Malaysia is keen to offer marketing assistance to Indian palm oil growers as well as makers of palm-based finished products.

“Malaysia is ready to offer assistance in the marketing of Indian products; it is highly possible that we will be ready to extend a helping hand. But, in line with our understanding the cultivation of oil palms and production of palm oil within India is still relatively small,” Kalyana Sundram, Deputy CEO and Director, Science & Environment, Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), told BusinessLine .

Talking about MPOC initiative to promote consumption in India, Sundram said, “Currently India imports and consumes almost 9.7 million tonnes of palm oil. As a result, palm oil has become an integral component of the Indian edible oil consumption trends. Despite this level of uptake in the country, we continue to register much misinformation regarding palm especially in relation to its quality, health and nutrition values. Backed by a large panel of research in these areas, including research undertaken by leading Indian research institutions, MPOC is collaborating with local institutions and agencies to ensure the correct information about Malaysian palm oil is disseminated,” he explained.

MPOC’s campaign is partly in response to a rather active anti-palm oil campaign mounted by Western NGOs whose arguments are often based on sheer sentiments rather than facts.

Sundram said “MPOC has taken the mantle to address this misinformation on a global front and we are active in many parts of the world where palm oil is consumed. Some of our hottest activity sites are in Europe while other countries such as the US, India and China are also part of our efforts to re-educate the consumers about the virtues of palm oil.”

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