Sime Darby Plantation Bhd., the world’s largest oil palm grower, was found to no longer be using forced labour, clearing the way for US Customs to lift a ban on the Malaysian firm’s products.
The palm oil and derivative products of the planter “are no longer mined, produced, or manufactured in any part with forced labour,” according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
After the planter was found to have used forced labour, palm oil and products containing the edible oil linked to Sime Darby were banned from entering the US in January 2022. The ban adds to the intense scrutiny that Malaysia’s largest palm oil and rubber-glove producers have been subjected to in recent years due to allegations of migrant worker abuse.
“We are hopeful that the tremendous strides we have made in improving the quality of life for our workforce will soon be recognised by US Customs and Border Protection and that we will be allowed to resume exports to the US,” Sime Darby said in response to Bloomberg News questions.
Sime Darby promised to take steps to ensure the well-being of their employees and submitted a detailed report on its Malaysian operations in April to demonstrate that it is in “full compliance” with US import regulations and international labour standards. Malaysia’s government also formed a working committee with the US Customs agency to address forced labour issues in the Southeast Asian country.
Info source – BNN Bloomberg