Palm oil news. October 2026
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October 08, 2026
Indonesia accused of ‘gross negligence’ in wildfires lawsuit as haze tests region
NGOs in Indonesian Borneo file class action lawsuit calling for government to better manage annual fires and
The Indonesian government has been accused of “gross negligence” in a class action lawsuit over its handling of wildfires that have cloaked large parts of South-east Asia in a toxic haze, shuttered schools and caused a spike in respiratory illnesses.
The lawsuit, filed by indigenous and civil society groups in the Indonesian part of Borneo, named President Prabowo Subianto and the governor of West Kalimantan among 10 defendants. The case seeks comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation measures that would include covering the healthcare costs of residents.
None of those named in the lawsuit attended the opening day of court in West Kalimantan’s provincial capital Pontianak on Wednesday, leading judges to adjourn the hearing until 21 October.
“We feel sad and regretful about their absence … But on the other hand, we also understand that perhaps this haze condition caused them to be unable to land in Pontianak,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Glorio Sanen, told reporters.
Sanen said the case was “a step to address the problem” of wildfires that flare up annually in Indonesia, where they are often lit as a cheap way to clear land for oil palm planting.
Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has been accused of not doing enough to stop the so-called “slash and burn” land clearances, although the government has vowed a crackdown and deployed the military to fight the fires.
The blazes hit a crisis point this year due to an unusually intense El Niño weather phenomenon, which has created drier-than-usual conditions, sending a putrid smog to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, and even the Philippines.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/08/indonesia-wildfires-gross-negligence-lawsuit-haze-region
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Indonesian government faces Kalimantan wildfires lawsuit as haze blankets region
A group of civil society organisations in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province has filed a class action lawsuit against the national government over its handling of wildfires in the region.
Proceedings began yesterday in Pontianak, the capital of the region located on the island of Borneo.
According to the plaintiffs, the peatland fires and accompanying widespread haze are an almost annual occurrence and should have been anticipated.
Glorio Sanen, legal coordinator of the group Nafas Kalbar, which was formed to hold the government accountable, said the government's failure to act and negligence were responsible for the fires and its impact.
"We actually find it a bit strange because El Niño had been predicted well before this dry season began," he said.
"Yet it seems as though we were not prepared to deal with this prolonged drought."
Mr Sanen said the plaintiffs urged the Indonesian government to declare the fires a national emergency, strengthen fire mitigation efforts, provide free health care for vulnerable groups and prosecute those responsible.
The court filing shows Indigenous people and religious youth groups are among the plaintiffs.
The defendants include the president, vice-president, ministers and the national police chief, as well as local governors and mayors.
The Indonesian government said they respected the right of citizens and civil society organisations to pursue legal action through the courts.
"As the matter is now before the court, the government will address the issues raised through the legal process and will allow the proceedings to take their due course," a spokesperson for Indonesia's Government Communication Agency told the ABC.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-08/indonesian-government-sued-over-worsening-wildfire/107237412
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Next steps unclear after Indonesia’s pledge to stop clearing forests for rice fields
JAKARTA – Indonesia plans to move away from clearing forests for new rice fields after achieving self-sufficiency in the staple ahead of schedule, although the government has yet to clarify what the shift means for projects already under way in South Papua and Kalimantan.
Hashim Djojohadikusumo, President Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother and special envoy for climate and energy, told a sustainability forum in Jakarta on Oct 6 that the government had hit its rice self-sufficiency target three years early without needing to plant the two million ha of food estates it had planned.
But the Forestry Ministry said the shift was not yet clear-cut, pointing out that it sees Hashim’s remarks as affirming a policy of meeting food needs by raising productivity and making better use of existing land, in line with efforts to protect forests.
“A distinction needs to be made between new expansion plans that require the clearing of forest areas, activities that are already under way, and increasing production on agricultural land that is already available,” Ristianto Pribadi, the ministry’s head of public relations and international cooperation, told The Straits Times in a text message.
“Therefore, we cannot yet say that all activities in the two regions will automatically stop, nor confirm when they will stop,” he said, adding that this was for the Agriculture Ministry and other relevant agencies to spell out, referring to work in South Papua and Central Kalimantan.
At the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum, Hashim, who was speaking on behalf of the Agriculture Ministry, said: “The government sees no further need to expand rice cultivation in so-called forest areas.”
The two million ha food estate programme had, in effect, already met its goal, he said, stressing: “It is a programme that we have already achieved without even planting two million ha.”
However, thousands of hectares of forest, including swamp forest and peatlands, have already been cleared to create new rice fields as part of the programme.
Mari Elka Pangestu, deputy chair of the National Economic Council, told the forum that the two million ha announced in 2025 for food production “is no longer needed”. She said Hashim had asked her to deliver “the missing part of that message”.
“Moving forward, we will be using degraded land. We have over 12 million ha of degraded land that can be used for this,” said Mari, a former trade minister. These are lands that were previously cleared or had been damaged by erosion or other causes and are either abandoned or underused.
She said Hashim had discussed the plan with the agriculture and forestry ministers, who agreed that any future production of food or biofuel would use degraded land as part of a Forestry Ministry reforestation programme. Biofuels include biodiesel from blending palm oil with diesel and ethanol made from sugar cane.
Arief Cahyono, the Agriculture Ministry’s chief spokesman, did not respond to queries from ST.
On growing crops such as sugar cane and soya beans on degraded land, Ristianto said any increase in production must not add to the pressure on forests and important ecosystems.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/next-steps-unclear-after-indonesias-pledge-to-stop-clearing-forests-for-rice-fields
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Palm oil producing countries keen on ties with India
They stress the need for a collaborative approach to ensure reliable edible oil supplies, supporting farmers and promoting sustainable growth
The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation with India on edible oil security, sustainable palm oil production and resilient supply chains.
Highlighting India’s strategic importance to palm oil-producing countries, Izzana Salleh, Secretary-General, CPOPC emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to ensure reliable edible oil supplies, supporting farmers and promoting sustainable growth.
“India is much more than an export destination for palm oil-producing countries. It is a partner in our shared pursuit of food security, resilient supply chains, productive farmers and sustainable growth,” said Salleh at the recent GLOBOIL India 2026 event held in Mumbai.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/palm-oil-producing-countries-keen-on-ties-with-india/article71556342.ece
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Malaysia eyes stronger palm oil exports as Indonesia boosts domestic use
Malaysia expects to increase palm oil exports to global markets as rising use of the commodity for biodiesel production in Indonesia could reduce the latter’s export availability. Malaysian palm oil exports have increased by 8% year on year over the past eight months.
Additional opportunities for Malaysia are emerging from Indonesia’s B50 biodiesel mandate. The policy is expected to raise domestic palm oil consumption to 16.3–17 mln tons, reducing the volumes available for overseas shipments.
The Philippines remains one of Malaysia’s priority markets, importing nearly 90% of its palm oil requirements. Malaysia has already shipped more than 700 thsd tons to the country, including 421.9 thsd tons in the first seven months of 2026.
Malaysian exporters also plan to expand sales of higher-value palm oil products in the Philippines, including oleochemicals, shortening and palm tocotrienols. At the same time, the Philippines is seeking to reduce its import dependence by expanding oil palm area to 100 thsd hectares by 2028 and eventually to 300 thsd hectares.
Malaysia expects its palm oil exports to exceed 16 mln tons this year, up from 15.2 mln tons last year. The Malaysian Palm Oil Council believes lower export availability from Indonesia could help Malaysia strengthen its position in key import markets and sustain shipments even if global prices soften.
Tags: Indonesia, Malaysia, palm oil, export
https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/malaysia-eyes-stronger-palm-oil-exports-as-indonesia-boosts-domestic-use/
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Malaysia hoping to sustain palm oil export growth to PHL after shipments top 700,000 metric tons
By Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is hoping to grow its palm oil exports to the Philippines even in the face of growing domestic production in its Southeast Asian neighbor, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said.
“Exports to the Philippines are increasing… We probably exported more than 700,000 tons. We are definitely looking at sustaining that market,” MPOC Chief Executive Officer Belvinder Sron told reporters on the sidelines of the 2026 Malaysian Palm Oil Forum.
“I don’t have the projections as yet, but the markets in ASEAN are doing very well so, I’m expecting exports to the Philippines to increase,” she added.
The Philippines is one of the top markets for Malaysian palm oil, depending on imports for nearly 90% of its palm oil requirements.
In the first seven months, Malaysia exported 421,863 tons of palm oil to the Philippines, according to the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
“Malaysia is ready to be a supplier to any country, especially to the Philippines,” Ms. Sron said. “It’s been a very good buyer.”
