"CBP Issues Withhold Release Order on Palm Oil Produced by Forced Labor in Malaysia", 30 December 2020

WASHINGTON — Effective December 30, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain palm oil and products containing palm oil produced by Sime Darby Plantation Berhad and its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and affiliated entities in Malaysia.

The issuance of a Withhold Release Order against Sime Darby Plantation palm oil is based on information that reasonably indicates the presence of all 11 of the International Labour Organization’s forced labor indicators in Sime Darby Plantation’s production process.

Federal statute 19 U.S.C. 1307 prohibits the importation of merchandise mined, manufactured, or produced, wholly or in part, by convict labor, forced labor, and/or indentured labor, including forced or indentured child labor. This Withhold Release Order will require the detention at all U.S. ports of entry of raw palm oil and processed products containing palm oil produced by Sime Darby Plantation. CBP provides importers of detained shipments an opportunity to export their shipments or demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labor.

...In September 2020, CBP issued a separate Withhold Release Order against another Malaysian palm oil producer, FGV Holdings Berhad. That Withhold Release Order was one of 13 that CBP issued during Fiscal Year 2020. All Withhold Release Orders are publicly available and listed by country on CBP’s Forced Labor Withhold Release Orders and Findings page.