87.1 PCT OF AREAS UNDER OIL PALM CULTIVATION HAVE ACHIEVED MSPO CERTIFICATION 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26  -- A total of 5.14 million hectares, or 87.1 per cent, of the 5.9 million hectares under oil palm cultivation in the country have obtained the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as at Sept 22, 2020, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

In a statement today, he said a total of 420 oil palm mills, or 92.92 per cent, of 452 oil palm mills have also received the MSPO certification.

For private smallholders, he said all 162 Sustainable Palm Oil Clusters (SPOCs) nationwide have obtained the MSPO certification involving the participation of 78,623 private smallholders covering ​​243,515 hectares (24.69 per cent) and 215,064 smallholders under the supervision of federal and state agencies spanning ​​711,196 hectares (98.48 per cent).

“In Sarawak, the 32 SPOCs established have obtained the MSPO certificatation involving 18,161 smallholders covering ​​101,307 hectares.

"The oil palm cultivation area certified is 50.15 per cent of the total area cultivated by private smallholders, which is 202,016 hectares in Sarawak," he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Khairuddin said the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, together with its agencies, especially the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC), were actively getting more smallholders and oil palm entrepreneurs to comply with the MSPO certification sustainability principles.

"The MSPO certification of smallholders will ensure increased productivity and quality palm fruit yield which, in turn, contributes to increased income," he said.

He said the government has provided incentives to private smallholders to implement the MSPO certification which included the cost of certification fees, MSPO-related training, provision of chemical storage racks, and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).

“The government is very concerned about the cost of compliance with the sustainable practice criteria borne by smallholders to finance the implementation of the MSPO certification.

"Hence, the entire cost of the MSPO certification for private smallholders is borne by the government," he said.

-- BERNAMA