RSPO Records 6 Million Metric Tonnes Of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil Worldwide

KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 (Bernama) -- The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has achieved yet another milestone by hitting the mark of over six million metric tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) around the world in less than four years since certification begun. In a statement on Thursday, the international multi stakeholder initiative said the 20 per cent growth rate achieved within just half a year in terms of both CSPO production area (1,221,240 hectares to date) and CSPO annual production capacity (6,017,193 metric tonnes to date) was unparalleled for a sustainable commodity. There were 11 new palm oil mills certified in the first quarter of 2012, recording a total number of 146 mills certified to date amongst 30 producer organisations or growers primarily from Malaysia and Indonesia; and increasingly from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Latin America and West Africa. "Interest levels from new members across geographies have been phenomenal – more than 100 new members came into the RSPO fold within the first quarter of this year," RSPO Secretary General Darrel Webber said. Most of the new members from the European region are primarily from Germany and France. "Although much has been achieved, the industry is still confronted with many challenges and henceforth, the RSPO aims to continue its commitment to guide and inspire affirmative transformation," it added. --BERNAMA