Published on: April 30, 2022
With global supply chains already impacted due to the war in Ukraine, it’s more important than ever to look for alternative methods for producing and acquiring the ingredients and products we need around the world. Sustainable palm oil may be a good option for home cooking.
In addition to the existing global supply chain issues the world is experiencing, a global ban on exports of palm oil from Indonesia has also begun, which will only place even more strain on the supply chain. As the most common cooking oil globally, in addition to being an ingredient in many common household supplies, having sources of palm oil that do not cause harm to the environment and are sustainable long-term is integral to providing people worldwide with the products they need and use every day.
With the Indonesian government locking down all palm oil exports to conserve supplies for its own population, not only will ⅓ of the world’s palm oil supply be cut off, but costs of other cooking oils will begin to rise. Without efforts to double down on sustainability efforts, this commodity shock can cause harm to people worldwide and grossly inflated prices on huge amounts of items at the store.
With palm oil prices and other vegetable oils around it skyrocketing, the question is posed of how to provide enough oil around the world to lower prices as the poor are priced out of the oils they need, and restaurants struggle with dwindling business due to raised prices directly related to the crisis. Even large companies are feeling the strain of dwindling supplies.
At this time, sustainable production of palm oil is more important than ever, as many manufacturers and supplies may ramp up production to account for this loss in supply. For those who produce palm oil through non-sustainable, or ‘conflict’ methods, this means causing increased deforestation, habitat displacement, and harm to local farmers and communities.
However, there’s a way to continue to try and keep up with this crisis and increase demand without hurting the environment, animals, or local farmers. By using sustainable palm oil in products and ingredients, large companies can make sure palm oil supplies continue while having the oil they need for so many aspects of their business.
With the need for palm oil increasing more than ever, the need for increased sustainability amongst the world’s largest manufacturers is more important than ever. With Indonesia cutting off supply, environments and future palm oil supplies will only be put in further jeopardy with increased production of the oil in other areas.
So what can you do to make a difference in the world of palm oil? Buying sustainable palm oil for your cooking needs, and buying items from those committed to sustainability is the only way to make sure companies, especially amidst this crisis, notice and work to ensure environments are kept safe and there is a steady supply of palm oil through sustainable methods for decades to come.
Learn more about organic palm oil and how to get it with Natural Habitats and our partner companies.
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