KUALA LUMPUR: SD Guthrie Bhd has delivered its first tariff-free sustainable palm oil to the United Kingdom under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
SD Guthrie International Liverpool Refinery on April 4 received the 8,000 tonnes of fully traceable and segregated Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO).
The cargo, shipped aboard the Dolphin 19 from Sabah’s Kunak Port on Feb 19, underwent rigorous testing to ensure it met stringent standards.
This includes low levels of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH).
The CPTPP, a landmark free-trade pact initially signed in 2018 by 11 Pacific Rim countries including Malaysia, eliminates most tariffs and promotes economic integration, while upholding robust labour and environmental standards.
With the UK’s official membership of the agreement coming into effect on Dec 15 last year, tariffs ranging from 2.0 to 10 per cent on Malaysian crude palm oil and its derivatives were lifted.
SD Guthrie group managing director Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha said the shipment highlights the strength of Malaysia–UK trade relations and the company’s strong commitment to ensure quality, traceability and security of sustainable palm oil supply to customers in the UK.
For over a decade, SD Guthrie’s Liverpool refinery has been the company’s gateway for CSPO to enter the UK market, supplying 50-55 per cent of domestic palm oil demand.
The refined products are widely used for deep-frying in fish-and-chip shops across the country and as key ingredients in the production of many popular brands of biscuits, baked goods and British confectionery favourites.
“While our supply chain in Papua New Guinea has been and remains the main source of our products for the UK market, this latest shipment originating from our supply chain in Sabah underscores our capability to provide consistent and stable supply of CSPO to the UK, while maintaining the highest standards of quality, sustainability and food safety.
“Depending on market conditions and customer requirements, we can offer customers the security of supply they need to run their businesses, from Malaysia or Papua New Guinea,” Helmy added.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
