Liberia: Sime Darby Delays Liberia Palm Oil Mill Construction Over Ebola

Sep 23, 2014 | Alphonso Toweh, Reuters
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WASHINGTON - Malaysian palm oil firm Sime Darby has delayed construction of a mill for its Liberia plantation and has suspended talks to expand its planted acreage there due to the Ebola outbreak, it said on Tuesday.

More than 2,811 people have died from the disease in West Africa since the initial outbreak was identified in March, according to World Health Organisation figures. Liberia has been the country hardest hit with 1,578 deaths.

"Right now, we are maintaining. Anything in addition needs to be put on hold," said Carl Dagenhar, Sime Darby's head of sustainability and external relations for Africa and Europe.