Malaysian Government to Host Roundtable on Oil Palm Seeds Export - Minister

SERI KEMBANGAN (Selangor,Malaysia), June 29 (Bernama) -- The government will host a roundtable discussion with the private sector, especially plantation industry players, on the details of a proposal to export excess oil palm seeds, says Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Bernard Dompok. He said the private sector plays a huge role in making the proposal a reality, as the government is only the policy maker and the execution has to be done by industry players. "The discussion will begin as soon as the private sector is ready. The government is keen to implement the policy. "Our proposal is that the seeds are planted in the surrounding countries so that they do no have to be planted in other parts of the world where they might be dangerous through diseased crops. "If you are surrounded with known and good quality Malaysian seeds, it will protect the industry itself," Dompok told reporters after closing the 2012 Commodities Industry Consultation session here today. Malaysia produces 80 million seeds a year, with 50 million supplied to local farmers and leaving 30 million for export. The government has, since the 1970s, restricted the export of oil palm seeds to ensure local farmers get sufficient seeds and to prevent the copying of the seeds' intellectual property rights by other oil palm producers. But Malaysia can only supply the seeds to Malaysian companies abroad and to certain countries like Thailand and Indonesia on a government-to-government basis. Dompok said unlike in the past, the seeds can also be exported to other buyers or companies which do not have Malaysian equity interest but are keen to purchase Malaysian oil palm seeds, if the proposal works out. "It will be open worldwide but extra attention will be given to surrounding countries like Cambodia and Myanmar, or maybe Vietnam, if they are interested. "We are looking to supply them so that they do not have to buy from other countries," he said. -- BERNAMA