As the war in Ukraine compromises global food supply, corporations and governments have turned back to palm oil. The most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet has been linked to worker exploitation and deforestation of some of the most biodiverse forests on the planet.
Chains in the United Kingdom and around Europe had made efforts to move away from palm oil. The European Union even voted to phase out palm-oil-based biofuels by 2030.
Experts consider oil palm trees an extremely efficient crop, capable of producing high quantities of oil almost all year.
Malaysia and Indonesia produce about 85% of the world’s supply. While Indonesia has limited its exports, Malaysia said it plans to leverage the global oil shortage and use it to its advantage.
Reuters contributed to this report.