TELUK INTAN: The EU should ban the production and exports of butter since this commodity’s carbon footprint is 10 times more polluting than that of palm oil, said a Malaysian cabinet minister.
“If the EU wants to justify the palm oil ban on the basis of carbon footprint, it should ban butter which is 10 times more polluting to the environment,” Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said.
In a statement today, he explained one tonne of butter production emits 23.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide, but cultivation of oil palm to produce one tonne of palm oil only emits 2.3 tonne of carbon dioxide.
“As you can see, the production of butter is 10 times more polluting than palm oil. Using their logic, we should ban butter from EU, and EU should also ban butter production and its exports,” he said.
Mah was responding to the EU Parliament’s recent vote to ban palm oil alleging the production of this commodity results in high carbon footprint.
On the 17th January, 429 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) voted for the resolution to ban palm biodiesel from the EU energy mix after 2020.
The final ruling on the EU Renewable Energy Directive II will be made in a tripartite meeting along with the Council of the EU and the European Commission in mid-February 2018.
Next month, during Chinese New Year, Mah will lead a palm oil delegation to the EU. “We will meet with ministers and commissioners from at least five countries on this EU resolution.
"Trade discrimination against palm will not be tolerated. The EU Parliament’s vote to ban palm oil biodiesel will harm European trade and cooperation in Malaysia, and southeast Asia," Mah said.
“We want to meet with at least five ministers of European governments and the Council of the EU. We will urge them to reject the EU Parliament’s position on palm oil biofuels.”
Prior to this trade mission, Mah noted the Netherlands Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Sigrid Kaag will fly in to Malaysia.
“Next week, the Netherlands Trade Minister is coming to Putrajaya to talk about palm oil trade.
“Last year, out of the two million tonnes of palm oil Malaysia ships into the EU, half went through Netherlands,” he said adding the Netherlands seaport of Rotterdam is the main gateway into Europe.
In relegating support to reciprocal treatment on palm oil trade, Mah said he will soon hold discussion with Thailand Minister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn, prior to flying into the EU.
“I’m also looking forward to meet up with Bai Tian, the new China ambassador to Malaysia. We hope to promote more palm oil into China in view of the seasonally high demand during the Lunar New Year,” Mah said.