By Datin Lorela Chia | Founding President, Malaysia Association of Sustainable Supply Chain & Innovation (MASSCI) (Adapted from her address at PIPOC 2025 Global Economics & Marketing Conference) Palm oil now sits at one of the most complex intersections of Malaysia’s industrial landscape — where productivity, climate demands, global narratives, and community livelihoods converge. No longer framed purely as a commodity, it has become a strategic system shaped by industrial

In an industry where margins are tight, labour shortages persist, and quality demands continue to rise, the quest to improve Oil Extraction Rate (OER) has never been more critical. Today, a revolutionary technology - Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment is emerging as one of the most promising solutions for palm oil mills aiming to boost yield, enhance oil quality, and overcome the pressing challenges faced by the industry. By collaboration of ELEA’s expertise in PEF, with A

Ecoscience International Bhd has secured a RM40 million contract to build and install a new palm oils and fats refinery plant in Johor, marking another milestone in its engineering and construction portfolio. The contract, awarded to its wholly owned unit Ecoscience Manufacturing & Engineering Sdn Bhd, covers building and infrastructure works as well as installation for the proposed refinery. The project is scheduled for completion by July 1, 2026. Ecoscience said the award i

Willie Walsh (left) and Marie Owens Thomson (right). Pix by Bilqis Bahari Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, has the opportunity to become a key player in the global shift towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. This is by leveraging the region's vast feedstock potential, said International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Willie Walsh. Walsh said countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are well-positioned to develop fe

Chief Executive Officer of RSPO, Joseph D'Cruz. -NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is working with Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) to align both certification schemes in an effort to ease the burden on smallholders. RSPO chief executive officer Joseph D'Cruz said the move aims to avoid overlapping audit processes and streamline sustainability requirements for the industry. "The main objective is to reduce compliance cost and lessen adm

The Malaysian Palm Oil Council has welcomed the US tariff exemptions for selected Malaysian products, under the newly concluded Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. NSTP/DANIAL SAAD The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has welcomed the United States' (US) tariff exemptions for selected Malaysian products, including palm oil, under the newly concluded Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. Chief executive officer Belvinder Sron said the zero-tariff for Malaysian palm oil is a positive deve

The European Commission said Tuesday it wants to ease sweeping anti-deforestation rules by exempting thousands of firms from paperwork and cutting back requirements for small companies. The European Commission said Tuesday it wanted to ease sweeping anti-deforestation rules by exempting thousands of firms from paperwork and cutting back requirements for small companies. EU officials said the proposed changes -- including a six-month grace period for large companies -- seek to

Small- and mid-cap plantation companies that trade at steep 37 to 49 per cent discounts to average transacted estate prices could be prime privatisation targets, said Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB). NSTP/DANIAL SAAD Small- and mid-cap plantation companies that trade at steep 37 to 49 per cent discounts to average transacted estate prices could be prime privatisation targets, said Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB). This comes amid rising merger and acquisition

Presently, palm oil is trading at a premium to soybean oil in the global market. Malaysia’s palm oil exports have risen by 102,000 tonnes (+7.7% month-on-month) to 1.42mn tonnes in September. The largest improvement came from South Asia, where exports to India reached the highest in 11 months. Shipments to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Americas and Central Asia have also registered increases during September 2025. This latest economic data c

File photo by Zahid Izzani/The Edge Malaysia prioritises higher palm oil yields alongside sustainable production and will not interfere with Indonesia’s measures concerning land tied to oil palm plantations. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani emphasised that Malaysia’s policy is not to open new oil palm plantations and instead to rely on existing areas. “We remain committed to good planting materials, sound agricultural practices and increasing

(From left) Borhanuddin, Razali, Hairulazim, Lee, Chek Salan and Ahmad Parveez launching the roadshow in Kuala Lumpur. — Photos: FAIHAN GHANI/The Star Plantation and Commodities Ministry (KPK) plans to request membership to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to provide a fact-based narrative of the palm oil industry. KPK deputy secretary-general (plantation and commodities) Datuk Razali Mohamad said this would improve communications about the industry’s sus

National Association of Smallholders (NASH) president Adzmi Hassan cited the e-hailing industry as an example where it managed to encourage youths to work as drivers. The plantation industry requires a gig system to attract participation from youths to suit their lifestyle today, a top industry executive said. National Association of Smallholders (NASH) president Adzmi Hassan said the association is collaborating with a well-known system developer to build a mechanism that wi

From 2026, the government will roll out a multi-tiered levy mechanism (MTLM), charging different rates based on a sector’s dependence on foreign workers. Revenue will fund automation and mechanisation initiatives across industries. NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD Two key targets under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) are set to drive long-term transformation in Malaysia's plantation sector. The first aims to modernise agriculture into a competitive and sustainable industry, while the second

SD Guthrie Bhd has called for an end to the skewed perception on palm oil that paints it as an environmental villain SD Guthrie Bhd has called for an end to the skewed perception on palm oil that paints it as an environmental villain. Group managing director Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said the relentless negativity towards palm oil has resulted in markets pushing the commodity away. "Over the past three decades, while palm oil was being painted as one of the great envir

ASEAN, European Union, Felda, and FGV delegates joining hands at the 6th ASEAN-European Union Policy Dialogue on Human Rights in Pahang recently. - File pic credit (FGV Holdings Bhd) FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) recently welcomed a high-level delegation of around 40 participants from the sixth ASEAN-European Union (EU) Policy Dialogue on Human Rights to its Krau Complex in Pahang, reaffirming its steadfast commitment to responsible business practices, human rights protection and su