KOTA KINABALU, 19 Aug (Bernama) — The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is of the opinion that the time is now opportune to create a strong Malaysian palm oil brand.

Chairman Datuk Lee Yeow Chor said this should be based on many criteria and must adhere to international standards and good practices.

“We actually regard the International Palm oil Sustainability Conference (IPOSC) 2014 as part of these aspirations, since we are hopeful that the new information, as well as, new ideas will be generated from this conference,” he said when opening the two-day event here Tuesday.

Lee hoped the Malaysian palm oil industry would use new ideas to improve the many facets of sustainability in producing palm oil and create the branded Malaysian palm oil.

“On this note I urge all of you to generously contribute your views over the next two days.

“IPOSC is precisely the platform to showcase such effort, as well as, share new challenges faced by us with all the stakeholders,” Lee said.

He added that the industry also believed in taking the lead in demonstrating the commitment towards sustainable palm oil production, care for the environment and drive socio-economic improvement of the communities at the same time.

About 200 local and international participants from France, Bangladesh and Indonesia are attending the conference which will showcase the latest developments and technologies related to the sustainable development of the palm oil industry.

The conference will focus on current issues including wildlife conservation, deforestation, indirect land use change, biomass potential and international sustainability policies and certification.

Source : BERNAMA