As major palm oil exporting countries, Indonesia and Malaysia reject EU Deforestation Regulation passed on December 6, 2022. The regulation prohibits its 27 member countries from buying forest-destroying products. Oil palm is a commodity deemed to contribute to deforestation because it turns forests into monoculture plantation.
In the meeting, the two ministers agreed to form a strategy and communicate with the EU in finding a mutual solution that benefits all parties. Yusof stated that a follow-up strategy would be developed to penetrate the European market. According to him, COPC will involve farmers to eradicate poverty and show the EU that both countries pay attention to environmental issue.
Read: Govt to stop copper export, is domestic industry ready?
“In this mission we will argue not only based on a scientific and economic context, but in a social context in our communication with the European Union. The strategy that will be developed is not only for the sake of the industry, but also to fight for the rights of smallholder farmers to bring them out of the poverty,” he said. (bp)