4.89 million hectares of oil palm plantations obtain MSPO certification as of Dec 2024
Posted on 10 Mar 2025
Source of News: Utusan Borneo
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 4.89 million hectares or 86.47 percent of oil palm plantations in Malaysia have obtained Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as of 31 Dec 2024, said Deputy Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Chan Foong Hin.
He said Malaysia's commitment to sustainability through MSPO certification not only enhances the credibility and visibility of Malaysia's sustainable palm oil in the international market but also ensures compliance with increasingly stringent global regulations.
He said this is similar to the European Union Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) which will come into effect from 30 Dec 2025 for palm oil industry players and 30 June 2026 for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“A gap analysis study between the MSPO 2.0 certification scheme and the EUDR legislation conducted by the European Forestry Institute (EFI) and MSPO, has found that MSPO certification has the potential to facilitate EU operators to comply with the EUDR.
“The results of this study also provide guidance for the adaptation of MSPO certification to meet the additional information requirements of the EUDR,” he said during an oral question and answer session at the Dewan Negara today.
He was responding to a question from Senator Datin Ros Suryani Alang who wanted to know the extent to which the country’s palm oil products are strong as sustainable and high-quality products that are recognised globally.
Chan said the recognition of MSPO certification in the ‘International Trade Centre (ITC) Sustainability Map’ in 2024 also strengthened Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable palm oil production.
“The official listing of MSPO certification in the ITC Sustainability Map not only strengthens its position as an internationally recognised sustainability certification but also increases the visibility of MSPO among global buyers and trade organisations,” he said.
