<p>In end of December 2018, Malaysia's inventory recorded a near two-decade high of 2.3 million tonnes, data from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-tax-hike-to-slash-palm-oil-imports-boost-soyoil-sunflower-oil-buying-34770">Malaysian Palm Oil</a> Board (MPOB) showed.</p>

<p>The industry regulator expects the introduction of the B20 biodiesel programme in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/malaysia-offers-to-buy-more-imports-from-india-after-threat-of-palm-oil-curbs-256078">country</a> to increase local consumption to 25% versus the current 18%.</p>

<p>"We will be&nbsp;very happy if the stocks can reduce further to between 1.5 million tonnes to 2.0 million tonnes especially with the implementation of the B20 programme to kick in next year," Ahmad&nbsp;Parveez&nbsp;Ghulam Kadir, MPOB director-general told Bernama.</p>

<p>"It is my wish to see the crude palm oil price trading at RM3,000 per tonne."</p>

<p>Malaysia, the world's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/palm-oil-to-blame-for-39-per-cent-of-forest-loss-in-borneo-since-2000-study-250629">second-largest producer</a> of palm oil, increased the proportion of palm oil used in biodiesel to 10% from 7% last December to increase domestic consumption.</p>

<p>It plans to roll out the 20% biodiesel programme in stages next year. Kadir said he expects 70% of oil palm plantation across the tropical Southeast Asian nation to be certified with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification by February.</p>

<p>Currently, about 60.6% of total oil palm plantation are MSPO certified.</p>

<p>"With our full-fledged MSPO-certified palm oil, after three to four years down the road, Malaysian palm oil productivity will start catching up. But whatever production we produce, I hope stocks are&nbsp;always manageable and&nbsp;the crude palm oil price should not go below $603.78 per tonne," Kadir&nbsp;said.</p>

<p>The MSPO certification, which requires growers to meet certain standards on protecting the environment and workers' rights, is set to be mandatory from January 2020.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH: Gravitas: Indian Traders Boycott Palm Oil From Malaysia</strong></p>

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In end of December 2018, Malaysia's inventory recorded a near two-decade high of 2.3 million tonnes, data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) showed. The industry regulator expects the introduction of the B20 biodiesel programme in the country to increase local consumption to 25% versus the current 18%.

In end of December 2018, Malaysia's inventory recorded a near two-decade high of 2.3 million tonnes, data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) showed. The industry regulator expects the introduction of the B20 biodiesel programme in the country to increase local consumption to 25% versus the current 18%. "We will be very happy if the stocks can reduce further to between 1.5 million tonnes to 2.0 million tonnes especially with the implementation of the B20 programme to kick in next year," Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, MPOB director-general told Bernama. "It is my wish to see the crude palm oil price trading at RM3,000 per tonne." Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer of palm oil, increased the proportion of palm oil used in biodiesel to 10% from 7% last December to increase domestic consumption. It plans to roll out the 20% biodiesel programme in stages next year. Kadir said he expects 70% of oil palm plantation across the tropical Southeast Asian nation to be certified with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification by February. Currently, about 60.6% of total oil palm plantation are MSPO certified. "With our full-fledged MSPO-certified palm oil, after three to four years down the road, Malaysian palm oil productivity will start catching up. But whatever production we produce, I hope stocks are always manageable and the crude palm oil price should not go below $603.78 per tonne," Kadir said. The MSPO certification, which requires growers to meet certain standards on protecting the environment and workers' rights, is set to be mandatory from January 2020. WATCH: Gravitas: Indian Traders Boycott Palm Oil From Malaysia ×

Malaysia expects palm oil inventory to end year at 2.1 million tonnes: Report

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-forest-fires-surge-stoking-global-warming-fears-249212">Fires in Indonesia</a> that spread a smoky haze over Southeast Asia this year burned at least 1.6 million hectares of mostly degraded land and carbon-rich peatlands, data from a respected research group showed on Monday.</p>

<p>Southeast Asia has suffered for years from smoke caused by fires in Indonesia, raising health and environmental concerns, but this year's were the worst since 2015 when 2.6 million hectares were burned.</p>

<p>Slash-and-burn clearing by some palm oil growers is often blamed for the fires, which can then spread rapidly, especially during dry weather.</p>

<p>The Indonesian fires have been blamed for increasing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation that can endanger wildlife such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mother-and-baby-orangutans-relocated-from-indonesia-forest-fire-255949">orangutans</a>.</p>

<p>Jakarta-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) said its analysis of satellite imagery from the first ten months of the year showed much of the fires was in lands cleared years ago.</p>

<p>"We found that 76 per cent&nbsp;of burning occurred on idle lands. Those lands were forests a few years ago, but cycles of repeated burns have converted them to unproductive degraded scrublands," CIFOR scientists led by David Gaveau said in a statement.</p>

<p>About 3 per cent&nbsp;of the fires occurred on oil palm plantations.</p>

<p>Peatlands accounted for 41 per cent&nbsp;of the total land burned, or 670,000 hectares, in Indonesia this year, the CIFOR data showed.</p>

