A delegation from the city of Quanzhou, Fujian, in China, has called on Malaysian palm oil producers and traders to expand business contacts with the city.
In a statement, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said the entourage, including representatives from nine Chinese main food producers in Fujian province, led by Quanzhou deputy mayor Wang Zhihong, visited the headquarters of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and met with its director-general, Datuk Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, in his office here today.
"The meeting was also attended by Malaysian and Chinese industry members interested in food manufacturing and palm oil trade," it said.
Quanzhou is one of the largest production centers for snack food, confectioneries and bakeries, and it is also the main destination for palm oil exports in China.
MPOB said the delegation also aimed to procure palm oil for the peak food production season in the third quarter of this year.
Ahmad Parveez said MPOB had developed new palm oil formulations for food applications, especially innovations using red palm oil, structured palm fats and palm tocotrienols as ingredients for snack food.
"Our innovations and formulations will support the burgeoning and ever-expanding growth of the Chinese snack food industry that demands higher quality palm oil," he said.
The Chamber of Commerce for Fujian Food Manufacturers and Erapoly Global Sdn Bhd also exchanged a letter of intent for the palm oil trade, witnessed by Ahmad Parveez and Wang.
Based on the data from Chinese Customs, Fujian province imported 530,000 tons of palm oil in 2021.