Malaysia’s palm oil board on Monday (Apr 25) said it is time for countries to reconsider their food versus fuel priorities, as Indonesia’s decision to ban palm oil exports has ignited a “crisis” of the global edible oil shortage.
“It’s very important for countries to ensure available oils and fats are used for food and … temporarily stop or reduce their biodiesel mandates,” director-general of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir told Reuters.
Palm oil, the most widely used edible oil, is also used as biodiesel feedstock. Malaysia is the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia. Its producers have said they cannot meet the global supply gap that will be triggered by Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports which is due to come into effect on Apr 28.
