Malaysia to invest $131.35 million in boosting palm oil production and trade

In Malaysia, the government is investing $131.35 million in a loan fund to help smallholder oil palm farmers replant trees that are getting old and losing production volumes. The loans will be offered at 2% interest with a 12-year tenure and four-year grace period on repayment. Funding will also be allocated to the national palm oil board to help boost demand for palm oil internationally and counter anti-palm oil lobbying. The country is set to implement B20 next year which will boost palm oil demand by half a million metric tons.