Malaysia Trade Office Commissioner Nyaee Ayup called on local producers for the exploration of opportunities in supplying raw materials to several Malaysian manufacturing companies. In an interview, she stated that her country has raw material requirements that would be impossible to source locally.
Among the raw materials to be gathered are coffee, cacao, and palm oil. Regarding the latter, Malaysian companies have already begun to look at possible plantation sites in Mindanao. Ms. Ayup has also noted that the Philippines is among the biggest palm oil importers. As producers, the country is second only to Indonesia. Beyond Mindanao, Palawan is also being scouted as a potential site.