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Last Updated: 17 May 2024

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KUALA LUMPUR (May 15): Global pepper demand is projected to continue its upward trajectory in 2024 and 2025, according to Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.

The minister attributed this growth to the potential applications of pepper in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals, which are driving this positive trend.

“In 2023, the global pepper consumption will amount to around 291,000 tonnes, an increase of 40,000 tonnes compared with the previous year.

“However, Malaysia's pepper exports slightly declined in 2023 to 5,800 tonnes worth RM149 million compared with 6,700 tonnes in the previous year worth RM180 million,” he said during the inaugural Malaysian Pepper Industry National Conference 2024 themed “Strengthening the Growth of the Pepper Industry”.

His speech was read by Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin.

Johari highlighted Malaysia's position as the world's fifth-largest pepper producer, with a production volume of approximately 31,000 tonnes in 2023, trailing behind Vietnam, Brazil, India and Indonesia.

He acknowledged the current challenges facing the local and global pepper industry, particularly the imbalance between supply and demand which is exerting pressure on prices.

Hence, he said the government, via the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB), is implementing several dynamic and integrated programmes, projects, incentives and assistance involving smallholders and pepper entrepreneurs to ensure the sustainability of the pepper industry and boost the development of upstream and downstream industries.

Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the government has allocated RM50 million to assist pepper farmers through the New Pepper Planting Scheme and the Mature Pepper Planting Scheme, thereby alleviating financial burdens.

In addition, he said the government has also allocated RM3 million to implement the premium quality pepper projects, while another RM5 million was allocated to increase the involvement of competitive downstream entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, Johari underscored the conference's objective of boosting pepper demand and consumption while strengthening the downstream sector by fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including small and medium enterprises, exporters, importers, hotels and restaurants.

“This conference is proof that the government is committed to growing a competitive local pepper industry, capable of generating immense value to the national economy,” he added.

https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/711678

Sumber : The Edge Malaysia

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Last Updated: 17 May 2024

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KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysian minister’s proposal to send orang utans as gifts to countries that buy its palm oil in a bid to show “commitment to biodiversity conservation” has been panned by environmentalists and wildlife groups, who said the government should focus on deforestation.

Instead of shipping the endangered apes to trading partners like India, China and the European Union, the Malaysian government should do more to show its palm oil is produced sustainably, they said.

The “orang utan diplomacy” proposal from Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani comes on the heels of a landmark EU regulation requiring companies selling deforestation-linked goods in Europe to prove that these products are not derived from deforested lands or linked to forest degradation.

“In adopting orang utan diplomacy, we aim to demonstrate Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to biodiversity conservation,” he said in a post on his X account last week, likening the strategy to China’s “panda diplomacy” as a form of soft power.

“It would be a... strategy, where we will gift orangutans to trading partners and foster foreign relations, especially with major importing nations like the European Union, India and China,” he said.

Gifting orang utans to countries that buy Malaysia’s palm oil is a terrible idea, said conservationists and wildlife experts, adding that palm-oil cultivation has been one of the biggest factors behind the apes’ dwindling numbers.

“It’s nonsense and the minister knows it,” said Ms Michelle Desilets, executive director of Britain-based Orangutan Land Trust. “West Malaysia has no say over orang utans which live only in Sarawak and Sabah,” in addition to Kalimantan and Sumatra in Indonesia, she said in response to Datuk Seri Johari’s proposal.

The Borneo orang utan and the Sumatra orang utan are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

It is believed that 100 years ago there were probably more than 230,000 orang utans in total, but the Borneo orang utan’s population is thought to be about 104,700, while the Sumatra orang utan is thought to number about 7,500, according to conservation group WWF.

More can be done to ease concerns about the environmental impact of palm-oil production, conservationists said.

While Malaysia has made strides in ensuring its palm oil is sustainably produced, Ms Desilets said the industry is still a significant driver of deforestation.

“Real diplomacy can be shown by ensuring the global buyers that Malaysian palm oil is indeed sustainable and deforestation-free, and also that they are serious about the conservation of orang utans in situ,” she told The Straits Times.

Malaysia is the second-biggest producer of palm oil in the world, after Indonesia. The export of Malaysia’s palm oil and palm-oil based products is projected to be worth about RM110 billion (S$31.5 billion) in 2024, said Bursa Malaysia chairman Wahid Omar at an industry conference in March.

The two South-east Asian countries account for around 85 per cent of the world’s palm oil products, which can be found in everything from pizza and ice cream to lipstick and shampoo.

Global demand for palm oil has been blamed for driving deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia, and harming wildlife habitats there.

Last year, the EU approved an import ban on commodities linked to deforestation, a move that Malaysia has criticised as discriminatory.

Importers will have until the end of 2024 to comply with the new EU ruling, which came into force in June 2023.

Wildlife organisations urged the Malaysian government to consider other ways to show its commitment to biodiversity and protecting the great apes, such as by preserving the forests where they live.

WWF-Malaysia, for one, noted that orang utans are slow breeders and taking female simians out of the country to a strange and unnatural environment may adversely impact the orang utan population.

“The conservation of orang utans is best achieved by ensuring the protection and conservation of their natural habitats, and no further forest conversion into oil palm plantations allowed,” it said in a statement to ST.

Malaysia should improve the connectivity of fragmented orang utan habitats and this can be done by getting oil palm plantations to set aside wildlife corridors that are safe for orang utans, WWF-Malaysia added.

