Equatorial Palm Oil plc (EPO)[1] is a palm oil company from London, United Kingdom. It is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. Equatorial Palm Oil plc was founded in 2005.[2] Effective 20 December 2013, KL-Kepong International Ltd, a wholly owned unit of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad acquired 63.181% interest in Equatorial Palm Oil PLC.[3] Major brands including Kellogg's, Kraft Foods, Nestlé, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and General Mills have been reported as direct or indirect consumers of KLK palm oil.
Activity in Liberia
editIt has a concession in Grand Bassa, Rivercess and Sinoe Counties in Liberia of 169,000 hectares, including 1000 hectares of plantation land in 2010.[4] It holds interests in 34,398 hectares of land at Palm Bay area; 54,550 hectares of land at Butaw area; and 80,000 hectares of land in River Cess County.[2] Hectares of its plantation area in Liberia were set on fire in the course of a land dispute with locals.[5] Some locals have accused the company of not putting people originating in the area into top jobs.[5] Residents have often accused the district’s representative, Hon. Robertson Siawaye and others politicians of plotting against them and siding with the company to take away their land.[5] Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said that they can rest assure that there would be no further expansion by EPO. [6] EPO is accused of involvement in the arbitrary arrest and assault of Liberian community members who claim that they were resisting EPO's efforts to take their land. [7] In September 2013, officers from the EPO security team and the Liberian Police reportedly worked together to assault and beat Jogbahn community members who were peacefully protesting the company's operations.[8]
On 13 January 2021, Equatorial Palm Oil PLC changed its name to Capital Metals PLC.[9] The Company is now engaged in the exploration and development of mineral sands resources in Sri Lanka.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Capital Metals PLC". Financial Times. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ a b "EQUATORIAL PALM OIL PLC (PAL:London): Stock Quote & Company Profile - Businessweek". investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ "Stock Quotes & Company News | Reuters.com". reuters.com. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ Barnes, G.; Child, B. (2014). Adaptive Cross-Scalar Governance of Natural Resources. Taylor & Francis. p. 87. ISBN 9781317916468. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ a b c "FrontPageAfrica - Equatorial Palm Oil Faces Arson Attacks Amid Bassa Land Dispute". frontpageafricaonline.com. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ "FrontPageAfrica - Grand Bassa County Celebrate Halting of EPO Expansion Drive". frontpageafricaonline.com. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ "News :: FrontPageAfricaonline.com - All Things Africa 24/7". frontpageafricaonline.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-04. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ "allAfrica.com: Liberia: Communities Protest That UK's Equatorial Palm Oil Are Poised to Seize Land in Liberia (Page 1 of 2)". allafrica.com. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ^ "CAPITAL METALS PLC (CMET)". Hargreaves Lansdown Company Announcements. Retrieved 5 February 2021.