Spotlight On Oils And Fats Industry At OFIC 2016 In KL

By Sharifah Pirdaus Syed Ali KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Oil Scientists and Technologists Association (MOSTA) will hold the Oils and Fats International Congress (OFIC) 2016 here from Oct 19-21. It is aimed at sharing the latest information and best practices of the oils and fats industry. MOSTA President Augustine Ong Soon Hock said the conference, held biennially, will bring together international speakers in the field of nutrition, agronomy, economics, industry, mechanisation, downstream activities and research and development. There are 17 edible oils in the world and palm oil makes up the highest in terms of production. "At this conference we have 12 associations which form the International Society for Fat Research. Industry leaders from the United States, Canada, Argentina, Europe, South Korea, India and Australia will also attend," said Ong. He told Bernama the conference, themed, "Global Trends in Oil and Fats: Pathway to 2025" has also over 40 high quality lectures and is expected to attract at least 500 participants from around the world. Ong said the lectures would be divided into five modules to cover updates on economic and price outlook, global trade policy and politics, technology, nutrition and sustainability. In conjunction with the conference, MOSTA will also be organising a technical visit on Oct 18 for the heads of delegations, speakers and industry leaders, to the Sime Darby Plantation in Carey Island. This is alongside a free forum open to the public, as well as an exhibition with 16 exhibitors from locally and abroad. Ong said palm oil, despite being the largest contributor of edible oils is getting a lot of criticism from various quarters. "By organising the technical visit to the plantation and oil mills, we hope the industry leaders can have a better idea on how green and sustainable, the palm oil industry is," he added. --BERNAMA