Page 53 - FoodFocusThailand No.179 February 2021

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Collective Action Needed

to Increase the Market for

Sustainable Palm Oil in Thailand

Thai policymakers, business actors, and consumers have a key role to play in supporting sustainable
palm oil by demanding it from their favourite brands and encouraging Thai smallholders to gain improved access
to international markets through the global certification standard.

smallholders achieve certification through a stepwise sector in working directly with the small-
mechanism, while adhering to the key sustainability scale oil palm growers and consumers
requirements. Although 2020 has been a challenging year are key steps to transforming Thailand’s
for all with the global pandemic, we are seeing positive palm oil production to meeting the
progress towards ISH certification and we hope to see Thai international standard,” he said.
smallholders attain this in the near future.” Patum Vegetable Oil has become
At present, RSPO certified palm oil represents 19% the first Thai company certified by RSPO
(17.11 million tonnes) of the total global palm oil supply and for responsible oil palm plantation
in Thailand, RSPO certified sustainable palm oil accounts management in 2012. The certification,
for just 2.8% of the country’s total palm oil supply. awarded by the RSPO accredited
Sanin Triyanon, Chairman of the Thai Biodiesel certification body, endorses the
Producer Association and Managing Director of Patum company’s business has complied with
Vegetable Oil Co., Ltd., said, “There is room to grow for global demand for sustainable palm oil
the sustainable palm oil market in Thailand as more production.
consumers in major consuming countries are demanding
sustainable palm oil products that support communities
and safeguard the environment.” Need to Know
Sanin added that unlike neighbouring oil palm
producing countries in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s palm oil
industry does not face the same international pressure on
environmental concerns. It is still vital that medium and Engaging oil palm smallholders
large-scale oil palm growers work with oil palm smallholders
to enhance their productivity and improve livelihoods. in the supply chain could be key to
Raising public awareness on palm oil consumption is also
essential for market competitiveness at both the domestic transforming the palm oil
and international level.
“Collaboration with not only policymakers in setting industry
direction and implementation guidelines, but also the private

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