Palm oil production is relegated mainly to Indonesia and Malaysia, and is used most traditionally in southeast Asian and tropical African foods. However, the red-orange oil full of highly saturated fats is becoming increasingly popular in other parts of the world especially because of low costs, which means that more of it is being produced all the time.

The product is extracted from oil palm tree fruits and its production has been known to be troublesome in the past. It has been responsible for human rights violations and a lot of negative impacts on the environment, including deforestation, habitat destruction, and high greenhouse gas emissions.

Workers on these production farms have also suffered inadequate wages and poor treatment from their employers. The communities around these areas also suffer because of the negative impacts on their land and economies. For these reasons it’s critical that sustainable production be advocated.

Over the last few years, human rights groups, non government organizations committed to social and environmental improvement, local communities of areas where the oil is produced, and growers and harvesters have all worked together, committed to creating more sustainable ways to produce palm oil. The result is a set of rules and regulations created in a meeting known as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

Among their most ambitious goals, they’re calling for full transparency in all workings as a part of more sustainable production, and creating plans for long term social and economic viability. Producers must also be more careful about following the laws and regulations set in place and to be more environmentally aware of their impacts on their surroundings. They must also promote sustainable growing and harvesting practices.

Sustainable palm oil production also means being considerate to employees and others who are affected by the presence of the farms. New palm trees must also be planted and cared for so that the destruction from deforestation isn’t as bad. And of course, everyone involved must continue to look for ways of improving things at all time so that production can become more sustainable with each passing day.

Palm oil production is mainly done in Indonesia and Malaysia. Palm oil production can be highly efficient and sustainable. It comes from the oil palm. Would you like to know more?