<p>The scientists estimated around 60,000 hectares of rainforests were burnt this year as of October.</p>

<p>The Jambi and West Kalimantan provinces, which are important habitats for tigers and orangutans, saw some of the highest number of fires, they said.</p>

<p>Their 1.6 million hectare estimate of burnt land is based on an analysis across seven provinces.</p>

<p>Indonesia's environment and forestry ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CIFOR data. But an official had said earlier this year that 857,756 hectares of land burnt as of end-September.</p>


Fires in Indonesia that spread a smoky haze over Southeast Asia this year burned at least 1.6 million hectares of mostly degraded land and carbon-rich peatlands, data from a respected research group showed on Monday.

Fires in Indonesia that spread a smoky haze over Southeast Asia this year burned at least 1.6 million hectares of mostly degraded land and carbon-rich peatlands, data from a respected research group showed on Monday. Southeast Asia has suffered for years from smoke caused by fires in Indonesia, raising health and environmental concerns, but this year's were the worst since 2015 when 2.6 million hectares were burned. Slash-and-burn clearing by some palm oil growers is often blamed for the fires, which can then spread rapidly, especially during dry weather. The Indonesian fires have been blamed for increasing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation that can endanger wildlife such as orangutans. Jakarta-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) said its analysis of satellite imagery from the first ten months of the year showed much of the fires was in lands cleared years ago. "We found that 76 per cent of burning occurred on idle lands. Those lands were forests a few years ago, but cycles of repeated burns have converted them to unproductive degraded scrublands," CIFOR scientists led by David Gaveau said in a statement. About 3 per cent of the fires occurred on oil palm plantations. Peatlands accounted for 41 per cent of the total land burned, or 670,000 hectares, in Indonesia this year, the CIFOR data showed. The scientists estimated around 60,000 hectares of rainforests were burnt this year as of October. The Jambi and West Kalimantan provinces, which are important habitats for tigers and orangutans, saw some of the highest number of fires, they said. Their 1.6 million hectare estimate of burnt land is based on an analysis across seven provinces. Indonesia's environment and forestry ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CIFOR data. But an official had said earlier this year that 857,756 hectares of land burnt as of end-September.

Indonesian fires burnt 1.6 million hectares of land this year: Researchers

<p>It&#39;s lower cost has made it popular in commercial food production, but after being blamed for deforestation in Asia, palm oil plantations are now getting a similar rap in Africa.</p>

<p>The sheer scale of land required is having an impact in Gabon, Cameroon and the Congo Basin, environmentalists say.</p>

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<p>With financing coming from American, European and Asian agri-businesses, palm bunches are cultivated then cut from trees and sent to factories where oil is extracted by hot pressing.</p>

<p>But the production process accelerates deforestation, contributes to climate change and threatens fauna and flora in vulnerable areas, opponents argue.</p>

<p>However, the companies say that palm oil is not only less expensive than soya or sunflower oil but requires much less land to produce and provides much-needed jobs.</p>

<p>Gabon -- where forest covers 80 percent of the territory -- is feeling the brunt.</p>

<p>Brainforest and Mighty, two environmental groups, investigated the activities of Olam, an agri-business from Singapore, which said it has planted 58,000 hectares of palm trees in Gabon.</p>

<p>&quot;It is estimated that Olam has deforested 20,000 hectares in its Gabonese concessions of Awala et Mouila since 2012,&quot; the groups said in a report released in mid-December. &quot;Investigators on the scene witnessed and filmed bulldozers knocking down huge trees en masse.&quot;</p>

<p>Olam said palm trees had been planted on 25,000 hectares of land which had previously been forested, but that this had been &quot;highly logged and degraded secondary forest&quot; and represented just 0.1 percent of Gabon&#39;s forests.</p>

<p>In response to the report, Olam published advertisements touting the almost 11,000 jobs it has created, the 1,100 hectares of food crops planted and 251 kilometres (150 miles) of roads built.</p>

<p><strong>A wider impact</strong></p>

<p>But the impact appears wider. In their report, the environmental groups expressed fears that the Congo Basin, considered the lung of Africa, could go the same way as forests in Sumatra, Indonesia and on Borneo.</p>

<p>&quot;A few decades ago, these places were almost entirely covered with forests, a paradise for orangutans, rhinos, elephants and exotic birds. Today, only 20-30 percent of the forest cover exists.&quot;</p>

<p>The report was released in Libreville when an environmental film festival honoured the French documentary &quot;Et Maintenant Nos Terres&quot; (And Now Our Land).</p>

<p>Its directors, Julien Le Net and Benjamin Polle, chronicled how villages in Cameroon and Senegal were being affected by what they called &quot;land grabs&quot; by multinational companies.</p>

<p>In south-west Cameroon, 244 farmers have filed a trespassing complaint against a company that intends to plant 20,000 hectares of palm trees.</p>

