Sarawak govt will ensure all oil palm plantations certified sustainable, says minister

KUCHING, July 3 — Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok today said the Sarawak government has agreed to ensure that oil palm plantations in the state obtain Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.

She said about 591,233 hectares or 38 per cent out of the total areas of 1.58 million hectares under oil palm cultivation in Sarawak have obtained the MSPO certification.

Kok said Sarawak is the second biggest producer of palm oil in the country.

“Our national aim is to achieve 100 per cent MSPO certification by end of this year,” she told reporters after meeting Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah here.

Kok said the MSPO certification is vital to allow Malaysia to continue to export palm oil to European Union (EU) countries.

“It is our commitment that the palm oil is produced from sustainable planting source and using good agricultural practices,” Kok said, adding that EU is the second largest buyer of palm oil from Malaysia.

She said she was informed that one of the issues faced in the certification process in Sarawak is in the land status condition.

“There are smallholding farmers planting oil palm on land meant for rubber or cocoa cultivation.

“So we need the state Land and Survey Department to help us change the status and Uggah has agreed to help on this,” he said.

Kok said her office had sent a list containing 7,000 names who are seeking the conversion, to the state government.

She also said her ministry is now focussing on reaching out to Japan and China as the new markets for palm oil.

She added that these two countries are very big markets and full of potentials for Malaysia.

“I hope to visit Japan in two months’ time and am now discussing with the Japanese ambassador in Kuala Lumpur for my visit,” she said.

Kok said a Malaysian company from Johore is now selling MSPO certified palm oil at a premium price to Japan. So this is a very encouraging news to us.

“As for China, we have already signed a MoU with a firm China Green Food in May this year as first step for China to recognise our MSPO certified palm oil.

“We have worked very hard for this certification and if we can penetrate both Japan and China this will be a great boost for us and our MSPO certified palm oil,” she said.