I REFER to the article by Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad (NST, Jan 11). The European Union’s (EU) resolution to ban the import of our palm oil by 2021 is alarming as this will affect 650,000 oil palm smallholders
Retaliating by not buying EU goods is not the answer. We have to find other avenues to market palm oil, and explore other uses for oil palm.
The production of palm oil cannot stop or our economy will be affected and smallholders will suffer.
The United States and Brazil are the world’s leading producers of biofuel, which is used to power transportation.
They are not the leading producers of oil palm, yet together, they produce 2.7 per cent of the world’s biofuel demand.
In 2010, they produced 105 billion litres of biofuel.
Palm oil can be used to produce biofuel, therefore, we must go into this industry to prevent a disruption to the palm oil industry.
Fossil fuel will not last forever. When it is depleted, what will happen to our economy?
I dare not imagine the outcome. We must venture into the biofuel industry in big way before it is too late. This way, our economy cannot be sabotaged.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ROBERT RIZAL ABDULLAH
Taiping, Perak