Letter to the Editor

In response to a report ‘Further Decline in Palm Oil Consumption’ in the Tribune on May 23, Dr. Kalyana Sundram, chief executive officer at Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), clarified in a letter to the editor that “palm oil is a better nutritional choice and alternative.” The letter says in part:

“We agree that Iranian standards for edible oils and fats have been tightened for the better and with the hope that the population would be provided a good mix of quality edible oils. In this context, in 2014 taxes on palm oil imports were increased by 16% and this had the impact of somewhat depressing the quantum of palm oil imported into Iran.

Palm oil is one of the edible oils assured and standardized under the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius umbrella and in which Iran itself is well represented.

We also agree that among the vegetable oils, palm oil has a higher saturated content but it is also naturally balanced with its own unsaturated fatty acids so that the net effect is neutrally balanced oil.”

The Financial Tribune report quoting head of the Food and Drug Administration Rasoul Dinarvand, said import of palm oil declined by 300,000 tons a year over the past two years, and such cuts were due to regulations set by the FDA to ensure food safety for Iranians.