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.