KUCHING: The Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA) has expressed disappointment over the European Parliament’s decision to adopt the European Union (EU)’s Deforestation-Free Products Regulation on April 19.
Describing the decision as yet another attempt to discriminate against palm oil, its chairman Eric Kiu said the regulation is meant to restrict or, to a certain extent, prohibit the import of palm oil to the EU if the supply chain does not meet their ‘open-ended’ criteria.
“In retrospect, the Western developed countries have organised countless smear campaigns against palm oil,” he said in a statement yesterday (Apr 22).
Kiu said despite all the scientific evidence showing palm oil is trans-fat-free and healthy, palm oil continued to be demonised by much misinformation.
“In the past 10 years, we have witnessed anti-palm oil sentiments focused on the concern over deforestation and wildlife killing.
“On the contrary to the accusation, in Malaysia, palm oil is planted on legitimate agricultural land which was mostly previously cultivated agricultural land, degraded forest areas rezoned for agriculture, and land under the land use policy of the state,” he said.
In the context of conservation, he said the government has decided to cap the country’s oil palm plantations at 6.5 million hectares by 2023 in a move to dispel the claim that the expansion of oil palm plantations has led to deforestation.
“Currently, Malaysia still has 56 percent of forested areas across the country, while other parts of the world are facing forest degradation due to development,” he said.
The Malaysian palm oil industry, he said, is one of the most highly regulated, with legislation and regulations in place to ensure that it adheres to domestic and international standards.
Additionally, the oil palm tree is the most efficient oil crop in terms of land use, where it has the highest yield compared to other oil crops per hectare of land.
“Palm oil also has diverse functional properties. For food, palm oil is good at keeping spreads spreadable since it is semi-solid at room temperature, it is stable at high temperatures which helps fried products, and it’s odourless and colourless so it doesn’t affect the look or smell of food products,” he said.
For non-food applications, he said, palm oil is in beauty products such as shampoo, lipstick and soap, to name a few. Its methyl esters, commonly known as palm biodiesel, are a clean-burning renewable fuel.
“Possible reasons why the harsh decision was also made is that palm oil is seen as a threat.
“The applications of palm oil have grown significantly over time, and quickly showed signs of replacing the oilseeds grown in the EU. In addition, the price competitiveness of palm oil has an added advantage over other oils.
“To the EU, an import ban on palm oil is a quick fix,” he said.
With the new regulation, he said, the export of palm oil to the EU will be further reduced in years to come.
“The Malaysian government has been diplomatic in addressing the unjust EU’s deforestation regulation that aims merely to protect their domestic market.
“And we would like to extend our full support to the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodity, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof during this challenging time.
“We also urge all Malaysian palm oil producers to rally behind the Minister,” said Kiu.
