No new forest clearing for palm oil
Malaysia will not clear additional forests for new palm oil plantations, focusing instead on maximizing yields from the current 5.7 million hectares. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani emphasized improving sustainable practices and leveraging the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Scheme (MSPO) to ensure traceability and responsible labor practices. Currently, 4.6 million hectares (81.24%) are MSPO certified
MALAYSIA will not clear forests to establish new palm oil plantations as the current plantation area of 5.7 million ha is already sufficient.
Instead, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the country is focused on increasing sustainable palm oil yields and maximising the value from existing land use rather than expanding it.
“Our palm oil is a highly efficient crop, producing 3.3 metric tonnes (MT) per ha compared to soybean oil, which yields 0.5MT per ha, rapeseed oil (0.8MT per ha), and sunflower oil (0.8MT per ha),” he said during his speech at the 2024 International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (OFIC 2024) yesterday.
Johari also highlighted that the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Scheme (MSPO) is capable of meeting global criteria, ensuring product traceability, no deforestation, land ownership legitimacy and responsible labour practices.
He noted that although Malaysia’s palm oil plantations account for only 0.1% of global agricultural land, the country contributes up to 20% of the world’s export of edible oils and fats.
As of August, 4.6 million ha, equivalent to 81.24% of palm oil plantations in Malaysia, have received MSPO certification.
Johari emphasised that palm oil industry players in the country can adopt a circular economy model to enhance their operational efficiency in managing palm oil waste.
“By using technology, palm oil waste can be converted into energy, helping the country reduce its reliance on fossil fuels for power generation,” he said.
This, he added, would support Malaysia’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
“For instance, if a palm oil mill can generate five megawatts (MW) of power, with 400 mills, we could potentially generate 2,000MW of renewable energy from palm oil waste.”
“Currently, only 20% of the 446 palm oil processing mills have utilised this waste for energy generation,” Johari said. —
Source Link : https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/10/23/no-new-forest-clearing-for-palm-oil-said-johari/
