InfoSAWIT, KUALA LUMPUR – Sustainable palm oil production will be central to meeting rising global food demand amid shrinking land availability, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

Speaking at POC 2026, Chairman Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen said the world must produce around 50% more food by 2100 without accelerating deforestation.

He argued that productivity gains on existing land represent the most realistic pathway forward. Improved yield performance would help curb greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

Bek-Nielsen acknowledged that the palm oil industry faces scrutiny but maintained that it remains one of the most efficient vegetable oil crops globally.

Looking ahead, he said market access and corporate reputations will increasingly depend on credible sustainability commitments rather than rhetoric, shaping the sector’s long-term competitiveness. (T2)