Datuk John Payne, chief executive of the Borneo Rhino Alliance, agreed that the orang utans should remain in their natural habitat, but welcomed new ideas on saving the endangered apes. 

“One possible way to approach orang utan diplomacy that would not raise awkward criticism might be to garner support from the Malaysian palm oil-buying nations to collaborate with the Malaysian oil palm growers in sustaining that wild population in situ, where they are,” Dr Payne said.

There is a well-established wild orang utan population living and reproducing in the mixed oil-palm and forest landscape in eastern Sabah between Sandakan and Lahad Datu, he added.

Datuk Darrel Webber, former CEO of the Malaysia-based Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which was set up to develop and implement global standards for certified sustainable palm oil, said there are ready examples to look to for a softer approach involving orang utans and making the case for sustainable palm oil.

World-class zoos like those in Singapore, London and Auckland run regular campaigns to raise awareness about the orang utans and to highlight the value of choosing products made with sustainable palm oil to help protect the rainforests, thus making a positive impact on the environment, he said.  

“I would humbly suggest that the minister approach these sorts of organisations (zoos), which enjoy a high degree of trust among their countrymen, to help with the diplomatic aims he seeks,” Mr Webber said.

Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari did not respond to ST’s request for comments on the matter.

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said that Datuk John Payne was executive director of the Borneo Orangutan Rescue Alliance. This is incorrect. It should be chief executive officer of the Borneo Rhino Alliance. We are sorry for the error.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-plan-to-gift-orangutans-to-countries-buying-palm-oil-panned-by-green-groups

Sumber : The Straits Times

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Last Updated: 15 May 2024

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SOME 4.94 million ha, or 87.4%, of the palm oil plantations in Malaysia, and 407 of the 446 palm oil mills have been certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard as of April this year.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said 151,152 smallholders, covering 542,215 ha (66%), have also obtained certification during the same period.

This represents the collective efforts of the government and industry players over the past decade to enhance the sustainability standards of the industry, according to his speech which was read by his Deputy secretary general (strategic planning and management) Abdul Hadi Omar at the MSPO 10th anniversary celebration and Aidilfitri celebration today.

In addition, the certification has received various recognitions and has signed several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with stakeholders in key purchasing countries like Japan, China, India, Mongolia and the Philippines.

“A significant MOU was also signed with the Halal Development Centre to promote Malaysian palm oil in the global halal market,” he shared.

Moreover, he said during bilateral discussions with the European Union (EU) on the EU Deforestation-free Regulation and MSPO, positive feedback was received regarding Malaysia’s efforts to reduce deforestation rates.

“The EU has significantly acknowledged Malaysia’s dedication to sustainable commodity production,” he added.

The ministry also announced the rebranding of the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) to MSPO to strengthen the certification scheme’s global standing as a top-quality sustainable palm oil certification scheme.

Johari also unveiled a comprehensive Strategic MSPO Action Plan for 2024 to 2026 to enhance the promotion of the MSPO, focusing on 57 strategic initiatives grouped under three key strategies:

Establishing a solid and reliable certification scheme, enforcing industry compliance while enriching the MSPO certification and broadening the scheme’s recognition and acceptance globally.

“This plan marks a significant step in our commitment to elevating the MSPO to new heights of global excellence and acceptance,” he said.

These efforts are part of ongoing improvements to the MSPO, including traceability, deforestation-free products, legitimate land ownership, and fair labour practices.

The minister repeatedly stressed the need for MSPO to actively engage in local and international forums discussing sustainability or the cooking oil industry and to involve stakeholders in effective engagement sessions.

Lastly, Johari affirmed the importance of placing the MSPO logo on all certified palm oil products to enhance the certification’s reliability and counteract negative perceptions of the industry.

He expressed confidence in Malaysia’s ability to produce high-quality palm oil with premium value while maintaining competitive standards globally.

https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/05/13/mspo-certification-achieves-87-4-coverage-of-malaysian-palm-oil-plantations/

Sumber : The Malaysian Reserve

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Last Updated: 15 May 2024

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KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has reaffirmed its commitment toward the production of sustainable palm oil in the state by next year under a framework set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

It said it was on track to implement the Jurisdictional Approach Piloting Framework set by RSPO, currently the most recognised international certification for the production of sustainable palm oil.

Sabah’s efforts since 2015 were recognised at the RSPO’s annual conference in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The state achieved the first step of the four-step process last year.

This initiative is known as the Jurisdictional Approach to Sustainable Palm Oil (Jaspo).

A workshop was convened earlier this month to discuss the implementation of the second step.

Sabah Natural Resources Office secretary Sernam Singh said the next two years would entail the complete development and adoption of the framework.

“It will require a careful and unique approach to suit necessary solutions for complex issues in the state, ranging from labour issues to protection of high conservation value areas.

“Setting up mechanisms to achieve this will prepare Sabah for full compliance of national and international sustainability standards, including the European Union Deforestation Regulation,” he said

Sabah’s Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan said a landscape-based sustainability approach for the palm oil industry had been a groundbreaking journey as Sabah had shown its commitment and the ability to adapt to new challenges.

“The knowledge we have gained in the process is invaluable and will benefit not just Sabah’s palm oil industry but also other sectors and regions embarking on similar pursuits,” he added.

Sabah produces 24% of Malaysia’s production of crude palm oil and around 6% of global production.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/05/14/sabah-on-track-for-sustainable-palm-oil-production

Sumber : The Star