Malaysia plans to collaborate with Indonesia to counter the European Union's (EU) criticism against palm oil. The country will discuss laws banning the sale of commodities linked to deforestation with the EU and formulate a strategy with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries. The Malaysian palm oil industry is expected to continue its strong performance in 2023, with exports projected to increase by 3.7% to 16.3 million tonnes. The ministry will also ensure a smooth process for the entry of foreign workers to boost crude palm oil production. The Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre (ABBC) of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has been selected for the Mahathir Science Award 2022 for its research programme in developing oil palm germplasm.