TAWAU: Cooperatives (co-ops) involved in oil palm cultivation here have been urged to strive for the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification before the year-end deadline.
Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM) Tawau officer Khatijah Sunardi said this is to ensure that the co-ops will not be facing problems when selling their produce as the MSPO certification is mandatory for all oil palm plantations.
“This (MSPO) certification is not only for the sake of the government, but also to fulfil the demand for certified palm oil in global markets (beginning 2020),“ she said when opening Koperasi Inderasabah Bhd’s 28th Annual General Meeting, here today.
Khatijah said ironically, many co-ops involved in oil palm cultivation in Tawau have yet to apply for the MSPO certification.
The government has allocated an MSPO incentive fund to lessen the burden borne by oil palm plantations and smallholders in meeting the requirements of the MSPO certification.
Only those who obtain the certification or begin the process of certification before Jan 1, 2020 are eligible for the incentives.
Beginning 2020, all certification costs would have to be borne by the industry players themselves without government incentives. — Bernama
