MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Papua New Guinea – MPOB explores potential technical and R&D cooperation

Bangi, 17 January 2026 – The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) received a delegation from the Ministry for International Trade and Investment of Papua New Guinea at its headquarters in Bandar Baru Bangi yesterday.

The delegation, led by the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru, aimed to explore potential strategic cooperation in the fields of technology transfer, capacity building, research and development (R&D) collaboration, and policy dialogues to strengthen oil palm industrial trade and development between the two countries.

Richard said, Papua New Guinea is currently in the phase of developing a regulatory framework for its national oil palm industry and sought reference from MPOB as a model based on Malaysia’s leadership in R&D and the transparency of its regulatory system.

The country recorded an impressive export performance with total palm product value reaching USD 2.2 billion in 2025 and is currently exploring the best approaches to advance its oil palm industry.

In 2025, the total value of Malaysian palm oil and palm-based products exported to Papua New Guinea reached RM62.5 million, reflecting a 1.2 percent increase from 2024. The bulk of these exports consisted of processed palm oil products, primarily Refined, Bleached and Deodorised (RBD) palm olein, which accounted for 56 percent of the total palm oil products export volume, followed by RBD palm oil and cooking oil.

“Beyond scale, Malaysia has invested heavily in sustainability, innovation and governance. Through continuous R&D, strong certification systems and science-based policies, we have demonstrated that palm oil can be both economically viable and environmentally responsible,” he added.

Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, Director General of MPOB, delivered a special briefing to the Papua New Guinea delegation on the functions and roles of MPOB, as well as latest development in the Malaysian oil palm industry.

Also present with the delegation were Jimmy Ure Ovia, the High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea to Malaysia and industry representatives as part of efforts to strengthen economic diplomacy and regional technical cooperation in the palm oil sector.

This collaboration is expected to diversify investment opportunities, technology transfer, and capacity building between Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, while simultaneously contributing to the sustainable growth of the palm oil industry in both countries.