JOHOR BARU, Sept 21 — About 51 per cent of the country’s 5.85 million hectares of oil palm land in the country have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification until August 31 this year.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said the MSPO certification covers more than 2.95 million hectares of land and 288 oil palm mills representing 64 per cent.
For Johor she said, the percentage of oil palm areas obtaining the MSPO certification was still low at about 30 per cent, involving only six per cent of private smallholders.
“According to the data I have, in Johor, only 39.4 per cent of the oil palm areas are certified by MSPO, so it does not reach 40 per cent.
“This is an extremely unsatisfactory rate and I would like to take the opportunity to remind the palm oil entrepreneurs as Mewaholeo Industry is facing a shortage of certified palm oil, so this is an opportunity and a market for them and I hope they (who have yet to obtain MSPO certification) to come to MPOCC (Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council) to get MPSO certificate,” she said.
She said this after launching the First Export Shipment of MPSO Certified RBDPO at Mewaholeo Industries Sdn Bhd, here today.
Also present were MPOCC chief executive officer Chew Jit Seng and Group Luxury chairman Michelle Cheo.
Mewaholeo Industries is expected to export more than 300 metric tonnes of cooking oil to Japan this September 26.
Kok also reminded that the MSPO Certification is important to ensure the country’s palm oil is recognised as a quality oil and asked palm oil companies to recognise the importance of obtaining MSPO certification by December 31. — Bernama
