PALM oil has a curious public relations challenge. For something so widely present in our lives, it is still often rather poorly introduced. Mention it in conversation and many people think immediately of a bottle in the kitchen, a wok in action, perhaps a biscuit, perhaps a debate. Its public image remains trapped near the frying pan, as though its chief ambition in life were simply to wait beside a stove for something to be sauteed. But palm oil has long outgrown that narro

A total of 21,049 smallholders in Johor have benefited from cash subsidies under the BUDI Agri-Commodity programme, an initiative aimed at supporting farmers who form the backbone of the country’s agri-commodity sector. Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said the programme, implemented under the MADANI Subsidy Assistance (BUDI MADANI) framework, had received 29,048 applications as of Jan 31, with applications still open. She said each successfu

Singapore-based Oiltek International Ltd and Brunei's BioSeaga Industries Sdn Bhd have agreed to collaborate on a large-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) biorefinery in Sabah. The project, valued at US$350 million (RM1.65 billion), is planned to have a production capacity of 300 tonnes per day. This project is expected to kick off in the fourth quarter of 2026. "Phase 1 carries an estimated development value of US$350 million, with future expansion into advanced fuels inc

Plantation and Commodities Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad (Centre), said that the Ministry has introduced an incentive amounting to RM3.5 million in an effort to support oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) traders in obtaining the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification. — NSTP/NIK ABDULLAH NIK OMAR The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities has introduced an incentive amounting to RM3.5 million in an effort to support oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) trad

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. -NSTP/ AZIAH AZMEE Malaysia is committed to reaching 32 per cent installed renewable energy (RE) capacity this year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said. Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said the country had achieved 31 per cent installed RE capacity as of December 2025. "The government aims to increase installed renewable energy capacity by one per cent a year u

Ahmad Shabery, with a Felda vehicle running on B100, with officials demonstrating the capability of biofuel. B100, a 100% palm oil-based biodiesel, has the potential to emerge as a more competitive and sustainable alternative energy source amid uncertainties arising from the West Asia crisis, said Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. He said the B100 implementation, which is still at the policy stage, will kick off within the Fel

Rising demand for biodiesel blending in Thailand is linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. - The Nation/ANN Thailand will tighten controls on crude palm oil exports from Tuesday (April 7) in a bid to maintain a balance between domestic consumption and rising energy demand. According to the Royal Gazette, the measure, effective for one year, restricts the export of crude palm oil unless prior approval is granted by the authorities. The move comes amid rising deman

The Malaysian palm oil industry has entered a solid growth phase in March, fuelled by a massive surge in exports that pushes inventories to their lowest level in seven months. The country's palm oil stocks tumbled 16.1 per cent to 2.27 million tonnes in March from February, marking their lowest level since August, data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board showed on Friday. Industry observers said this tightening supply, down for a third consecutive month, demonstrates the global

Malaysia’s palm oil-based biodiesel consumption is set to rise by more than 300,000 metric tons annually, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board said, as the country joins top producer Indonesia in raising blending mandates to reduce reliance on energy imports. On Tuesday, the Malaysian government said it would increase its 10% biodiesel mandate, known as B10, to a 15% biodiesel blend without giving a timeline. It will start with a 12% blend without incurring any additional production

Malaysia is in an extremely advantageous position as one of the world’s top palm oil exporters, continuing to supply edible oils to countries which are grappling with rising food prices and fertiliser supply disruptions due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Julian McGill, the managing director of UK-based economic advisory firm Glenauk Economics, attributed this to palm oil production being less affected by fertiliser supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in We

As geopolitical uncertainty, supply disruption and rising feedstock costs continue to challenge the surfactants industry, the 12th ICIS Asian Surfactants Conference will bring together senior leaders from across the value chain to explore strategies for resilience, growth and innovation. The event takes place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur on 27-28 October 2026, preceded by a training day on 26 October. With Asia remaining the world's largest and fastest-growing sur

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. BERNAMA FILE PIC The government is turning to biodiesel to reduce reliance on imported fuels, leveraging Malaysia's existing production capacity and infrastructure to cushion the impact of the global energy crisis. As such, the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) has moved to accelerate the increase of the national biodiesel blend from the B10 level to B15, beginning with a B12 formulation. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd