AdvertisementYesterday, Reuters reported that Indonesia and Malaysia, two of the world’s largest producers of palm oil, are joining forces to lobby against proposed regulatory changes that could restrict sales of the product within the European Union.According to the report, the two nations, working via the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), are seeking to hire an advocacy firm to campaign in Europe to counter criticisms and fight the introduction of tighter regulations.As part of its mooted European Green Deal, the EU is set to begin discussions this year on several new regulations on deforestation and sustainable food systems, which could restrict the use of palm oil in food and fuel.There’s a lot of money on the line. Cheap and almost magically versatile, palm oil can be found in roughly half the products on supermarket shelves – from lipstick and pizza to biodiesel – and demand for it has quadrupled over the past two decades. Between them, Indonesia and Malaysia produce the lion’s share of the world’s estimated $65 billion annual palm oil supply, and the EU is their third-largest market.Diplomat BriefWeekly NewsletterNGet briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.Get the Newsletter
The joint advocacy effort underscores the industry’s increasingly negative reputation amongst consumers, especially in the West. Palm oil producers in Indonesia and Malaysia have been accused of clearing vast areas of rainforests i…. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/y42woyw5
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Indonesia, Malaysia Step Up Palm Oil Lobbying: Report
