Malaysia wants palm oil hubs in Egypt, Saudi Arabia: deputy PM

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia plans to expand palm oil exports into Middle East and African markets by creating new export hubs in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said in an interview with Nikkei Asia.

Fadillah, who is also Minister of Commodities and Plantation Industries, said his ministry and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) are trying to push further into emerging markets, which have recently seen their re-exports of the oil rise. Malaysia is the world's second-largest exporter of palm oil after Indonesia. Its top importers include India, China and the Philippines.