Efforts to boost its market in the Philippines include promoting other higher-value palm oil products, including oleochemicals, shortening, and palm tocotrienols, among others.
https://bworldonline.com/economy/2026/10/07/785270/malaysia-hoping-to-sustain-palm-oil-export-growth-to-phl-after-shipments-top-700000-metric-tons/
Indonesia accused of ‘gross negligence’ in wildfires lawsuit as haze tests region
NGOs in Indonesian Borneo file class action lawsuit calling for government to better manage annual fires and
The Indonesian government has been accused of “gross negligence” in a class action lawsuit over its handling of wildfires that have cloaked large parts of South-east Asia in a toxic haze, shuttered schools and caused a spike in respiratory illnesses.
The lawsuit, filed by indigenous and civil society groups in the Indonesian part of Borneo, named President Prabowo Subianto and the governor of West Kalimantan among 10 defendants. The case seeks comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation measures that would include covering the healthcare costs of residents.
None of those named in the lawsuit attended the opening day of court in West Kalimantan’s provincial capital Pontianak on Wednesday, leading judges to adjourn the hearing until 21 October.
“We feel sad and regretful about their absence … But on the other hand, we also understand that perhaps this haze condition caused them to be unable to land in Pontianak,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Glorio Sanen, told reporters.
Sanen said the case was “a step to address the problem” of wildfires that flare up annually in Indonesia, where they are often lit as a cheap way to clear land for oil palm planting.
Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has been accused of not doing enough to stop the so-called “slash and burn” land clearances, although the government has vowed a crackdown and deployed the military to fight the fires.
The blazes hit a crisis point this year due to an unusually intense El Niño weather phenomenon, which has created drier-than-usual conditions, sending a putrid smog to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, and even the Philippines.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/08/indonesia-wildfires-gross-negligence-lawsuit-haze-region
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Indonesian government faces Kalimantan wildfires lawsuit as haze blankets region
A group of civil society organisations in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province has filed a class action lawsuit against the national government over its handling of wildfires in the region.
Proceedings began yesterday in Pontianak, the capital of the region located on the island of Borneo.
According to the plaintiffs, the peatland fires and accompanying widespread haze are an almost annual occurrence and should have been anticipated.
Glorio Sanen, legal coordinator of the group Nafas Kalbar, which was formed to hold the government accountable, said the government's failure to act and negligence were responsible for the fires and its impact.
"We actually find it a bit strange because El Niño had been predicted well before this dry season began," he said.
"Yet it seems as though we were not prepared to deal with this prolonged drought."
Mr Sanen said the plaintiffs urged the Indonesian government to declare the fires a national emergency, strengthen fire mitigation efforts, provide free health care for vulnerable groups and prosecute those responsible.
The court filing shows Indigenous people and religious youth groups are among the plaintiffs.
The defendants include the president, vice-president, ministers and the national police chief, as well as local governors and mayors.
The Indonesian government said they respected the right of citizens and civil society organisations to pursue legal action through the courts.
"As the matter is now before the court, the government will address the issues raised through the legal process and will allow the proceedings to take their due course," a spokesperson for Indonesia's Government Communication Agency told the ABC.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-08/indonesian-government-sued-over-worsening-wildfire/107237412
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Next steps unclear after Indonesia’s pledge to stop clearing forests for rice fields
JAKARTA – Indonesia plans to move away from clearing forests for new rice fields after achieving self-sufficiency in the staple ahead of schedule, although the government has yet to clarify what the shift means for projects already under way in South Papua and Kalimantan.
Hashim Djojohadikusumo, President Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother and special envoy for climate and energy, told a sustainability forum in Jakarta on Oct 6 that the government had hit its rice self-sufficiency target three years early without needing to plant the two million ha of food estates it had planned.
But the Forestry Ministry said the shift was not yet clear-cut, pointing out that it sees Hashim’s remarks as affirming a policy of meeting food needs by raising productivity and making better use of existing land, in line with efforts to protect forests.
“A distinction needs to be made between new expansion plans that require the clearing of forest areas, activities that are already under way, and increasing production on agricultural land that is already available,” Ristianto Pribadi, the ministry’s head of public relations and international cooperation, told The Straits Times in a text message.
“Therefore, we cannot yet say that all activities in the two regions will automatically stop, nor confirm when they will stop,” he said, adding that this was for the Agriculture Ministry and other relevant agencies to spell out, referring to work in South Papua and Central Kalimantan.
At the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum, Hashim, who was speaking on behalf of the Agriculture Ministry, said: “The government sees no further need to expand rice cultivation in so-called forest areas.”
The two million ha food estate programme had, in effect, already met its goal, he said, stressing: “It is a programme that we have already achieved without even planting two million ha.”
However, thousands of hectares of forest, including swamp forest and peatlands, have already been cleared to create new rice fields as part of the programme.
Mari Elka Pangestu, deputy chair of the National Economic Council, told the forum that the two million ha announced in 2025 for food production “is no longer needed”. She said Hashim had asked her to deliver “the missing part of that message”.
“Moving forward, we will be using degraded land. We have over 12 million ha of degraded land that can be used for this,” said Mari, a former trade minister. These are lands that were previously cleared or had been damaged by erosion or other causes and are either abandoned or underused.
She said Hashim had discussed the plan with the agriculture and forestry ministers, who agreed that any future production of food or biofuel would use degraded land as part of a Forestry Ministry reforestation programme. Biofuels include biodiesel from blending palm oil with diesel and ethanol made from sugar cane.
Arief Cahyono, the Agriculture Ministry’s chief spokesman, did not respond to queries from ST.
On growing crops such as sugar cane and soya beans on degraded land, Ristianto said any increase in production must not add to the pressure on forests and important ecosystems.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/next-steps-unclear-after-indonesias-pledge-to-stop-clearing-forests-for-rice-fields
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Palm oil producing countries keen on ties with India
They stress the need for a collaborative approach to ensure reliable edible oil supplies, supporting farmers and promoting sustainable growth
The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation with India on edible oil security, sustainable palm oil production and resilient supply chains.
Highlighting India’s strategic importance to palm oil-producing countries, Izzana Salleh, Secretary-General, CPOPC emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to ensure reliable edible oil supplies, supporting farmers and promoting sustainable growth.
“India is much more than an export destination for palm oil-producing countries. It is a partner in our shared pursuit of food security, resilient supply chains, productive farmers and sustainable growth,” said Salleh at the recent GLOBOIL India 2026 event held in Mumbai.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/palm-oil-producing-countries-keen-on-ties-with-india/article71556342.ece
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Malaysia eyes stronger palm oil exports as Indonesia boosts domestic use
Malaysia expects to increase palm oil exports to global markets as rising use of the commodity for biodiesel production in Indonesia could reduce the latter’s export availability. Malaysian palm oil exports have increased by 8% year on year over the past eight months.
Additional opportunities for Malaysia are emerging from Indonesia’s B50 biodiesel mandate. The policy is expected to raise domestic palm oil consumption to 16.3–17 mln tons, reducing the volumes available for overseas shipments.
The Philippines remains one of Malaysia’s priority markets, importing nearly 90% of its palm oil requirements. Malaysia has already shipped more than 700 thsd tons to the country, including 421.9 thsd tons in the first seven months of 2026.
Malaysian exporters also plan to expand sales of higher-value palm oil products in the Philippines, including oleochemicals, shortening and palm tocotrienols. At the same time, the Philippines is seeking to reduce its import dependence by expanding oil palm area to 100 thsd hectares by 2028 and eventually to 300 thsd hectares.
Malaysia expects its palm oil exports to exceed 16 mln tons this year, up from 15.2 mln tons last year. The Malaysian Palm Oil Council believes lower export availability from Indonesia could help Malaysia strengthen its position in key import markets and sustain shipments even if global prices soften.
Tags: Indonesia, Malaysia, palm oil, export
https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/malaysia-eyes-stronger-palm-oil-exports-as-indonesia-boosts-domestic-use/
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Malaysia hoping to sustain palm oil export growth to PHL after shipments top 700,000 metric tons
By Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is hoping to grow its palm oil exports to the Philippines even in the face of growing domestic production in its Southeast Asian neighbor, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said.
“Exports to the Philippines are increasing… We probably exported more than 700,000 tons. We are definitely looking at sustaining that market,” MPOC Chief Executive Officer Belvinder Sron told reporters on the sidelines of the 2026 Malaysian Palm Oil Forum.
“I don’t have the projections as yet, but the markets in ASEAN are doing very well so, I’m expecting exports to the Philippines to increase,” she added.
