NCR new concept

The revamped official website of the Ministry that provides brief information on the development of the Oil Palm industry in Sarawak and on the Joint Venture Model under the New Concept of Development on NCR Land (New Concept).

The procedure to be followed by NCR landowners in applying for their NCR land to be developed into oil palm plantations in accordance with the New Concept is also described. Likewise, how a private sector company can apply to be an investor for a NCR land development project is also spelt out.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on certain issues is meant to facilitate further understanding of the New Concept among the NCR landowners, private sector companies and the general public as well in order to dispel any misconception about the good and sincere intentions of the State Goverment in promoting the development of NCR land on a commercial and large scale basis on the joint venture approach.

Up to this point of time responses from the NCR landowners have been very encouraging and we firmly believe that more NCR landowners will apply for their land to be developed. Similarly, many private sector companies have registered their interest to invest in and develop NCR land under the New Concept into oil palm plantations. To all these companies I would like to express my thanks for their positive responses to the Goverment's call for them to invest in this programme and appeal for their patience in waiting for NCR land banks to become available for allocation to them.

If more details are required about the development of NCR land in accordance with the New Concept, you are most welcomed to meet us personally.

Smallholders write to Bricq over campaign against palm oil By REGINA LEE regina@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian oil palm smallholders have written to the French foreign trade minister, asking for her commitment that France will not discriminate against palm oil.

The National Association of Smallholders president, Datuk Aliasak Ambia, wrote tominister Nicole Bricq, explaining his concern on the ongoing campaign in France to denounce palm oil.

“Palm oil is of vital importance to these small farmers, their families and local communities throughout Malaysia.

“The ongoing campaign by certain French companies and politicians to denigrate palm oil with untrue statements and actions is of major concern to Malaysia,” he wrote in a letter dated yesterday.

The letter claimed that corporations including Casino, Systeme U, Findus, Lesieur, Lays and Jacquet are running a campaign against palm oil that includes derogatory labelling which unfairly targets palm oil.

“We ask you to join us in calling for these French multinational companies to stop targeting palm oil,” said Aliasak, whose association represents 300,000 smallholders across Malaysia.

“We call upon you, as a friend of Malaysia, to publicly disassociate the Government of France from the actions of these companies, and to condemn their aggression towards Malaysian small oil palm farmers,” he added.

The campaign against palm oil in France came on the heels of an attempt by French legislators to pass a Bill increasing taxes on palm oil products last year which was rejected by a commission in the Senate.

Seeking Bricq's assurance that the French government policies will not unfairly target palm oil, Aliasak pleaded for her support for positive trading relations between France and Malaysia.

“Minister Bricq, you have an opportunity this week to reset relations between France and Malaysia on this important issue and to put an end to negative allegations from French multinationals,” he said.

The oil palm industry has been linked to allegations of deforestation and dangerous trans-fat content.

The industry, however, had refuted such claims.

14 Months After Field Planting

At this stage, need to do slashing and remove the small trees. Fertilizing at least one in two month.

Oil palm players to meet in Tawau. From New Straits Times

TAWAU: A gathering of oil palm industry players for a conference here next week will help keep the momentum for continued growth in the sector in Sabah.

The 4th Palmex conference will be held from Tuesday until Thursday, bringing together some 40 international exhibitors and more than 100 key stakeholders at Promenade Hotel here.

Industrial Development and Research Department director Patrick Tan said things were looking up for the industry in the state, which accounted for about a third of the nation's crude palm oil output.

The three-day event would further strengthen the industry, said Tan, who is also the organising committee chairman of the conference cum exhibition, which will be held here for the first time.

The event was first held in Kota Kinabalu and the last two were held in Sandakan.

"We feel that the momentum is picking up, in so far as foreign investors' interest and local players' participation are concerned."

Tan said as the biggest crude palm oil producer in the country, Sabah also placed priority on achieving the Economic Transformation Programme's objective of tripling the gross national income from RM81 billion last year by 2020.

Read more: Oil palm players to meet in Tawau - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/oil-palm-players-to-meet-in-tawau-1.294712#ixzz2VPivFawo

More anti-palm oil campaigns on the horizon with new hurdles Commodities Talk - By Hanim Adnan

Hanim Adnan

WHILE Malaysia fought admirably to topple the anti-palm oil campaigns such as the Nutella Tax proposal in France and the palm oil labelling issue in Australia last year, more smearing campaigns instigated by Western NGOs and green activists are set to crop up this year.

Of particular interest would be the possible introduction of new trade barriers targeted specificially at palm oil by several member countries within the European Union (EU).

Market observers, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), are saying that 2013 would see a dangerous new tide of trade regulations, red tape and protectionism that would jeopardise the market access of palm oil and other vegetable oils into the EU.

The EU governments are now legislating their food standard policy in which palm oil, in particular, is being attacked both on the health and sustainability fronts.

In France, the false claims on palm oil's alleged adverse impact on health and the environment being circulated in the French media continue to influence the minds of consumers there, despite the support for palm oil by French scientists and experts from the Centre for Agricultural Reseach for Development, the renowned Pasteur Institute and the French Foundation for Health and Nutrition.

What started in France last year has triggered a domino effect, whereby the safety concerns on palm oil are being heavily raised in Belgium and Switzerland.

In Belgium, the Constitutional Health Council is undertaking investigations on palmitic acid and is planning to publish a report outlining the fabricated dangers to the Belgian consumer's diet.

Also, similar to what had happened in France last year, several politicans in Switzerland are championing for a ban on using palm oil in certain districts.

According to the MPOC, the European Commission (EC) later this year would release a Communication on Sustainable Food believed to be the first step towards an EU policy outlining full environmental and sustainability standards for food consumed in the region.

The EC is also looking at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of food consumption, reducing the land use of food imports, incentivising the improvement of resource efficiency and food security and reducing water usage in agriculture.

In view of all these, will Malaysia, as one of the world's largest producers of palm oil, take a stand at the World Trade Organisation should the EU introduce its discriminatory sustainable food standards later this year?

Ironically, all this is happening at the onset of oil palm being extensively cultivated in new frontiers such as Africa, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar with the noble intention of generating income and eradicating poverty among smallholders and farmers.

Given the growing world population and per capita income, it has been projected that palm oil demand would continue to increase from 45 million tonnes in 2010 to 60 million tonnes in 2015, and hitting a whopping 75 milllion tonnes in 2020.

In terms of yield, palm oil production is one-tenth more than other oilseed rivals such as soybean oil and rapeseed oil, making it far more economical to produce crude palm oil.

Deputy news editor Hanim Adnan knows that the truth will prevail in the battle between palm oil and its detractors.