Thai Palm Oil Mills Association Announces Support for Thai Oil Palm Farmers to Achieve RSPO Global Sustainability Standards

Surat Thani, 15 November 2024: Committing to support the capacity development of Thai oil palm farmers for sustainable palm oil certification under the RSPO Standards, a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between RSPO, the Palm Oil Extraction Association, the Surat Thani Provincial Agricultural Council and the Surat Thani Oil Palm Farmers Association.

Held in Surat Thai, Thailand's sustainable palm oil model province, the signing was carried out by Dr. Inke Van Der Sluijs, RSPO Director of Market Transformation; Mr. Kraiwut Siriananpatt, President of the Palm Oil Extraction Association; Dr. Wansad Srisuwan, Chairman of the Surat Thani Provincial Agricultural Council; and Mr. Sumart Intaramanee of the Surat Thani Oil Palm Farmers Association.

The aim of this initiative is to promote and enhance the capacity of Thai oil palm farmers to produce sustainably certified palm oil that meets international standards. It also aims to promote sustainable fresh fruit bunch (FFB) collection points and harvesting processes to ensure quality standards. The target is to increase the certified FFB production by 3% of production capacity in the first three years and by 1% in subsequent years, to improve the quality and standards of Thailand's palm oil industry to a global level.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Governor Mr. Bundarn Sathirachawan, heads of government offices, representatives from the Surat Thani Provincial Industry Office, Agriculture Office, Commerce Office, Surat Thani Provincial Chamber of Commerce, palm oil extraction businesses, refinery operators, leaders of smallholder farmer groups who are RSPO members, representatives from Suratthani Rajabhat University, and over 80 participants from the Roots of Sustainability study tour from six countries.

The MOU is aimed at supporting smallholder farmer groups, building knowledge and understanding of production processes aligned with RSPO Standards, and increasing the yield of RSPO Certified palm oil as per the set targets. The Palm Oil Extraction Association will encourage and support its members to elevate production standards and promote sustainability in Thailand's agricultural sector, focusing on improving the quality of life for farmers and communities involved in palm oil production. Additionally, the association will collaborate with government agencies and RSPO representatives to develop projects and activities that strengthen farmers' capacity to reduce costs, increase palm oil yields, and adhere to RSPO's international sustainability principles and guidelines.

The signing took place during the Roots of Sustainability study tour, which followed the RSPO Annual Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil conference (RT2024), held from 11-13 November in Bangkok, with support from the Thailand Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (TASPO), Surat Thani Province, the Palm Oil Extraction Association, the Surat Thani Federation of Industries, and SD Guthrie International Limited (Public Company). The subsequent study tour was attended by delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture in India, RSPO members, NGOs, and media representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Spain, Australia, and the UK.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

About RSPO:

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership focused on making palm oil sustainable. Established in 2004, RSPO is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that includes members from the entire palm oil supply chain, including producers, processors, traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks, investors, and NGOs working on environmental conservation and social development. RSPO promotes global change to make palm oil production and consumption sustainable, advocates for environmental and social benefits to inspire change, promotes partnerships for progress, and sets certification standards to ensure credibility. RSPO is registered as an international association in Zurich, Switzerland, with main offices in Malaysia and Indonesia, and additional offices in China, Colombia, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA.

About TASPO:

The Thailand Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (TASPO) was established on October 31, 2022, by RSPO Thailand and the Thailand Environment Institute, along with five founding partner organisations: the Palm Oil Mill Association, the Palm Oil Refinery Association, the Biodiesel Producers Association, the Oleochemical Producers Association, and the National Farmers Council. TASPO's vision is to promote sustainable production and use of palm oil throughout the supply chain, based on international standards, with the goal of elevating sustainable palm oil production to achieve economic, social, and environmental balance. TASPO's mission is to support and encourage sustainable palm oil production and utilisation through innovation, expanded collaboration, and creating a pathway to sustainability.

For more information, please contact [email protected]and [email protected]

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.