The Philippines is one of the top markets for Malaysian palm oil, depending on imports for nearly 90% of its palm oil requirements.
In the first seven months, Malaysia exported 421,863 tons of palm oil to the Philippines, according to the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
“Malaysia is ready to be a supplier to any country, especially to the Philippines,” Ms. Sron said. “It’s been a very good buyer.”
Efforts to boost its market in the Philippines include promoting other higher-value palm oil products, including oleochemicals, shortening, and palm tocotrienols, among others.
https://bworldonline.com/economy/2026/10/07/785270/malaysia-hoping-to-sustain-palm-oil-export-growth-to-phl-after-shipments-top-700000-metric-tons/
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October 07, 2026
Indonesia's forest task force hands over more land to palm oil planter Agrinas, forestry ministry
By Reuters
JAKARTA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia’s forestry task force handed over nearly 260,000 hectares (642,474 acres) of seized land to the country’s forestry ministry on Tuesday, with more than half to be transferred to Agrinas Palma Nusantara, the state-run palm oil plantation firm.
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Indonesia seeks to utilize degraded land for biofuel production
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is planning to utilize degraded land for food production as raw material for biofuels, eliminating the need for new land clearing for energy development.
This was conveyed by Special Envoy of the Indonesian President for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation Mari Elka Pangestu at the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She stated that Indonesia has over 12 million hectares of degraded land with the potential to support increased food and biofuel production.
According to her, the government is committed to increasing food production for biofuels without deforestation to clear new land.
"We are committed to no longer deforesting to expand food production. Thus, the plan to allocate 2 million hectares announced last year for food production is no longer necessary," she confirmed.
The plan has been discussed with the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Forestry, where both parties have agreed that future food production using biofuels as raw materials will be directed towards the utilization of degraded land.
Mari added that the use of this land will also be part of the Ministry of Forestry's program related to afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation.
She noted that this policy also brings opportunities for investment and international cooperation in developing food and biofuel production based on degraded land.
Furthermore, increasing food production for biofuel also requires intensification through simultaneous improvements in productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
According to her, this can be achieved by developing higher-yielding seeds that can adapt to limited water and hotter temperatures, supported by more efficient fertilizer and water use. She added that research and development and international cooperation, including genome sequencing, are needed to develop such seeds.
The Indonesian government continues to promote biofuels as part of the clean energy transition while reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Indonesia has been implementing a 50 percent biodiesel program, or B50, since last July and is preparing to implement 20 percent bioethanol, or E20.
Furthermore, the government plans to increase the blending level to B60 next year.
The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) estimates that the B60 implementation will require a supply of around 22 to 23 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO).
Meanwhile, the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) projects that national CPO production will only reach around 60 million tons by 2045, partly due to land limitations.
Moreover, the Clean Transition Coalition estimates that the implementation of B50 alone will require an additional 5.36 million hectares of oil palm plantations by 2039, with the potential for deforestation of 1.5 million hectares.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/434425/indonesia-seeks-to-utilize-degraded-land-for-biofuel-production
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Southeast Asia's haze crisis: Have lessons been learned?
Eleven years after catastrophic fires prompted promises of tougher action, Southeast Asia is again choking on transboundary haze, raising questions about whether the region has learned the lessons of 2015.
Indonesia's worst wildfire season in more than a decade is exposing how much, and how little, Southeast Asia's response to haze has changed since 2015.
Forest and land fires have burned across parts of the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Papua for weeks, sending smoke across large areas of the country and into neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.
Indonesia's long 2026 dry season, coupled with this year's El Nino, has worsened what has become an almost annual crisis, exposing millions of people to hazardous smoke containing harmful microscopic particles.
More than 170,000 cases of acute respiratory infection were recorded in haze-affected areas of Indonesia between August and mid-September, according to the country's Health Ministry, including more than 40,000 cases involving young children.
The haze has forced hundreds of schools to close in Malaysia and pushed more than 1.4 million Indonesian students into remote learning, although the full economic cost is not yet known.
Will severe haze become more frequent?
This year's severe weather is only part of the explanation. Fire has long been used as a cheap way to clear land for agriculture in Southeast Asia, while the expansion of palm oil and pulpwood plantations has drained and degraded large areas of peatland.
The echoes of 2015 are hard to ignore. That year's fires burned roughly 2.6 million hectares of land, produced months of severe haze across Southeast Asia and cost Indonesia an estimated $16 billion (€14.2 billion) in economic losses, according to the World Bank.
The risk is growing that severe haze will become more frequent as climate conditions worsen, Paruedee Nguitragool, an associate professor at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, told DW.
"Haze, which used to be mainly a problem in maritime Southeast Asia, has become a concern for most countries in the region," she added.
Governments within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional bloc, "need to be more open to one another and work closely together."
"Farmers and companies need alternative methods of land clearing and incentives to adopt them, while land and forest rehabilitation must also be implemented," Nguitragool said.
"At the same time, consumers need to be more aware of whether the products they buy come from sustainable practices and whether burning was involved in their production," she added.
What changed after 2015?
The 2015 disaster triggered major policy changes. Indonesia strengthened peatland restoration, fire monitoring, enforcement and firefighting, while ASEAN expanded regional cooperation, David Mark Taylor, a professor of tropical environmental change at the National University of Singapore, told DW.
Indonesia established the Peatland Restoration Agency in 2016 to restore millions of hectares of degraded peat. Its mandate was later expanded to mangrove rehabilitation, with the agency renamed the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency.
A permanent moratorium on new concessions in primary forests and peatlands also restricted further development in some vulnerable areas.
Authorities have also increasingly pursued companies in court. Last year, an appeals court ordered palm oil company PT Banyu Kahuripan Indonesia to pay around €14 million in environmental damages over fires covering more than 3,300 hectares of its concession. Other companies have faced much tougher restoration orders.
At the regional level, ASEAN adopted a new Peatland Management Strategy and a second Haze-Free Roadmap for 2023-2030, and the long-awaited ASEAN Coordinating Center for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control opened its secretariat in Jakarta in April, more than two decades after the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
"But the underlying problem hasn't gone away, and neither has the driver," said Taylor.
Extensive areas of peat remain drained or degraded, including cleared land that has yet to be put into productive use. Such poorly managed or "idle" peatlands can become highly combustible during prolonged drought, Taylor noted.
There is also disagreement over how much restoration Indonesia has actually achieved.
The Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency ceased operating at the end of 2024, with its responsibilities returned to other government ministries and institutions, raising questions among environmentalists about whether they can maintain the same institutional focus.
https://amp.dw.com/en/southeast-asias-haze-crisis-have-lessons-been-learned/a-79564992
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KIS, Toyota Tsusho to produce biomethane in Indonesia
Biogas company KIS Group and Japanese trading house Toyota Tsusho have launched a joint venture to produce and sell biomethane derived from palm oil mill effluent (Pome) in Indonesia.
The two companies launched the joint venture, KIS Toyota Tsusho Biomethane Indonesia (KTBI), in September, Toyota Tsusho said on 5 October. KIS Group's Indonesian subsidiary KIS Biofuels Indonesia (KBI) holds a 51pc stake in KTBI, while Toyota Tsusho Indonesia holds the remaining 49pc.
KTBI is developing a project to upgrade biogas into high-purity biomethane. The biogas is generated from Pome at palm oil mills in South Sumatra. KTBI aims to begin commercial operations in 2027, with plans to sell around 150,000 mmBtu/yr (2,880 t/yr) of Pome-derived biomethane, Toyota Tsusho said.
The biomethane will be supplied to buyers in the manufacturing industry in West Java, via pipelines of Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN), the gas subsidiary of Indonesian state-owned Pertamina.
Indonesia is one of the world's major producers of natural gas. But while its gas production has been declining in recent years, demand continues to grow. The country is also the world's largest producer of palm oil and has abundant biomass resources such as Pome, driving growing interest in biomethane as a biomass-based complement to natural gas supplies.
Argus assessed Indonesian RED-compliant refined Pome oil at $1,220/t fob on 5 October.
By Kohei Yamamoto https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2886999-kis-toyota-tsusho-to-produce-biomethane-in-indonesia
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PGN to integrate biomethane into natural gas infrastructure
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) is preparing to integrate biomethane into its natural gas infrastructure to promote the use of low-carbon energy in Indonesia.
PGN Corporate Secretary Fajriyah Usman said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the development of biomethane using palm oil mill waste in South Sumatra is nearing completion.