<p>Hearings in the case against Sustainable Oils Cameroon, formerly a subsidiary of American company Herakles Farms, were postponed after reports of unrest in the area in November.</p>

<p>Greenpeace has asked Cameroon not to renew the company&#39;s concession which expired at the end of November, and it cited &quot;six years of illegal foresting, trampling of locals&#39; rights, unfulfilled investments and destruction of forest&quot;.</p>

<p>A petition signed by 180,000 people against renewal of the contract was sent last week to Cameroon President Paul Biya, Greenpeace said.</p>

<p>The government has not yet made a decision but Greenpeace said it hoped it would hear the voices of &quot;thousands of Cameroonians&quot;.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the plantations of Socapalm, a subsidiary of the Luxembourg company Socfin in which the family firm of French businessman Vincent Bollore owns a large minority stake, were targeted by protests in November.</p>

<p>&quot;No to pollution and massive environmental destruction&quot; read one banner, while another urged the company to open a dialogue with residents.</p>

<p>&quot;More than 5,000 hectares has been used,&quot; a resident called Ebeneser Ekango told AFPTV at the time, complaining there wasn&#39;t enough land to plant the staple crop cassava. &quot;What do we eat?&quot;</p>

<p>Greenpeace, which has complained that Socfin concessions have included old-growth forests, applauded the company publishing in December a responsible management policy commits to &quot;eliminating deforestation&quot;.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


The sheer scale of land required is having an impact in Gabon, Cameroon and the Congo Basin, say environmentalists

It's lower cost has made it popular in commercial food production, but after being blamed for deforestation in Asia, palm oil plantations are now getting a similar rap in Africa. The sheer scale of land required is having an impact in Gabon, Cameroon and the Congo Basin, environmentalists say. The production process accelerates deforestation, contributes to climate change and threatens fauna and flora in vulnerable areas, opponents argue × With financing coming from American, European and Asian agri-businesses, palm bunches are cultivated then cut from trees and sent to factories where oil is extracted by hot pressing. But the production process accelerates deforestation, contributes to climate change and threatens fauna and flora in vulnerable areas, opponents argue. However, the companies say that palm oil is not only less expensive than soya or sunflower oil but requires much less land to produce and provides much-needed jobs. Gabon -- where forest covers 80 percent of the territory -- is feeling the brunt. Brainforest and Mighty, two environmental groups, investigated the activities of Olam, an agri-business from Singapore, which said it has planted 58,000 hectares of palm trees in Gabon. "It is estimated that Olam has deforested 20,000 hectares in its Gabonese concessions of Awala et Mouila since 2012," the groups said in a report released in mid-December. "Investigators on the scene witnessed and filmed bulldozers knocking down huge trees en masse." Olam said palm trees had been planted on 25,000 hectares of land which had previously been forested, but that this had been "highly logged and degraded secondary forest" and represented just 0.1 percent of Gabon's forests. In response to the report, Olam published advertisements touting the almost 11,000 jobs it has created, the 1,100 hectares of food crops planted and 251 kilometres (150 miles) of roads built. A wider impact But the impact appears wider. In their report, the environmental groups expressed fears that the Congo Basin, considered the lung of Africa, could go the same way as forests in Sumatra, Indonesia and on Borneo. "A few decades ago, these places were almost entirely covered with forests, a paradise for orangutans, rhinos, elephants and exotic birds. Today, only 20-30 percent of the forest cover exists." The report was released in Libreville when an environmental film festival honoured the French documentary "Et Maintenant Nos Terres" (And Now Our Land). Its directors, Julien Le Net and Benjamin Polle, chronicled how villages in Cameroon and Senegal were being affected by what they called "land grabs" by multinational companies. In south-west Cameroon, 244 farmers have filed a trespassing complaint against a company that intends to plant 20,000 hectares of palm trees. Hearings in the case against Sustainable Oils Cameroon, formerly a subsidiary of American company Herakles Farms, were postponed after reports of unrest in the area in November. Greenpeace has asked Cameroon not to renew the company's concession which expired at the end of November, and it cited "six years of illegal foresting, trampling of locals' rights, unfulfilled investments and destruction of forest". A petition signed by 180,000 people against renewal of the contract was sent last week to Cameroon President Paul Biya, Greenpeace said. The government has not yet made a decision but Greenpeace said it hoped it would hear the voices of "thousands of Cameroonians". Meanwhile, the plantations of Socapalm, a subsidiary of the Luxembourg company Socfin in which the family firm of French businessman Vincent Bollore owns a large minority stake, were targeted by protests in November. "No to pollution and massive environmental destruction" read one banner, while another urged the company to open a dialogue with residents. "More than 5,000 hectares has been used," a resident called Ebeneser Ekango told AFPTV at the time, complaining there wasn't enough land to plant the staple crop cassava. "What do we eat?" Greenpeace, which has complained that Socfin concessions have included old-growth forests, applauded the company publishing in December a responsible management policy commits to "eliminating deforestation". (AFP)

After Asia, palm oil faces backlash in Africa