Top Palm Oil Producers Ban Products Labeled Palm Oil Free in the Country

In a related development, major palm oil producing countries Malaysia and Indonesia have banned the sale of “anti-palm oil products” or those with claims like “palm oil free” or “no palm oil” in respective countries.  Malaysia announced the ban this summer and Indonesia followed suit later last month.  

In Malaysia, its biggest supermarket chain Mydin has removed products labeled palm oil free from its stores as part of the country’s campaign to protect the commodity’s image at home and abroad.  Malaysia is considering a law banning all products flaunting non-use of palm oil. It has also  launched an international public relations and lobbying offensive to protect the reputation of its key export.  

The $60 billion world palm oil trade has been the target of environmentalists because of the vast areas of tropical rainforest they say have been cleared to grow the commodity.  The European Union this year passed an act to phase out palm oil from renewable fuel by 2030 due to deforestation concerns.  Malaysia and Indonesia together account for about 85% of the world’s palm oil production.