For this project, PGN is collaborating with PT Toyota Tsusho Indonesia (TTI) and PT KIS Biofuels Indonesia (KIS) to optimize biomethane utilization and ensure future domestic energy supplies.
PGN attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the biomethane plant developed by TTI and KIS on Monday (October 5).
The facility utilizes organic palm oil waste and targets annual biomethane production of approximately 150,000 MMBTU.
Usman noted that this is the first initiative in Indonesia to produce biomethane in Sumatra, a region with a high concentration of palm oil mills.
The project also represents a concrete outcome of the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between PGN and TTI regarding biomethane development in Indonesia.
Under this partnership, PGN acts as the offtaker, or primary buyer, of the biomethane.
Additionally, PGN serves as the transporter. The biomethane produced by PT KIS Toyota Tsusho Biomethane Indonesia (KTBI), a joint venture between KIS and TTI, will be distributed to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) and other industries through PGN’s pipeline network.
“We appreciate TTI and KIS for initiating the construction of this biomethane facility. For PGN, this represents a crucial step in introducing renewable gas from domestic sources into the national energy supply chain,” Usman said.
“PGN stands ready to provide support through our existing infrastructure and commercial capabilities, enabling the industrial sector to utilize biomethane,” she added.
Biomethane utilization leverages infrastructure already in place for natural gas, allowing customers to switch to biomethane with minimal infrastructure modifications.
Beyond enhancing domestic energy security, the use of biomethane complements natural gas consumption, which continues to rise alongside growing decarbonization efforts in the industrial sector.
Using Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), a liquid waste product from palm oil mills, as a feedstock for biomethane offers significant environmental benefits.
Methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere can be captured and processed into energy, thereby helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the achievement of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets and the 2060 net-zero emissions goal.
The project also strengthens downstream development in the palm oil sector by transforming waste into economically valuable energy.
According to Usman, biomethane plays a strategic role in supporting energy self-sufficiency and industrial decarbonization.
“Once production begins, industries such as TMMIN will gain access to low-carbon energy, bolstering their competitiveness amid global demand for green supply chains. We hope this collaborative model can be replicated in other palm oil-producing regions,” she added.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/434338/pgn-to-integrate-biomethane-into-natural-gas-infrastructure
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Indonesia secures its fuel supply at the cost of its food and forests
In Brief
Indonesia’s new B50 biodiesel mandate aims to boost energy security but strains food supplies and the environment. Rising biodiesel demand tightens crude palm oil availability, lifting cooking oil prices and incentivising plantations to expand. Import needs, export levies and land‑use pressures further weaken projected savings. Without rapid yield improvements and alternative feedstocks, B50 could make fuel cheaper at the cost of food affordability and forest protection.
Indonesia has made one of its boldest energy bets yet with the introduction of its ‘B50 mandate’ requiring diesel fuel sold in the country to contain 50 per cent palm-based biodiesel. The mandate took legal effect on 1 July 2026 and was formally launched by President Prabowo Subianto on 9 July, with full implementation scheduled from 1 October 2026 after a three-month transition.
B50 marks the latest step in Indonesia’s biodiesel mandate, which began with a 2.5 per cent blend in 2008 and was progressively raised to B40 in 2025. Prabowo has also pushed for an eventual move towards B100, though no formal timeline has been set. This gradual escalation reflects the government’s broader effort to reduce fuel imports, cushion the economy for global shocks and turn domestic palm oil into an instrument of energy security.
The government projects the B50 program to require 16.7–18 million kilolitres of biodiesel and roughly 15.2–16.3 million tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO), employing around 2.1 million workers in the process. It is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to an additional 4.8 million tonnes relative to the savings achieved with the existing B40 mandate while increasing foreign exchange savings by 36.7 trillion Indonesian rupiah (US$2.1 billion).
The program also acts as a partial energy price stabiliser, shielding eligible consumers from some fuel price volatility. As of July 2026, subsidised Biosolar was priced at around Rp6800 (US$0.38) per litre, far below premium non-subsidised diesel. This gap is not entirely attributable to the biodiesel subsidy, because Biosolar and products such as Pertamina Dex serve different market segments and pricing regimes. The subsidy program is supported through palm oil export levies, including a 12.5 per cent levy on CPO.
Yet this levy risks disincentivising palm oil exports, potentially weakening the revenue base used to finance biodiesel support and undermining the savings associated with reduced diesel imports. B50 may reduce diesel imports while increasing the financing needed to keep biodiesel competitive.
The sharper dilemma lies in the food market. Palm oil is both an energy feedstock and Indonesia’s main source of cooking oil. A mandatory blending program such as the B50 mandate creates a large claim on CPO supply. When production growth cannot keep pace, more oil directed into fuel means less is available for food processing.
In August 2026, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that its vegetable oil price index had reached its highest level since June 2022, partly due to expectations of tighter Indonesian export availability amid stronger biodiesel demand and declining yields. The Indonesian Palm Oil Association has warned that El Nino could reduce Indonesia’s CPO output by around 3 million tonnes. The Palm Oil Agribusiness Strategic Policy Institute projects global CPO prices could rise to around US$1650-1720 per tonne as supply tightens. Such contraction would sharpen competition between fuel, food and export demand.
While wealthier households may absorb a moderate rise in cooking oil prices, poorer households devote a larger share of their budgets to food. Higher palm oil prices also reach consumers through street food vendors, small restaurants, caterers and home-based food businesses. Indonesia’s 2022 cooking oil crisis showed how politically destabilising these tensions can become.
https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/10/07/indonesia-secures-its-fuel-supply-at-the-cost-of-its-food-and-forests/
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Malaysia looks beyond traditional buyers in fresh palm oil expansion drive, with Africa and Middle East in focus
Summary
Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad said a wider market gives the industry greater resilience and the opportunity to reach new customers.
“Strong partnerships are essential. Malaysia will continue to engage constructively with governments, regulators and industry partners. Malaysia also remains committed to being a reliable supplier and a constructive partner to the global palm oil industry,” she said in her keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Forum (MPOF) Kuala Lumpur 2026, here today.
Noraini highlighted that the ministry will continue to support smallholders through better planting materials, training and financial assistance. She said smallholders must grow alongside the palm oil industry and benefit from higher productivity, stronger market access and improved incomes.
“We are encouraging smallholders to work together. By working together, they can have better access to services, manage their farms more efficiently and improve productivity. The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification also helps our smallholders improve their farming practices and meet the requirements of the market,” she added.
According to Noraini, palm oil continues to be an important part of Malaysia’s economy, with Malaysia producing 10.8 million tonnes of crude palm oil and palm oil exports exceeding 9.1 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2026.
“Malaysia has around 450,000 smallholders who manage about 27 per cent of Malaysia’s total oil palm planted area, covering close to 1.5 million hectares,” she added. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2026/10/07/malaysia-looks-beyond-traditional-buyers-in-fresh-palm-oil-expansion-drive-with-africa-and-middle-east-in-focus/238054
Indonesia's forest task force hands over more land to palm oil planter Agrinas, forestry ministry
By Reuters
JAKARTA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia’s forestry task force handed over nearly 260,000 hectares (642,474 acres) of seized land to the country’s forestry ministry on Tuesday, with more than half to be transferred to Agrinas Palma Nusantara, the state-run palm oil plantation firm.
- The task force, made up of military personnel, prosecutors and environmental regulators, has seized 6.2 million hectares of land since early 2025 from companies and individuals involved in industries like palm oil and mining that it accused of violating forest utilisation rules.
- Around 140,000 hectares of the land seized most recently will be managed by Agrinas, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin said at the Tuesday handover ceremony.
- Agrinas was already the world’s largest palm oil plantation company by landholding size, with more than 3 million hectares ahead of Tuesday's handover. About 730,000 hectares of its total holdings were planted with oil palm.
- Nearly 120,000 hectares designated as protected and conservation forests were transferred to the forestry ministry for reforestation, Burhanuddin added.
- The task force also handed over 13.24 trillion rupiah ($740.08 million) to the finance ministry, including taxes and administrative fines for forest-use violations.
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Indonesia seeks to utilize degraded land for biofuel production
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is planning to utilize degraded land for food production as raw material for biofuels, eliminating the need for new land clearing for energy development.
This was conveyed by Special Envoy of the Indonesian President for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation Mari Elka Pangestu at the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She stated that Indonesia has over 12 million hectares of degraded land with the potential to support increased food and biofuel production.
According to her, the government is committed to increasing food production for biofuels without deforestation to clear new land.
"We are committed to no longer deforesting to expand food production. Thus, the plan to allocate 2 million hectares announced last year for food production is no longer necessary," she confirmed.
