South East Asia

The Malaysian government seeks to double palm oil production by 2020, while production is also expanding in equatorial Africa.

UN helps RSPO strengthen palm complaints platform

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) have partnered to raise awareness on sustainable palm oil and strengthen frameworks like that for complaints on compliance.

Palm oil imports may be responsible for as many as 117,000 EU jobs, claims the report

What is palm oil’s economic impact in Europe?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

The palm oil sector makes a clear contribution to the economies of producer countries – but it also contributes to the economy in importing markets, according to a new report.

“Indonesia is very important, our most important Asian market after China.”

Tate & Lyle backs fibre to battle Asian bulge

Tate & Lyle used the recent Food Ingredients-Asia trade event in Jakarta as a springboard for its mounting ambitions in the country of 250 million people as well as other parts of Asia. Fibre and low-calorie sweeteners for weight control were a big...

Bunge is the largest buyer of palm oil from the Malaysian state of Sarawak

Bunge commits to deforestation-free palm oil

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Agribusiness giant Bunge is the latest multinational company to commit to deforestation-free palm oil supply – going beyond the requirements for RSPO membership.

Learning from Japan's healthy ageing market

Special edition: Healthy ageing

Learning from Japan's healthy ageing market

By Shane STARLING

From an €80 million market for anti-ageing placenta supplements to the world’s most innovative (and fad-driven) functional foods and drinks market, Japan’s healthy ageing market is unique and instructive.

Indonesia stakes claim as SE Asia's most important food market

Indonesia stakes claim as SE Asia's most important food market

By RJ Whitehead and Shane Starling from FI-Asia in Jakarta, Indonesia

Indonesia's food industry will continue to grow in importance as its population of around 300 million gains wealth, according to some voices in the halls of the Jakarta International Expo at Food Ingredients-Asia last week. But it may have some way...

Manufacturers' commitments are driving uptake, the RSPO says

Market uptake surges for RSPO-certified palm oil

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil now accounts for 18% of the total global palm oil market, up from 15% last year, according to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

White gold: How the EU has been central to the rise of Cambodian rice

Insight

White gold: How the EU has been central to the rise of Cambodian rice

By Clothilde Le Coz

With its rice industry going through salad days, Cambodia is nevertheless at a crossroads. While on the international front, it is shipping more rice overseas than ever before; domestically, there is still a number issues for producers and exporters to...

How has RSPO responded to deforestation from palm oil plantations?

Southeast Asia

How has RSPO responded to deforestation from palm oil plantations?

By Gary Paoli, director of research and project development at Daemeter Consulting

Having completed a review of RSPO, Gary Paoli of Daemeter Consulting outlines how the sustainable palm oil certifier has fared in addressing key market demands. 

New bird flu strain causing concern for poultry producers in SE Asia

Southeast Asia

New bird flu strain causing concern for poultry producers in SE Asia

By RJ Whitehead

A recently-emerged strain of avian influenza virus in poultry in Southeast Asia represents a new threat to animal health and livelihoods and must be closely monitored, the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned. 

'No other vegetable oil can compete with palm in terms of efficiency. It is ten times more productive than soybean and seven times more productive then rapeseed,' said Dr Kalanithi Nesarentam of MPOB

Dispatches from Euro Fed Lipid Congress, Montpellier

Malaysia hopes to double palm oil production by 2020

By Anna Bonar

Malaysia hopes to double its palm oil production by 2020 without having to dedicate more land to palm plants, according to a Malaysian minister.

Change brewing as Malaysia hops onto craft beer bandwagon

Blog

Change brewing as Malaysia hops onto craft beer bandwagon

By RJ Whitehead

Faced with increasing gains across Asia-Pacific, not least in Australia where traditional brewers are fast losing market share, craft beer importers are now eyeing Southeast Asia as a new growth market.

It is too early to praise industry for Thai prawn slavery meeting

Insight

It is too early to praise industry for Thai prawn slavery meeting

By Marta Kasztelan

When in June of this year, British newspaper The Guardian published a damning report tracing fishmeal that it claimed had been caught by workers kept in slave-like conditions, a public relations storm seemed to have broken loose.

Human rights due diligence is part of the cost of business in SE Asia

Insight

Human rights due diligence is part of the cost of business in SE Asia

By Marta Kasztelan

Recently, it seems that not a week goes by without a lead story in the English-language press raising serious concerns about the adverse impact of some food and beverage companies on their workers, surrounding communities or on the environment.

DSM Q2 nutrition profits slip 11% as key markets struggle

DSM Q2 nutrition profits slip 11% as key markets struggle

By Shane STARLING

Sales slipped 6% and net profits 11% in Q2 for DSM’s human and animal nutrition arm as adverse currency movements, a slow US vitamins and omega-3 food supplements market and the Asian botulism infant formula scare affected earnings.

New Britain Palm Oil supplies UK food manufacturers with sustainable palm oil

Sime Darby could take over New Britain Palm Oil

By Rod Addy

A major stake in New Britain Palm Oil, which supplies UK manufacturers, is being targeted by Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby, part of the consortium that acquired Battersea Power Station.

Malaysian media accuses UK economic policy think tank of a conflict of interest given contact with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and the country’s government.

“The IEA does not accept state money, and all of our research is independent of corporate funding.”

UK think tank denies Malaysian palm oil conflict of interest accusations

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has said categorically it does not accept state money, following accusations by a Malaysian media outlet that the UK think tank is in bed with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and the country’s government.

ANZ Bank accused of abandoning farmers after splitting with sugar firm

Insight

ANZ Bank accused of abandoning farmers after splitting with sugar firm

By Marta Kasztelan

Early this month, in what looks like a failed attempt to save its reputation, Australia‘s ANZ Bank severed its ties with Phnom Penh Sugar, a company accused of a range of human rights abuses linked to its plantations in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia.

Thai food major admits to paying off journalists, but denies bribery

Thailand

Thai food major admits to paying off journalists, but denies bribery

By RJ Whitehead

If it wasn’t bribery, then who was it, Thais have been asking after food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods strongly denied the payments it had been making to journalists were anything other than a "special budget to support the media”. 

'Aquatic chicken' could feed billions around the world

Philippines

'Aquatic chicken' could feed billions around the world

By Rei Rengsen Siew Lin

A common fish that was said to have fed thousands in biblical times could feed billions of mouths in the future as food stocks struggle to keep pace with population growth.

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