The first African Palm Oil Congress (APOC) was held from June 10 to 13 in Abidjan. This event organized by the Interprofessional Association of Palm Oil (IAPH) has gathered more than a hundred participants from 26 countries of Africa, Europe and Asia.

The objective of the congress was to demonstrate the dynamism of the palm oil industry in Africa and the world. The industry players wanted to show it in order to silence the rumors surrounding palm oil.

Experts in the industry have, during these four (4) days, taught the participants and especially the public on the benefits of palm oil for health. Ecological production systems have been browsed as well as the financial weight of palm oil in the African and global economy. The exchanges have been highly valued by producers who were represented by their apex bodies.

APOC has also been a platform to show the expertise of companies operating in the oil palm sector. The stands, which have welcomed many visitors, have permitted to discover numerous expertises, from research to finished products via farm financing.

The industry of palm oil is on the move and the Ivorian exchanges have enabled producers to learn more about the experiences on culture of palm oil worldwide. These good agricultural practices taught by the experts could help Africa to boost its production. This one represents only 4% of world production and is really driven by Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

APOC will have kept its promises: mobilize the actors and improve the image of the sector. At the end of the 4-day congress, the concluding statement was adopted. As announced by Christophe Koreki, President of IAPH, the document commits each actor in the sector to improve the quality of the production of palm oil at all levels.