Malaysia, Netherlands To Collaborate In Commodity-Based Products

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and the Netherlands will work together to strengthen their bilateral trade and collaboration in commodity-based products. Malaysian Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Mah Siew Keong, (right) said the Netherlands was not only the biggest importer of Malaysian commodity products in the European Union, but also served as a major entry point for Malaysia's commodity products export to Europe, particularly palm oil products. The minister received a courtesy call from newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Malaysia, Her Excellency Karin Mossenlechner, (left) Monday. Among the topics discussed during the visit included the progress made by both countries towards full recognition of the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) under the Dutch Timber Procurement Policy. "In this context, both sides welcomed the Fact Finding Mission to Malaysia by Dutch officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and Economic Affairs and representatives from the Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC) from Nov 23-25, 2016," he said in a statement Tuesday. Mah said this was aimed at further clarifying issues under MTCS for full recognition by the TPAC, which allowed the use of MTCS certified timber from Malaysia in public procurement projects in the Netherlands. In 2015, exports of commodity and commodity-based products to Netherlands was valued at US$1.55 billion (RM6.56 billion), out of which palm oil products totalled US$1.35 billion (RM5.72 billion), accounting for 87.2 per cent of total exports. (US$1 = RM4.21) Other products exported to the Netherlands included timber and timber products valued at RM421.7 million, rubber and rubber products worth RM332.89 million and cocoa and cocoa products (RM74.88 million). Total exports of commodity products for the January-August 2016 period amounted to RM3.98 billion (photoBERNAMA). -- BERNAMA