KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is stepping up efforts to tap markets with stronger long-term demand growth, including through an expanded presence in Africa and India.

MPOC chairman Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen said the council had increasingly focused its market development strategy on regions with strong long-term demand potential.

“Even when the price works against you, relationships built patiently on the ground still carry real weight,” Carl said at the Malaysian Palm Oil Forum (MPOF) KL 2026 today.

As part of the strategy, MPOC hasmoved its sub-Saharan Africa regional office from Johannesburg to Nairobi, Kenya, and opened branch offices in Lagos, Nigeria and Chennai, India.

The move comes as Malaysian palm oil exports to several emerging markets grew strongly in the first eight months of 2026.

Carl said Africa presented significant potential for palm oil demand, with consumption of oils and fats remaining below the global average despite its rapidly growing population.

He said Africa’s 1.4 billion people currently consume less than the world average of 32 kilogrammes of oils and fats per person annually.

“If our friends in Africa, representing 1.4 billion people, were to raise their consumption to India’s level – an increase of just seven kilogrammes – that alone would require an additional 9.8 million tonnes of oil a year,” he said.

Carl said the opportunity was significant as 52 of Africa’s 54 countries are net importers of oils and fats, with only two producing enough to meet their own needs.

He added that Africa’s population is expected to grow from about 1.4 billion currently to four billion by 2100, further strengthening its long-term demand potential.

Malaysian palm oil exports to Sub-Saharan Africa rose 10 per cent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2026, while shipments to the Middle East and North Africa increased 23 per cent, South Asia 11 per cent and the Americas 15 per cent.

Held under the theme “Sustainable Growth in an Era of Geopolitical Realignment,” MPOF KL 2026 brings together policymakers, industry leaders, international buyers, traders and market experts to examine trade, sustainability, biofuel policy and the palm oil price outlook.

Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, who officiated MPOF KL 2026, highlighted the resilience of Malaysia’s palm oil sector amid global trade and logistics challenges.

She said a broader range of markets would help the industry remain resilient while creating opportunities to introduce Malaysian palm oil products to new customers.

Malaysia’s palm oil sector remains heavily export-oriented, with more than 80 per cent of production destined for international markets.

The sector generated about US$28.1 billion in earnings from palm oil and palm-based products in 2025 and contributed close to three per cent of Malaysia’s gross domestic product.

The push for wider market access comes as Malaysia recorded 12.6 million tonnes of crude palm oil production in the first eight months of 2026, while palm oil exports exceeded 10.4 million tonnes, up 8.2 per cent from the same period last year

Source : NST