KUCHING: The government will continue to assist the palm
oil industry in removing the obstacles faced in penetrating new markets while focusing on the importance of environmental sustainability within the plantation sector.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the government was focusing on renewal energy particularly biofuels and biomass in the country.

He said the palm oil industry has a healthy output of palm biomass.

"Indeed it is estimated that only 10 per cent of our plantation output is oil while the remaining 90 per cent is biomass.

"Despite this staggering number, we have not made the much desired inroad into better biomass utilisation for greater income generation.

"It is time to look into the relevant technology adoptions to make this idle sector workable, " he said in his welcoming speech at the "Reach and Remind Friends of the Industry Seminar and Dialogue" on the challenges and opportunities in 2014, here today.

Douglas also said as the palm oil is traded in the global oils and fats market, the industry continued to face challenges of negative perceptions and allegations levelled by many quarters from all over the world.

These anti-palm oil sentiments are flamed by non-governmental organisation that espoused environmental protection as their core commitment, while overlooking the contribution that the plam oil industry has made to the global food security, poverty alleviation and economic development.

Despite these allegations, he said there were international brands that use palm oil proudly such as Nutella in France, the producer of the world famous chocolate spread with palm oil as the major ingredient.

"They have came out openly and boldly in defence of Malaysian palm oil, " added Douglas.

As such, all players in the palm oil industry were encouraged to implement strategies towards continuous improvement to give global customers greater confidence in the Malaysian palm oil supply chain, he said.

"In this context, the government is consistently urging companies to continously innovate by investing in research and development, new technologies and smart partnership," he added.-- Bernama