KUALA LUMPUR: The Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has led the Economic and Agricommodity Products Promotion Mission to Turkey from March 26 to March 30, 2022.

The minister said the mission is part of the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) ongoing activities to promote and increase trade in the country's agricommodity products globally.

"A meeting was also held with Turkish Minister of Trade Dr Mehmet MUS on March 27, 2022. The meeting, among others, discussed Malaysia's intention to intensify the downstream industry based on palm oil and rubber," she said in a statement today.

Besides that, she said Malaysia also offered its expertise in natural rubber technology, mainly in seismic rubber bearings, capable of absorbing earthquake tremors for the construction industry, including bridges and railways in Turkey, which is rapidly growing currently.

"MPIC also expressed our gratitude to Turkey for the lower tax exemptions as a result of the Malaysia-Turkey Free Trade Agreement (MTFTA) signed in 2019 besides holding discussions on making Turkey a hub for Malaysian agricommodity products to Europe and Central Asia," she said.

She said issues related to palm oil were also clarified and Malaysia called for Turkey's support in the face of prejudice against palm oil products.

The minister said meetings were also held with industry players in Ankara to discuss issues and problems faced, apart from promoting Malaysia's main agricommodity products like palm oil, rubber, timber, cocoa and pepper.

She added that while in Istanbul, the MPIC delegation also met with the management of Yildiz Holdings, Turkey's Leading Business Association, visited the Sevila Movilya furniture factory and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) and Turkish Timber Importers and Exporters Association (TORID).

-- BERNAMA