KUALA LUMPUR (March 5): FGV Holdings Bhd, one of the world's largest producers of crude palm oil, said today that all of its 68 mills and 173 estates, which cover some 373,517ha of land nationwide, are now fully certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification.

The certification is a reinforcement of FGV's commitment towards sustainability and support for the government's efforts through the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) to elevate Malaysian palm oil in the eyes of the world," said FGV group chief executive officer Datuk Haris Fadzillah Hassan in a statement today.

“It was an arduous but fruitful journey for us given the enormity of our operations all over Malaysia. We are thankful to MPOCC for their support and guidance throughout the certification process,” he said. The group's Asian Plantation (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, the last unit to undergo the exercise, received its certification on Feb 27.

Haris further said the certification is an attestation of FGV's values as a sustainable and responsible business player and is in line with the group's sustainability goals. "We will continue to ensure the highest standard in our supply chain," he said.

FGV shares closed one sen or 0.88% higher at RM1.15 today, giving it a market capitalisation of RM4.195 billion, after over 17 million shares were traded.