oil production ahead of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) report on Monday had also pushed prices higher, he added.
At the close, the CPO futures contract for October 2020 added RM20 to RM3,020 per tonne, November 2020 surged RM26 to RM2,967 per tonne, December 2020 gained RM23 to RM2,911 per tonne, and January 2021 climbed RM17 to RM2,865 per tonne.
Total volume strengthened to 61,241 lots from 51,276 lots on Thursday, while open interest rose to 258,490 contracts from 247,344 contracts.
Meanwhile, the physical CPO price was RM10 higher at RM3,010 per tonne for October South.
-- BERNAMA

https://www.bernama.com/en/market/news.php?id=1888302
Sumber : Bernama

The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended higher today, mainly driven by the prospect of lower production in the coming weeks.
Palm oil trader David Ng said the lower CPO stockpile continued to drive prices higher which may sustain over the medium term.
“We locate the next support level at RM3,100 per tonne, while resistance is at RM3,250 per tonne,” he told Bernama.