New Malaysian plantations minister challenged to find new markets for palm oil

In Malaysia, the palm oil industry is hopeful the new plantations minister will push a stronger biodiesel agenda in the country to help provide added value markets domestically for its CPO rather than as a low-cost commodity for export. With higher minimum wage increases, the price of CPO is expected to rise in comparison with Indonesia which could damage the product’s competitivity on the global market. By rolling out the planned but not implemented B10 mandate and looking higher to the B20 mandate in place in Indonesia, they believe her support for the crop could help usher in increased biodiesel demand.