KUCHING: A Palm Oil and Timber Promotion Mission led by Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas will be in China from today (Sept 10) until Malaysia Day (Sept 16).
The delegation comprises representatives from the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), Malaysian Timber Council (MTC), and the private sector.
An MPIC statement said the mission’s objectives include further strengthening exports of palm oil and timber products to China in a discussion with private sector representatives, launching the Palm Oil Health and Nutrition Forum in Chongqing on Monday (Sept 14) as well as attending a bilateral meeting with the Minister of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) to promote cooperation on the quality and safety of Malaysian palm oil exports.
In Shanghai, Uggah will visit and convene discussions with Malaysian companies participating at Furniture China 2015, which is one of the largest furniture exhibitions in China, involving 19 companies from Malaysia under the MTC Pavilion.
During his visit to Chongqing, he will also officiate at and deliver a keynote address at the Palm Oil Health and Nutrition Forum.
The event is jointly organised by MPOB, MPOC, Chongqing Chinese Nutrition Society and Lanzhou University Nutrition and Health Research Centre.
The forum aims to promote palm oil exports and enhance market acceptance of palm oil in China while at the same time disseminate information on the latest development in the palm oil industry to manufacturers and importers.
It is expected to be attended by around 150 participants comprising mostly medical and health practitioners as well as nutritionists.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the bilateral meeting with the AQSIQ Minister in Beijing will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MPIC and AQSIQ on quality and safety of Malaysian palm oil exports to China.
China is a major export destination for palm oil and timber products.
Last year China accounted for 16 per cent of total global exports of palm oil products valued at RM10.3 billion.
In the case of timber products, Malaysia’s exports of timber and timber products to China last year were valued at RM771.4 million.
Other commodity products exported to China last year included rubber products valued at RM5.82 billion, cocoa products (RM360.42 million) and pepper products (RM82.48 million).