India boycotts Malaysian Palm Oil

by TMO Staff

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad would not withdraw his criticism of India’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir Kashmir, despite India’s top vegetable oil trade organization’s called for a boycott of Malaysian palm oil.  He said that Malaysians were not afraid of speaking their minds and boycott would not force him to retract his statements on Kashmir.

“We speak our minds, and we don’t retract or change,” he told reporters. He also said that his country abides by the resolutions of the United Nations on Kashmir.

“What we are saying is we should all abide by resolutions of the United Nations. Otherwise, what is the use of the UN?” In 2018, India was Malaysia’s third-largest export country for palm oil and other palm-derived products. The exports provided Malaysia with 6.84 billion ringgit, (about $1.644 billion)as vegetable oil exports accounted for 2.8% of the Malaysian gross domestic product last year, while they constituted 4.5% of the country’s total exports.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that New Delhi was deliberating cutting down imports of some Malaysian products, including palm oil,