From November 7 to 9, 2023, Les Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) took part in the 2023 edition of the International Palm Oil Conference and Exhibition (PIPOC 2023) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A 14-member PHC delegation, led by Director General Monique Gieskes and supported by Shaka Kariuki, one of PHC's investors and co-founder of Kuramo Capital Management, took part in the event. PHC's participation in PIPOC 2023 highlighted its progress in the palm oil industry as the leading palm oil producer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It also provided an opportunity to exchange views with key global players in the palm oil industry, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysia's palm oil research, development and regulatory agency, the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), leading global service providers to the palm oil industry, as well as the Malaysian and international media. These exchanges made it possible to define a framework for collaboration between PHC and MPOB, to explore the services provided to member countries by CPOPC, to strengthen collaboration with PHC suppliers, and to inform the Malaysian and global public about the role played by the DRC in the development of the palm oil industry and the existing opportunities for the future of this sector in the DRC.
It is worth remembering that the Democratic Republic of Congo is the cradle of world palm oil production. Indeed, one of the most efficient varieties of oil palm used in many countries comes from the DRC and is known as Yangambi. Agronomic studies carried out at the INEAC station at Yangambi in the DRC in the 1940s and 1950s guided and continue to be used in the genetic improvement of oil palm in all palm oil producing countries. Likewise, palm oil extraction plants are designed according to technical principles developed in the 1950s in the DRC by a team of engineers belonging to the Association of Palm Oil Producers and Exporters of the Belgian Congo (known by the acronym CONGOPALM). The findings of these engineers were published as the Mongana Report and translated into several languages. This Mongana Report continues to be a benchmark for the operation of most palm oil mills around the world. Given this historical past, the existing opportunities in the DRC for the oil palm sector and as evidenced by the recent performance of PHC in intensifying palm oil production without increasing the cultivated areas, the next frontier of the The palm oil industry is believed to be in the DRC.
“The palm oil industry began in Congo, and Congolese expertise has benefited major palm oil producing countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. The DRC has contributed to the development of the palm oil industry by providing parent varieties of oil palm such as Yangambi, which is used in several countries due to its high yield. Today, the DRC can return to the global map of the palm oil industry through the adoption of good agronomic practices and compliance with global standards for sustainable management of this sector which brings social and economic progress to many producing countries. ", said Ms. Monique Gieskes, Managing Director of PHC to the Malaysian press.
PIPOC is an international palm oil conference and exhibition organized every two years by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) during which four scientific conferences and numerous exhibitions are held. The 2021 event did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 event focused on the theme “Navigating uncertainty and building resilience” had around a hundred speakers, more than 400 exhibitors and 3500 participants from all over the world.
Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC)are a private limited company based in Kinshasa, DRC. Created in 1911, it operates in the provinces of Équateur, Mongala and Tshopo. It is the largest producer of crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil in the DRC. The company's vision is to "create shared prosperity through agribusiness" and its mission is to become the global leader in agribusiness with sustainable practices that generate positive impact on communities and the environment. PHC is also the largest private sector employer in the DRC, with over 9 500 contracted employees. Committed to improving the living conditions of local populations, PHC operates the largest private hospital system in the DRC, with four reference hospitals, 3 health centers and 16 dispensaries offering health services to its employees as well as to around 150 000 people. PHC also invests in access to drinking water, the rehabilitation of old dilapidated schools and the construction of new schools for the benefit of children in communities living around its operational sites.
Media contacts:
Michèle Kimpwene: Communications Manager: michelle.kimpwene@phc-congo.com
Walter Badibanga: Media Relations: walter.badibanga@phc-congo.com. Tel: +243 997 817 187