For many years palm oil has played a valuable role across industries worldwide and in 2023, palm oil consumption reached 78 metric tons globally. Palm oil is present in many of our favourite food products including chocolate, as well as in many non-food products such as deodorants and biofuels. For this reason, palm oil is now the leading oil in the global vegetable oil market, and with this Malaysia ranks among the top exporters and producers of the products for the world. Due to its global reputation for certified palm oil products, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) was established to advocate, network and promote Malaysian palm oil to a global audience as a rich and valuable oil that will be vital for the future of food security.
Today, Malaysia is responsible for producing more than 80% of the global supply of palm oil and is currently the second leading producer of palm oil in the world behind Indonesia. Its popularity has made its application across the world vast, and so MPOC is on a mission to promote Malaysian palm oil as a healthy, sustainable and ethical choice for consumers. A key part of this mission focuses on working with stakeholders and government officials to make access to the Malaysian palm oil market easier. However, to achieve this MPOC is passionate about ensuring that its production of palm oil is sustainable and ethical. For this reason, MPOC participates in certification schemes, including those from the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) to encourage the global adoption of Malaysian palm oil products on a wide scale.
In order to promote Malaysian palm oil across the world, MPOC is committed to advocating for it as the optimal choice for consumers worldwide. MPOC focuses a lot of its work on showing the sustainability of palm oil compared to other oil alternatives. According to MPOC, alternative oils such as coconut, soybean and sunflower can require up to 10 times more land than palm oil crops. Palm oil crop utilises only one-tenth of the land required for all other vegetable crops, and so producing palm oil over these requires less agricultural land. This is something that MPOC is passionate about, especially as the global population continues to rise.
Plus, palm oil has zero trans-fats, and so is seen as a healthier alternative to many oils on the market. For this reason, palm oil is thought to be a vital step in reducing global health risks associated with trans-fat overconsumption, while also being a vital source of many essential vitamins and minerals. With all of the benefits of palm oil behind them, MPOC’s central mission is to promote palm oil from Malaysia as a healthy, sustainable, and ethical choice for many consumers worldwide.
The role of MPOC is to position the country’s palm oil as an attractive and vital resource that will serve palm oil demand worldwide. For this reason, MPOC’s role is to constantly look at how the resources can undergo trade expansion across more international markets. To achieve this, MPOC is constantly working to identify and capitalise on the latest market trends and demands from consumers. One demand that is vital as the world moves towards a more sustainable future is the role of carbon reduction and neutrality throughout its operations.
In November, MPOC unveiled a study looking at ways to drive Malaysia’s palm oil industry towards carbon neutrality and eventually net zero. The study, conducted in collaboration with the Swinburne University of Technology, will look at pathways for the industry to move towards carbon neutrality and net zero carbon emissions throughout its operations. This move towards sustainability highlights MPOC’s commitment to meeting the demands of its customer base, and, in turn, strengthening the role of MPOC and by association Malaysia palm oil as a leader in climate-smart agriculture.
Furthermore, by ensuring the region’s compliance with international sustainability goals, it solidifies MPOC’s goals within more international markets as it becomes more valuable as a resource for its internationally recognised sustainability standards. Belvinder Sron, CEO of MPOC, outlines in a press release that “The Malaysian palm oil industry has long been a cornerstone of global food security, providing a certified, sustainable source of edible oils and fats. With this study, we can chart a course towards a future where our industry remains both competitive and climate resilient, setting a new standard in climate-friendly palm oil production and exemplifying our commitment to net-zero targets”. Srons comments exemplify exactly how MPOC strives to position Malaysian palm oil as the best option that is both good for you and supported by the infrastructure to protect the planet at the same time.
As MPOC moves towards the future it is looking into ways that it can utilise biomass conversion technologies to further generate positive resources throughout the palm oil production process. By implementing such technologies, MPOC will be able to leverage both its proven operations and development into more sustainable technologies to position Malaysian Palm Oil as a leading and highly in-demand oil across a wide range of international climate-conscious audiences.
Overall, what stands out about MPOC’s operations is its firm commitment to ensuring that Malaysian Palm Oil is the best it can be, and only from this position can it begin to expand its network across the globe. With certifications and regulations in place to ensure that each drop of oil is produced in an ethical way, MPOC then promotes and markets these products to an international audience for wider global adoption. MPOC’s move toward sustainability within the sector is vital as food security and net-zero targets remain a growing concern for customers worldwide. Consequently, in its mission to position palm oil as the healthy, sustainable and ethical oil of choice, it has been largely successful as represented by the growing demand for Malaysian palm oil across the world.
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