The plan has been discussed with the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Forestry, where both parties have agreed that future food production using biofuels as raw materials will be directed towards the utilization of degraded land.
Mari added that the use of this land will also be part of the Ministry of Forestry's program related to afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation.
She noted that this policy also brings opportunities for investment and international cooperation in developing food and biofuel production based on degraded land.
Furthermore, increasing food production for biofuel also requires intensification through simultaneous improvements in productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
According to her, this can be achieved by developing higher-yielding seeds that can adapt to limited water and hotter temperatures, supported by more efficient fertilizer and water use. She added that research and development and international cooperation, including genome sequencing, are needed to develop such seeds.
The Indonesian government continues to promote biofuels as part of the clean energy transition while reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Indonesia has been implementing a 50 percent biodiesel program, or B50, since last July and is preparing to implement 20 percent bioethanol, or E20.
Furthermore, the government plans to increase the blending level to B60 next year.
The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) estimates that the B60 implementation will require a supply of around 22 to 23 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO).
Meanwhile, the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) projects that national CPO production will only reach around 60 million tons by 2045, partly due to land limitations.
Moreover, the Clean Transition Coalition estimates that the implementation of B50 alone will require an additional 5.36 million hectares of oil palm plantations by 2039, with the potential for deforestation of 1.5 million hectares.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/434425/indonesia-seeks-to-utilize-degraded-land-for-biofuel-production
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Southeast Asia's haze crisis: Have lessons been learned?
Eleven years after catastrophic fires prompted promises of tougher action, Southeast Asia is again choking on transboundary haze, raising questions about whether the region has learned the lessons of 2015.
Indonesia's worst wildfire season in more than a decade is exposing how much, and how little, Southeast Asia's response to haze has changed since 2015.
Forest and land fires have burned across parts of the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Papua for weeks, sending smoke across large areas of the country and into neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.
Indonesia's long 2026 dry season, coupled with this year's El Nino, has worsened what has become an almost annual crisis, exposing millions of people to hazardous smoke containing harmful microscopic particles.
More than 170,000 cases of acute respiratory infection were recorded in haze-affected areas of Indonesia between August and mid-September, according to the country's Health Ministry, including more than 40,000 cases involving young children.
The haze has forced hundreds of schools to close in Malaysia and pushed more than 1.4 million Indonesian students into remote learning, although the full economic cost is not yet known.
Will severe haze become more frequent?
This year's severe weather is only part of the explanation. Fire has long been used as a cheap way to clear land for agriculture in Southeast Asia, while the expansion of palm oil and pulpwood plantations has drained and degraded large areas of peatland.
The echoes of 2015 are hard to ignore. That year's fires burned roughly 2.6 million hectares of land, produced months of severe haze across Southeast Asia and cost Indonesia an estimated $16 billion (€14.2 billion) in economic losses, according to the World Bank.
The risk is growing that severe haze will become more frequent as climate conditions worsen, Paruedee Nguitragool, an associate professor at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, told DW.
"Haze, which used to be mainly a problem in maritime Southeast Asia, has become a concern for most countries in the region," she added.
Governments within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional bloc, "need to be more open to one another and work closely together."
"Farmers and companies need alternative methods of land clearing and incentives to adopt them, while land and forest rehabilitation must also be implemented," Nguitragool said.
"At the same time, consumers need to be more aware of whether the products they buy come from sustainable practices and whether burning was involved in their production," she added.
What changed after 2015?
The 2015 disaster triggered major policy changes. Indonesia strengthened peatland restoration, fire monitoring, enforcement and firefighting, while ASEAN expanded regional cooperation, David Mark Taylor, a professor of tropical environmental change at the National University of Singapore, told DW.
Indonesia established the Peatland Restoration Agency in 2016 to restore millions of hectares of degraded peat. Its mandate was later expanded to mangrove rehabilitation, with the agency renamed the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency.
A permanent moratorium on new concessions in primary forests and peatlands also restricted further development in some vulnerable areas.
Authorities have also increasingly pursued companies in court. Last year, an appeals court ordered palm oil company PT Banyu Kahuripan Indonesia to pay around €14 million in environmental damages over fires covering more than 3,300 hectares of its concession. Other companies have faced much tougher restoration orders.
At the regional level, ASEAN adopted a new Peatland Management Strategy and a second Haze-Free Roadmap for 2023-2030, and the long-awaited ASEAN Coordinating Center for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control opened its secretariat in Jakarta in April, more than two decades after the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
"But the underlying problem hasn't gone away, and neither has the driver," said Taylor.
Extensive areas of peat remain drained or degraded, including cleared land that has yet to be put into productive use. Such poorly managed or "idle" peatlands can become highly combustible during prolonged drought, Taylor noted.
There is also disagreement over how much restoration Indonesia has actually achieved.
The Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency ceased operating at the end of 2024, with its responsibilities returned to other government ministries and institutions, raising questions among environmentalists about whether they can maintain the same institutional focus.
https://amp.dw.com/en/southeast-asias-haze-crisis-have-lessons-been-learned/a-79564992
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KIS, Toyota Tsusho to produce biomethane in Indonesia
Biogas company KIS Group and Japanese trading house Toyota Tsusho have launched a joint venture to produce and sell biomethane derived from palm oil mill effluent (Pome) in Indonesia.
The two companies launched the joint venture, KIS Toyota Tsusho Biomethane Indonesia (KTBI), in September, Toyota Tsusho said on 5 October. KIS Group's Indonesian subsidiary KIS Biofuels Indonesia (KBI) holds a 51pc stake in KTBI, while Toyota Tsusho Indonesia holds the remaining 49pc.
KTBI is developing a project to upgrade biogas into high-purity biomethane. The biogas is generated from Pome at palm oil mills in South Sumatra. KTBI aims to begin commercial operations in 2027, with plans to sell around 150,000 mmBtu/yr (2,880 t/yr) of Pome-derived biomethane, Toyota Tsusho said.
The biomethane will be supplied to buyers in the manufacturing industry in West Java, via pipelines of Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN), the gas subsidiary of Indonesian state-owned Pertamina.
Indonesia is one of the world's major producers of natural gas. But while its gas production has been declining in recent years, demand continues to grow. The country is also the world's largest producer of palm oil and has abundant biomass resources such as Pome, driving growing interest in biomethane as a biomass-based complement to natural gas supplies.
Argus assessed Indonesian RED-compliant refined Pome oil at $1,220/t fob on 5 October.
By Kohei Yamamoto https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2886999-kis-toyota-tsusho-to-produce-biomethane-in-indonesia
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PGN to integrate biomethane into natural gas infrastructure
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) is preparing to integrate biomethane into its natural gas infrastructure to promote the use of low-carbon energy in Indonesia.
PGN Corporate Secretary Fajriyah Usman said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the development of biomethane using palm oil mill waste in South Sumatra is nearing completion.
For this project, PGN is collaborating with PT Toyota Tsusho Indonesia (TTI) and PT KIS Biofuels Indonesia (KIS) to optimize biomethane utilization and ensure future domestic energy supplies.
PGN attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the biomethane plant developed by TTI and KIS on Monday (October 5).
The facility utilizes organic palm oil waste and targets annual biomethane production of approximately 150,000 MMBTU.
Usman noted that this is the first initiative in Indonesia to produce biomethane in Sumatra, a region with a high concentration of palm oil mills.
The project also represents a concrete outcome of the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between PGN and TTI regarding biomethane development in Indonesia.
Under this partnership, PGN acts as the offtaker, or primary buyer, of the biomethane.
Additionally, PGN serves as the transporter. The biomethane produced by PT KIS Toyota Tsusho Biomethane Indonesia (KTBI), a joint venture between KIS and TTI, will be distributed to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) and other industries through PGN’s pipeline network.
“We appreciate TTI and KIS for initiating the construction of this biomethane facility. For PGN, this represents a crucial step in introducing renewable gas from domestic sources into the national energy supply chain,” Usman said.
“PGN stands ready to provide support through our existing infrastructure and commercial capabilities, enabling the industrial sector to utilize biomethane,” she added.
Biomethane utilization leverages infrastructure already in place for natural gas, allowing customers to switch to biomethane with minimal infrastructure modifications.
Beyond enhancing domestic energy security, the use of biomethane complements natural gas consumption, which continues to rise alongside growing decarbonization efforts in the industrial sector.
Using Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), a liquid waste product from palm oil mills, as a feedstock for biomethane offers significant environmental benefits.
Methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere can be captured and processed into energy, thereby helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the achievement of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets and the 2060 net-zero emissions goal.
