decade after the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil( RSPO) established its operations in China, the country has made visible strides toward embracing certified sustainable palm oil( CSPO).

The milestone was celebrated during the 9th RSPO China Forum, held in Guilin, where industry players gathered to reflect on progress, share insights, and address challenges in scaling up the use of sustainable palm oil.

Since the RSPO formally established its presence in China in 2015, the number of members in the country has grown to 480, indicating a growing alignment of the industry with sustainability principles.

The event underscored how China— now the second-largest importer and third-largest consumer of palm oil globally— has transitioned from a developing market into a key player in the sustainable palm oil movement.

“ The past decade has witnessed China evolve from an emerging market into a key driver of global demand for sustainable palm oil,” said Fang Lifeng, Head of China, Market Transformation at RSPO.

A DECADE OF SUSTAINABILITY: Fang Lifeng delivering his speech at the 9th RSPO China Forum.

In 2024, China imported 4.36 million tonnes of palm oil, including an estimated 500,000 tonnes that were RSPO certified.

A landmark development came in November 2024, when the country received its first shipment of RSPO Identity Preserved( IP) certified palm oil— a collaborative achievement between Yili Group and Yihai Kerry.

RSPO Director of Market Transformation Inke van der Sluijs explained:“ China’ s growing influence is crucial in shaping global palm oil sustainability and promoting responsible sourcing practices.

“ Its commitment is increasingly driving international markets towards sustainable palm oil solutions. RSPO remains deeply committed to advancing sustain- ability further in China, whose emergence as a global sustainability champion over the past 10 years has been remarkable.”

With the EU Deforestation Regulation( EUDR) expected to come into force by late 2025, Chinese companies are being urged to adopt transparency and traceability as competitive strengths.

These shifts were echoed by industry leaders during panel sessions focused on collaborative growth and harmonising supply with responsible demand.

“ Let every drop of palm oil carry a green mission— striving for a sustainable future for people, biodiversity, and the planet,” said Zhu Chunxian, QA Director at Shanghai Ezaki Glico Foods Co., Ltd.

EFFORTS to stabilise Ukraine’ s agricultural economy during wartime have gained new momentum, as Swedfund, a Swedish development financier, joins an international funding initiative to support MHP SE, one of the country’ s leading food producers.

The € 20 million( Euros) loan from Swedfund forms part of a broader € 100 million financing package arranged by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development( EBRD), alongside contributions from British International Investment( BII).

MHP SE, which specialises in poultry and sunflower oil production, employs over 30,000 workers in Ukraine, with women making up more than 40 per cent of its workforce.

The war has placed immense strain on the country’ s private sector, particularly limiting access to international capital, even for strong-performing companies like

MHP.

With this joint investment, the three development financiers aim to ensure the continued operation of a major food producer while supporting livelihoods, exports, and long-term resilience across Ukraine’ s food and agriculture sectors.

Swedfund Chief Executive Officer Maria Håkansson said:“ The consequences of the war in Ukraine are multifaceted and by this investment we can maintain employment opportunities, not least for women and veterans, create new jobs, generate tax incomes and export revenues, support local value creation and more sustainable business practices. This is important to support Ukraine’ s economic resilience.”

Swedfund’ s portion of the loan will fund efficiency improvements in agricultural operations, including new equipment for sunflower processing and the modernisation of farming machinery.

FIELDS OF RECOVERY: Swedfund and its partners aim to ensure that Ukraine’ s farmland continues to feed both local and international markets.

The initiative aligns with the Swedish government’ s 2025 pledge of SEK 500 million towards Ukrainelinked investments, with food systems recognised as a key area for support.

For Swedfund, the partnership with MHP fits within its mission to promote inclusive and sustainable growth in vulnerable economies.

Swedfund Director and Head of Ukraine Olena Smyrnova explained:“ The investment in MHP is a strategic fit that ticks several boxes for Swedfund. Most importantly, it can make a crucial difference during difficult times.

“ We look forward to under the leadership of EBRD advance the company’ s sustainability agenda. We will continue looking for both investment opportunities and public sector projects to support the economic development and reconstruction of Ukraine.”.- @ AGROBiz