Invalueable Experience at International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) 2007

Mingling and exchanging of ideas with movers and shakers of the palm oil industry from all over the world is an invalueable experience to me. Apart from this, moving between conference halls to get the best applicable topics demanded my stamina and perserverence. It reminded me of my good old college days in a foreign university. We were the master of our module and courses. That's an interesting experience I encountered during attending Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) held on 26 to 30 August 2007 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. PIPOC is the premier oil palm/palm oil (some still confused of the interchange of the words) biennial conference in the world; a platform for interaction for the innovations, challenges and latest developments of the oil palm/palm oil industry to be discussed and an opportunity all views to be heard.

I signed up for Agriculture, Biotechnology & Sustainability conference module but there were other modules which were equally tasteful to me such as Chemistry & Technology; Oleo and Specialty Chemicals; Product Development & Nutrition and Economics & Marketing. Thus, that ended me being a nomad. Well, worth the effort to maximise the knowledge on this interesting subject. The crux of the conference was "food or fuel"? The industry is facing balancing act to feed the people or feeding the sprouting bio-diesel mills all over the world. Malaysia palm oil industry put itself squarely on the map as a key interlocutor in discussing on sustainability of palm oil as a renewable energy source. Campaign waged against palm oil has created negative publicity for palm oil forcing food manufacturers to switch to hydrogenated oils. Bio-diesel and bio-diversity agenda are being used to win consumers heart shadowed by pressure by greenpeace movement. Bio-fuels run the risk of protectionism in advanced countries such as Europe. A strong and coherent broad-based engagements in the industry will ensure that sustainability-related directives will not become a barrier for Malaysian palm oil exports. Rountable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has also take shape to keep the palm oil industry stay abreast and marketable to foreign countries. This has been done without compromising on the bottomline of plantation companies.