The project also strengthens downstream development in the palm oil sector by transforming waste into economically valuable energy.
According to Usman, biomethane plays a strategic role in supporting energy self-sufficiency and industrial decarbonization.
“Once production begins, industries such as TMMIN will gain access to low-carbon energy, bolstering their competitiveness amid global demand for green supply chains. We hope this collaborative model can be replicated in other palm oil-producing regions,” she added.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/434338/pgn-to-integrate-biomethane-into-natural-gas-infrastructure
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Indonesia secures its fuel supply at the cost of its food and forests
In Brief
Indonesia’s new B50 biodiesel mandate aims to boost energy security but strains food supplies and the environment. Rising biodiesel demand tightens crude palm oil availability, lifting cooking oil prices and incentivising plantations to expand. Import needs, export levies and land‑use pressures further weaken projected savings. Without rapid yield improvements and alternative feedstocks, B50 could make fuel cheaper at the cost of food affordability and forest protection.
Indonesia has made one of its boldest energy bets yet with the introduction of its ‘B50 mandate’ requiring diesel fuel sold in the country to contain 50 per cent palm-based biodiesel. The mandate took legal effect on 1 July 2026 and was formally launched by President Prabowo Subianto on 9 July, with full implementation scheduled from 1 October 2026 after a three-month transition.
B50 marks the latest step in Indonesia’s biodiesel mandate, which began with a 2.5 per cent blend in 2008 and was progressively raised to B40 in 2025. Prabowo has also pushed for an eventual move towards B100, though no formal timeline has been set. This gradual escalation reflects the government’s broader effort to reduce fuel imports, cushion the economy for global shocks and turn domestic palm oil into an instrument of energy security.
The government projects the B50 program to require 16.7–18 million kilolitres of biodiesel and roughly 15.2–16.3 million tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO), employing around 2.1 million workers in the process. It is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to an additional 4.8 million tonnes relative to the savings achieved with the existing B40 mandate while increasing foreign exchange savings by 36.7 trillion Indonesian rupiah (US$2.1 billion).
The program also acts as a partial energy price stabiliser, shielding eligible consumers from some fuel price volatility. As of July 2026, subsidised Biosolar was priced at around Rp6800 (US$0.38) per litre, far below premium non-subsidised diesel. This gap is not entirely attributable to the biodiesel subsidy, because Biosolar and products such as Pertamina Dex serve different market segments and pricing regimes. The subsidy program is supported through palm oil export levies, including a 12.5 per cent levy on CPO.
Yet this levy risks disincentivising palm oil exports, potentially weakening the revenue base used to finance biodiesel support and undermining the savings associated with reduced diesel imports. B50 may reduce diesel imports while increasing the financing needed to keep biodiesel competitive.
The sharper dilemma lies in the food market. Palm oil is both an energy feedstock and Indonesia’s main source of cooking oil. A mandatory blending program such as the B50 mandate creates a large claim on CPO supply. When production growth cannot keep pace, more oil directed into fuel means less is available for food processing.
In August 2026, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that its vegetable oil price index had reached its highest level since June 2022, partly due to expectations of tighter Indonesian export availability amid stronger biodiesel demand and declining yields. The Indonesian Palm Oil Association has warned that El Nino could reduce Indonesia’s CPO output by around 3 million tonnes. The Palm Oil Agribusiness Strategic Policy Institute projects global CPO prices could rise to around US$1650-1720 per tonne as supply tightens. Such contraction would sharpen competition between fuel, food and export demand.
While wealthier households may absorb a moderate rise in cooking oil prices, poorer households devote a larger share of their budgets to food. Higher palm oil prices also reach consumers through street food vendors, small restaurants, caterers and home-based food businesses. Indonesia’s 2022 cooking oil crisis showed how politically destabilising these tensions can become.
https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/10/07/indonesia-secures-its-fuel-supply-at-the-cost-of-its-food-and-forests/
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Malaysia looks beyond traditional buyers in fresh palm oil expansion drive, with Africa and Middle East in focus
Summary
- Malaysia is committed to enhancing its palm oil market presence by strengthening existing markets and seeking new opportunities in Africa, ASEAN, the Middle East, and other regions, as stated by Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad at the Malaysian Palm Oil Forum.
- The nation emphasizes strong collaborations with governments and industry players, ensuring its status as a reliable global supplier.
- The ministry aims to uplift smallholders through better resources and training, encouraging collective efforts for improved productivity and market access.
- Palm oil remains a crucial economic sector, with significant production and exports recorded in 2026.
Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad said a wider market gives the industry greater resilience and the opportunity to reach new customers.
“Strong partnerships are essential. Malaysia will continue to engage constructively with governments, regulators and industry partners. Malaysia also remains committed to being a reliable supplier and a constructive partner to the global palm oil industry,” she said in her keynote address at the Malaysian Palm Oil Forum (MPOF) Kuala Lumpur 2026, here today.
Noraini highlighted that the ministry will continue to support smallholders through better planting materials, training and financial assistance. She said smallholders must grow alongside the palm oil industry and benefit from higher productivity, stronger market access and improved incomes.
“We are encouraging smallholders to work together. By working together, they can have better access to services, manage their farms more efficiently and improve productivity. The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification also helps our smallholders improve their farming practices and meet the requirements of the market,” she added.
According to Noraini, palm oil continues to be an important part of Malaysia’s economy, with Malaysia producing 10.8 million tonnes of crude palm oil and palm oil exports exceeding 9.1 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2026.
“Malaysia has around 450,000 smallholders who manage about 27 per cent of Malaysia’s total oil palm planted area, covering close to 1.5 million hectares,” she added. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2026/10/07/malaysia-looks-beyond-traditional-buyers-in-fresh-palm-oil-expansion-drive-with-africa-and-middle-east-in-focus/238054
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October 06, 2026
India eyes new palm oil sources as Indonesia, Malaysia raise biofuel blends
Colombia, the world's fourth-largest palm oil producer, has emerged as a possible import source as India looks to diversify supplies amid higher biodiesel blending in Asia
With both Indonesia and Malaysia moving towards higher biodiesel blending that could divert more palm oil towards fuel than food, India, which is one of the world’s largest consumers of edible oils, has started scouting for alternative sources to ensure its food security.
And Colombia, in South America, has emerged as one such country which could be a possible destination for India to diversify its palm oil sourcing.
According to an official statement, a high-level delegation from the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), which is the apex body of oilseed processors and refiners in India, is expected to visit Colombia early next year to explore new avenues for palm oil sourcing, trade and cooperation.
“An MoU between SEA and Colombia’s National Federation of Oil Palm Growers (Fedepalma) is also expected to be signed soon, opening a new chapter in India–Colombia cooperation in the palm oil sector,” an official statement said.
The visit and the possible MoU follow a high-level interaction between SEA and a Colombian delegation on the sidelines of the just-concluded 29th Globoil in Mumbai.
According to the SEA statement, Colombia is the world’s fourth-largest and Latin America’s largest producer of palm oil, accounting for almost 2 million tonnes of palm oil production annually.
India traditionally has been buying around 200,000 tonnes of palm oil from Colombia on average, but there is scope for doing much more.
"The timing of the initiative (visit and possible MoU) is significant, with India having recently reduced import duties on crude edible oils and the festive season driving renewed attention towards the availability and affordability of edible oils in the domestic market,” an official statement said.
Angshu Mallick, President of SEA, said that the invitation to visit Colombia and explore opportunities of mutual benefit is a positive development and SEA is planning the delegation visit early next year and looks forward to taking this engagement forward.
India, the world’s largest consumer of edible oils, imported close to 13.61 million tonnes of edible oils in the first 10 months of the 2025-26 edible oil marketing year (November 2025-August 2026), which is around 4.53 per cent more than in the same period last year.
https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/india-eyes-new-palm-oil-sources-as-indonesia-malaysia-raise-biofuel-blends-126100501090_1.html
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China’s food safety code throws a curveball at palm oil industry
CHINA’s National Food Safety Standard, which includes the Code for the Control of 3-MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters in Foods, came into effect on Sept 2, a year after it was issued. According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the standard is not expected to have an immediate impact on Malaysian palm oil exports to China. Nonetheless, the code warrants a review to ensure exporters meet the requirements.
This is because the code — GB 31664-2025 — does not prescribe numerical maximum limits, unlike the European Union (EU) and Türkiye requirements, MPOC’s CEO Belvinder Sron tells The Edge.
“China’s standard, effective Sept 2, 2026, sets out measures to control 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters (GE) during the production and use of refined edible oils,” she says.
