The Sustainable Palm Oil Monitor
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Welcome to CSPO Watch
Check out our new feature page Palm Oil Free launched September 06, 2020. We dive into "palm oil free" and "no palm oil" marketing statements to see exactly what they mean.
Headline news on palm oil development will continue to be featured on our Palm Oil News page.
As we look forward to 2021, there were good developments in some of the issues we covered in 2020. These are highlighted with an * as below.
*Will the RSPO's "Shared Responsibility" ambitions finally get brand members to support grower members?
Update. The Shared Responsibility ambitions of the RSPO were stalled as the Covid19 pandemic slowed down global economic activity. However, there were numerous pledges made to "zero-net deforestation" by major consumer brands. These pledges should factor into Shared Responsibilities so this is an issue we will be following up on.
*Will the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil MSPO create a certified palm oil source that could fill manufacturer requirements for availability? What will certified sustainable palm oil look like on the ground in Malaysia?
The MSPO has not made a significant impact on the supply of certified sustainable palm oil even as the scheme was implemented to most of Malaysia's palm oil production. Developments in the MSPO including tracing apps will make it easier for the scheme to be adopted by consumer brands in 2021.
*As the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil ISPO certificates undergo a revamp in order to achieve international acceptance, should conservation weigh as heavily as it does in RSPO and MSPO standards?
There has been little information on the revamp of the ISPO. This may change rapidly as trade talks between the EU and ASEAN commence.
Trade deals continue to shape the future of the industries in Indonesia and Malaysia but what will it mean for certified palm oil when the biggest importer of palm oil, India, places more weight on pricing than sustainable production? Can European countries justify a ban on palm oil in biofuels when there are no matching criteria for competing EU imports like soy?
Trade deals and politics had a major impact on the palm oil industry. India in particular, used its economic clout as a major palm oil importer to back up its political agenda as we reported in The India Palm Oil Ban.
Faced with mounting evidence of the negative environmental impacts of soy, the EU has now included soy in its on-going debate on sustainable biofuels. The development of import regulations by post Brexit UK to reduce importing goods associated with deforestation should impact other commodities besides soy or palm oil. We will be following this issue closely in 2021.
Will increased use of palm oil for biodiesel in producing countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand continue to bring better prices for the small holders?
According to Indonesia's association for smallholder, Serikat Pertanian Kelapa Sawit (SPKS), the increased use of palm oil for biodiesel in Indonesia has not brought better prices for smallholders.
The rise in Crude Palm Oil prices towards the last quarter of 2020 did bring relief to smallholders as prices for Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) rose as a result of economic recovery from the pandemic.
At CSPO Watch, we will continue to present views and opinions on the different elements and thoughts on what can bring about a globally accepted definition of sustainable palm oil without the " " quotation marks.
Our focus will be on acceptable deforestation in Certified Sustainable Palm Oil. Corporate pledges to remove deforestation from their supply chains are threatening to create an elite definition of "sustainable palm oil" which is exclusive to consumers in rich nations. There are solutions, ways and means of balancing our needs to theirs to produce an inclusive supply of sustainable palm oil.
If you have any thoughts or opinions on the issues, please use the handy Contact Us or email The Editor robert@cspo-watch.com
Check out our new feature page Palm Oil Free launched September 06, 2020. We dive into "palm oil free" and "no palm oil" marketing statements to see exactly what they mean.
Headline news on palm oil development will continue to be featured on our Palm Oil News page.
As we look forward to 2021, there were good developments in some of the issues we covered in 2020. These are highlighted with an * as below.
*Will the RSPO's "Shared Responsibility" ambitions finally get brand members to support grower members?
Update. The Shared Responsibility ambitions of the RSPO were stalled as the Covid19 pandemic slowed down global economic activity. However, there were numerous pledges made to "zero-net deforestation" by major consumer brands. These pledges should factor into Shared Responsibilities so this is an issue we will be following up on.
*Will the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil MSPO create a certified palm oil source that could fill manufacturer requirements for availability? What will certified sustainable palm oil look like on the ground in Malaysia?
The MSPO has not made a significant impact on the supply of certified sustainable palm oil even as the scheme was implemented to most of Malaysia's palm oil production. Developments in the MSPO including tracing apps will make it easier for the scheme to be adopted by consumer brands in 2021.
*As the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil ISPO certificates undergo a revamp in order to achieve international acceptance, should conservation weigh as heavily as it does in RSPO and MSPO standards?
There has been little information on the revamp of the ISPO. This may change rapidly as trade talks between the EU and ASEAN commence.
Trade deals continue to shape the future of the industries in Indonesia and Malaysia but what will it mean for certified palm oil when the biggest importer of palm oil, India, places more weight on pricing than sustainable production? Can European countries justify a ban on palm oil in biofuels when there are no matching criteria for competing EU imports like soy?
Trade deals and politics had a major impact on the palm oil industry. India in particular, used its economic clout as a major palm oil importer to back up its political agenda as we reported in The India Palm Oil Ban.
Faced with mounting evidence of the negative environmental impacts of soy, the EU has now included soy in its on-going debate on sustainable biofuels. The development of import regulations by post Brexit UK to reduce importing goods associated with deforestation should impact other commodities besides soy or palm oil. We will be following this issue closely in 2021.
Will increased use of palm oil for biodiesel in producing countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand continue to bring better prices for the small holders?
According to Indonesia's association for smallholder, Serikat Pertanian Kelapa Sawit (SPKS), the increased use of palm oil for biodiesel in Indonesia has not brought better prices for smallholders.
The rise in Crude Palm Oil prices towards the last quarter of 2020 did bring relief to smallholders as prices for Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) rose as a result of economic recovery from the pandemic.
At CSPO Watch, we will continue to present views and opinions on the different elements and thoughts on what can bring about a globally accepted definition of sustainable palm oil without the " " quotation marks.
Our focus will be on acceptable deforestation in Certified Sustainable Palm Oil. Corporate pledges to remove deforestation from their supply chains are threatening to create an elite definition of "sustainable palm oil" which is exclusive to consumers in rich nations. There are solutions, ways and means of balancing our needs to theirs to produce an inclusive supply of sustainable palm oil.
If you have any thoughts or opinions on the issues, please use the handy Contact Us or email The Editor robert@cspo-watch.com
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TOP OF THE NEWS!
Malaysia eyes fresh free trade talks with EU As the EU secures trade deals with Southeast Asian nations, Malaysian industry groups are pushing to restart trade talks. Experts say a free trade agreement would boost post-pandemic recovery in both regions. DW 
What is Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO)? Why does sustainably produced palm oil matter?
Read more... Palm oil. Sneaky protectionism. An opinion by Pierre Bessard |
Read our latest commentary:
Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) shares some thoughts with us. Read CSPO Watch Interview CPOPC |
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