KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia exported 54,665 tonnes of palm oil and palm-based products worth RM288.23 million to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan in Central Asia in 2024, said Plantation and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin.

He said the Plantation and Commodities Ministry, through the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), remains committed to strengthening Malaysia's position as a key player in supplying palm oil to Central Asia while enhancing its market dominance in Pakistan.

"Central Asia is an important export destination for Malaysian palm oil.

"In recent years, MPOC, as the agency responsible for promoting Malaysian palm oil, has implemented various initiatives in the region," he said during a question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today in response to Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) about the ministry's efforts to position Malaysia as the leading player in palm oil supply in Central Asia and to regain dominance in palm oil distribution in Pakistan.

Chan said Pakistan is among the top 10 importers of Malaysian palm oil, with imports of 860,260 tonnes last year.

"The ministry focuses on the demand for edible oil and the strategic location of the country as a gateway to Central Asia," he said.

He said the ministry held discussions with the Port Qasim Authority chairman about the advantages of using Pakistan's port infrastructure to facilitate the Malaysian palm oil distribution to Central Asia during Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani's Jan 9-11, 2025 visit to Karachi, Pakistan.

Malaysia's exports are expected to remain between 18 and 25 per cent of Pakistan's total palm oil imports, depending on price dynamics and current market conditions.

Meanwhile, in response to an additional question from Mohd Isam on the reinstatement of the Smallholder Replanting Financing Scheme to full grants, Chan said the ministry had presented the proposal to the Finance Ministry.

Responding to an additional question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) on the ministry's efforts to explore palm oil innovation for energy production in Asia, particularly Japan, Chan said the ministry would participate in a global expo in Osaka, Japan this year to explore the use of palm biomass waste for electricity generation.

"Japan is a market we should explore, especially for biomass waste to generate electricity. However, we do not strongly encourage raw material exports to Japan; we should focus on producing high-value materials before exporting, such as pelletising biomass," he said.

-- BERNAMA