China is a major buyer of global palm oil, although it sources most of its supply from Indonesia rather than Malaysia. Nevertheless, it ranked among Malaysia’s top 10 export markets for the commodity, importing 0.9 million tonnes of the country’s palm oil in 2025, making up 5.9% of total palm oil exports.
“The standard signals that Chinese buyers may pay closer attention to contaminant levels when sourcing edible oils. Malaysian suppliers have experience serving markets with stringent requirements. Over the past five years, Malaysia exported an average of 1.30 million tonnes of palm oil annually to the EU,” she adds.
3-MCPD esters and GE are contaminants formed during the high-temperature refining of edible oils and fats. The contaminants drew global attention after the European Food Safety Authority released a 2016 report warning of potential health risks.
To address this, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has capped 3-MCPD levels in palm oil, but while technologies to lower the contaminant exist, industry adoption has proven difficult due to cost and operational challenges. At present, crude palm oil (CPO) washing remains the most widely used method for reducing 3-MCPD, whether carried out at mills or refineries.
The EU standards on 3-MCPD esters and GE came into force on Jan 1, 2021, with Türkiye following suit only in 2026 despite announcing its intention to do so as early as 2023.
“Despite these stricter requirements, Malaysian palm oil exports to Türkiye increased by 33% to 647,000 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. This shows that Malaysian suppliers have continued to expand sales while meeting the requirements applicable to their shipments. That experience puts them in a position to respond if Chinese buyers seek oils with lower contaminant levels,” says Belvinder.
The MPOC is the global promotion and market-expansion arm for Malaysian palm oil. It is funded by the industry and through government grants.
Belvinder explains that the Chinese standard applies to the production and use of refined edible oils, including refined palm oil. It sets out mandatory process-control and management requirements aimed at minimising the formation of 3-MCPD esters and GE during oil refining and subsequent food processing.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/819775
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Illegally Operated, Officially Certified
In 2025, the Indonesian Government released Decree No. 36 of 2025 containing a list of more than 400 palm oil company areas occupying in excess of 1.1 million hectares of the country’s Forest Area (Kawasan Hutan) without the required forest release.
Our analysis found more than 20 per cent of these areas operated by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified companies.
Under Indonesian law, companies must obtain forest release – formally reclassifying land out of the Forest Area – before development can take place, yet many palm oil companies’ operations remain inside the Forest Area.
This is not a new issue. The presence of palm oil operations inside the Forest Area has been known for years and is in part due to historical governance failures, including inconsistencies in spatial plans, that have not been addressed.
https://eia-international.org/report/illegally-operated-officially-certified/
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‘There could be local extinction’: The fight to protect Indonesia’s orangutans as El Niño fuels fires
The warning comes as Indonesia faces a severe fire season fueled by strong El Niño conditions, with conservationists scrambling to rescue wildlife trapped in burning landscapes. Fires are burning in rainforests that contain 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations of Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus).
As of Sept. 22, the Ministry of Forestry reported that 100 wildlife, including 53 Bornean orangutans, had been rescued.
Rescuers have found some orangutans suffering severe physical injuries after escaping the fires. In Central Kalimantan, an approximately 4-year-old orangutan named Novita was found trapped in a burning area near Sebangau National Park in Central Kalimantan province with serious burns on all four hands and feet, according to local news Betahita. She was later taken to a rehabilitation center for treatment.
In locations where orangutans are surrounded by fire and have nowhere to go, they can “literally burn alive,” said Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) CEO Anton Nurcahyo.
The risk may be particularly high for females with young, Anton told Mongabay. Their tendency to remain in established home ranges can be a disadvantage during fires, while females with young are less able to move quickly when flames spread.
In September, one adult male, found severely weakened and struggling to breathe in an oil palm plantation, died despite emergency treatment, with examination indicating that smoke exposure caused acute oxygen deprivation.
“Without urgent action, thousands more orangutans could be killed, injured or displaced,” says the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, a network of primatologists, field researchers and conservation experts, in a statement.
There is a precedent for such a warning. During the 1997-98 El Niño fires, millions of hectares burned across Borneo and researchers estimated that thousands of orangutans died, possibly as many as one-third of the global population at the time.
The current fires are not necessarily comparable in their eventual extent or impact, and the number of orangutans affected by the 2026 fires is not yet known. But the 1997-98 fires demonstrate the potential scale of losses when severe El Niño-driven fires spread through orangutan habitat.
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/amp/
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Budget 2027: What RM425m for plantations and commodities means for Malaysians
Summary
Yet each begins, in one way or another, with commodities produced by the country’s plantation sector.
Those commodities do not stop at the plantation, as they are processed into products used by consumers and businesses, while also contributing to the country’s exports.
In September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, also the finance minister, suggested that the government could allocate RM425 million to bolster the country’s agriculture.
So, what does the plantation and commodities sector actually cover, and why has the government proposed RM425.65 million for the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities under Budget 2027?
How will Malaysians “feel” the impact of this allocation?
Let’s take a look at what the ministry covers, where its commodities end up and how they make their way from plantations and smallholdings to consumers and export markets.
The plantation and commodities sector
The ministry oversees commodities including palm oil, rubber, cocoa, pepper, timber, kenaf, sago and tobacco, as well as related downstream activities.
These commodities move through a wider supply chain, from plantations and smallholdings to processing and manufacturing before reaching consumers or overseas markets.
Smallholders, or pekebun kecil, are individual farmers or families who cultivate relatively small areas of land rather than operating large commercial plantations.
They are an important part of the commodity supply chain, particularly in oil palm and rubber.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad has said empowering smallholders through quality inputs, good agricultural practices and support for replanting programmes is one of the ministry’s priorities to improve productivity and income.
Where does it show up in everyday life?
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/06/budget-2027-what-rm425m-for-plantations-and-commodities-means-for-malaysians/234934
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India eyes new palm oil sources as Indonesia, Malaysia raise biofuel blends
Colombia, the world's fourth-largest palm oil producer, has emerged as a possible import source as India looks to diversify supplies amid higher biodiesel blending in Asia
With both Indonesia and Malaysia moving towards higher biodiesel blending that could divert more palm oil towards fuel than food, India, which is one of the world’s largest consumers of edible oils, has started scouting for alternative sources to ensure its food security.
And Colombia, in South America, has emerged as one such country which could be a possible destination for India to diversify its palm oil sourcing.
According to an official statement, a high-level delegation from the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), which is the apex body of oilseed processors and refiners in India, is expected to visit Colombia early next year to explore new avenues for palm oil sourcing, trade and cooperation.
“An MoU between SEA and Colombia’s National Federation of Oil Palm Growers (Fedepalma) is also expected to be signed soon, opening a new chapter in India–Colombia cooperation in the palm oil sector,” an official statement said.
The visit and the possible MoU follow a high-level interaction between SEA and a Colombian delegation on the sidelines of the just-concluded 29th Globoil in Mumbai.
According to the SEA statement, Colombia is the world’s fourth-largest and Latin America’s largest producer of palm oil, accounting for almost 2 million tonnes of palm oil production annually.
India traditionally has been buying around 200,000 tonnes of palm oil from Colombia on average, but there is scope for doing much more.
"The timing of the initiative (visit and possible MoU) is significant, with India having recently reduced import duties on crude edible oils and the festive season driving renewed attention towards the availability and affordability of edible oils in the domestic market,” an official statement said.
Angshu Mallick, President of SEA, said that the invitation to visit Colombia and explore opportunities of mutual benefit is a positive development and SEA is planning the delegation visit early next year and looks forward to taking this engagement forward.
India, the world’s largest consumer of edible oils, imported close to 13.61 million tonnes of edible oils in the first 10 months of the 2025-26 edible oil marketing year (November 2025-August 2026), which is around 4.53 per cent more than in the same period last year.
https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/india-eyes-new-palm-oil-sources-as-indonesia-malaysia-raise-biofuel-blends-126100501090_1.html
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China’s food safety code throws a curveball at palm oil industry
CHINA’s National Food Safety Standard, which includes the Code for the Control of 3-MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters in Foods, came into effect on Sept 2, a year after it was issued. According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the standard is not expected to have an immediate impact on Malaysian palm oil exports to China. Nonetheless, the code warrants a review to ensure exporters meet the requirements.
This is because the code — GB 31664-2025 — does not prescribe numerical maximum limits, unlike the European Union (EU) and Türkiye requirements, MPOC’s CEO Belvinder Sron tells The Edge.
“China’s standard, effective Sept 2, 2026, sets out measures to control 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters (GE) during the production and use of refined edible oils,” she says.
China is a major buyer of global palm oil, although it sources most of its supply from Indonesia rather than Malaysia. Nevertheless, it ranked among Malaysia’s top 10 export markets for the commodity, importing 0.9 million tonnes of the country’s palm oil in 2025, making up 5.9% of total palm oil exports.
“The standard signals that Chinese buyers may pay closer attention to contaminant levels when sourcing edible oils. Malaysian suppliers have experience serving markets with stringent requirements. Over the past five years, Malaysia exported an average of 1.30 million tonnes of palm oil annually to the EU,” she adds.
3-MCPD esters and GE are contaminants formed during the high-temperature refining of edible oils and fats. The contaminants drew global attention after the European Food Safety Authority released a 2016 report warning of potential health risks.
To address this, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has capped 3-MCPD levels in palm oil, but while technologies to lower the contaminant exist, industry adoption has proven difficult due to cost and operational challenges. At present, crude palm oil (CPO) washing remains the most widely used method for reducing 3-MCPD, whether carried out at mills or refineries.
The EU standards on 3-MCPD esters and GE came into force on Jan 1, 2021, with Türkiye following suit only in 2026 despite announcing its intention to do so as early as 2023.
“Despite these stricter requirements, Malaysian palm oil exports to Türkiye increased by 33% to 647,000 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. This shows that Malaysian suppliers have continued to expand sales while meeting the requirements applicable to their shipments. That experience puts them in a position to respond if Chinese buyers seek oils with lower contaminant levels,” says Belvinder.
The MPOC is the global promotion and market-expansion arm for Malaysian palm oil. It is funded by the industry and through government grants.
Belvinder explains that the Chinese standard applies to the production and use of refined edible oils, including refined palm oil. It sets out mandatory process-control and management requirements aimed at minimising the formation of 3-MCPD esters and GE during oil refining and subsequent food processing.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/819775
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Illegally Operated, Officially Certified
In 2025, the Indonesian Government released Decree No. 36 of 2025 containing a list of more than 400 palm oil company areas occupying in excess of 1.1 million hectares of the country’s Forest Area (Kawasan Hutan) without the required forest release.
Our analysis found more than 20 per cent of these areas operated by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified companies.
Under Indonesian law, companies must obtain forest release – formally reclassifying land out of the Forest Area – before development can take place, yet many palm oil companies’ operations remain inside the Forest Area.
This is not a new issue. The presence of palm oil operations inside the Forest Area has been known for years and is in part due to historical governance failures, including inconsistencies in spatial plans, that have not been addressed.
https://eia-international.org/report/illegally-operated-officially-certified/
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‘There could be local extinction’: The fight to protect Indonesia’s orangutans as El Niño fuels fires
- In Indonesia, fires are burning in rainforests that contain 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations of Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus).
- Without urgent action, thousands more orangutans could be killed, injured or displaced, warns the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, a network of primatologists, field researchers and conservation experts.
- Actions must include long-term measures, including community-led efforts, beyond emergency firefighting to tackle the fires, say experts.
The warning comes as Indonesia faces a severe fire season fueled by strong El Niño conditions, with conservationists scrambling to rescue wildlife trapped in burning landscapes. Fires are burning in rainforests that contain 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations of Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus).
As of Sept. 22, the Ministry of Forestry reported that 100 wildlife, including 53 Bornean orangutans, had been rescued.
Rescuers have found some orangutans suffering severe physical injuries after escaping the fires. In Central Kalimantan, an approximately 4-year-old orangutan named Novita was found trapped in a burning area near Sebangau National Park in Central Kalimantan province with serious burns on all four hands and feet, according to local news Betahita. She was later taken to a rehabilitation center for treatment.
In locations where orangutans are surrounded by fire and have nowhere to go, they can “literally burn alive,” said Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) CEO Anton Nurcahyo.
The risk may be particularly high for females with young, Anton told Mongabay. Their tendency to remain in established home ranges can be a disadvantage during fires, while females with young are less able to move quickly when flames spread.
In September, one adult male, found severely weakened and struggling to breathe in an oil palm plantation, died despite emergency treatment, with examination indicating that smoke exposure caused acute oxygen deprivation.
“Without urgent action, thousands more orangutans could be killed, injured or displaced,” says the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, a network of primatologists, field researchers and conservation experts, in a statement.
There is a precedent for such a warning. During the 1997-98 El Niño fires, millions of hectares burned across Borneo and researchers estimated that thousands of orangutans died, possibly as many as one-third of the global population at the time.
The current fires are not necessarily comparable in their eventual extent or impact, and the number of orangutans affected by the 2026 fires is not yet known. But the 1997-98 fires demonstrate the potential scale of losses when severe El Niño-driven fires spread through orangutan habitat.
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/amp/
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Budget 2027: What RM425m for plantations and commodities means for Malaysians
Summary
- The article discusses the significance of Malaysia's plantation and commodities sector, which includes key commodities like palm oil and rubber.
- This sector begins at plantations and smallholdings and extends through processing and manufacturing to reach consumers and export markets.
- The government has proposed a budget allocation of RM425.65 million for 2027 to enhance smallholder productivity, improve infrastructure, and support disease control and downstream agro-commodities.
- The broader economic impact includes enhanced domestic processing, resilient supply chains, and competitive exports, thus benefiting both local usage and international trade.
Yet each begins, in one way or another, with commodities produced by the country’s plantation sector.
Those commodities do not stop at the plantation, as they are processed into products used by consumers and businesses, while also contributing to the country’s exports.
In September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, also the finance minister, suggested that the government could allocate RM425 million to bolster the country’s agriculture.
So, what does the plantation and commodities sector actually cover, and why has the government proposed RM425.65 million for the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities under Budget 2027?
How will Malaysians “feel” the impact of this allocation?
Let’s take a look at what the ministry covers, where its commodities end up and how they make their way from plantations and smallholdings to consumers and export markets.
The plantation and commodities sector
The ministry oversees commodities including palm oil, rubber, cocoa, pepper, timber, kenaf, sago and tobacco, as well as related downstream activities.
These commodities move through a wider supply chain, from plantations and smallholdings to processing and manufacturing before reaching consumers or overseas markets.
Smallholders, or pekebun kecil, are individual farmers or families who cultivate relatively small areas of land rather than operating large commercial plantations.
They are an important part of the commodity supply chain, particularly in oil palm and rubber.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad has said empowering smallholders through quality inputs, good agricultural practices and support for replanting programmes is one of the ministry’s priorities to improve productivity and income.
Where does it show up in everyday life?
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/06/budget-2027-what-rm425m-for-plantations-and-commodities-means-for-malaysians/234934
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October 05, 2026
RSPO’s ‘no harm’ guarantee still given to companies operating illegally
Certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) cannot provide assurance that palm oil has been produced in full compliance with Indonesian law.
For more 20 years, the RSPO – the world’s best-known certification scheme for palm oil, intended to assure consumers that palm oil production does not cause environmental or social harms – has presented certification as a guarantee that palm oil meets environmental, social and legal standards.
It has been more than a decade since EIA has first exposed the repeated failures of the RSPO in 2015’s Who Watches the Watchmen? report and today we release our latest analysis Illegally Operated, Officially Certified.
Despite the RSPO trying to keep up with the times and align with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a fundamental problem remains for the organisation’s credibility – the companies operating illegally can remain certified.
Legal compliance is essential for sustainability. It is essential for good governance, the rule of law, upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and for preventing deforestation and environmental crime. Companies face increasing regulatory, financial and reputational risks for non-compliance. Despite its importance, RSPO certification was not designed to ensure legality, nor can it.
EIA analyses shows that more than 20 per cent of palm oil areas operating illegally in the Indonesian Forest Area are RSPO-certified. New laws such the EUDR and upcoming UK regulations require palm oil to be legally produced before it can be placed on the market. RSPO certification does not guarantee legal compliance and cannot be relied upon as a proxy for due diligence obligations.
In 2025, the Indonesian Government published Decree No. 36, identifying 436 company areas covering more than 1.1 million hectares inside the country’s Forest Area without required “forest release”. EIA’s analysis found that 178 of those areas – 41 per cent – belonged to RSPO member companies and 95 areas, or 22 per cent, were operated by RSPO-certified companies.
Together, those 95 areas cover 274,201 hectares – roughly 1.7 times the size of Greater London – and are linked to 20 palm oil groups, including some of the industry’s biggest names such as Wilmar, Musim Mas and Golden Agri-Resources.
RSPO certification has not demonstrated what regulators and buyers need to know, namely whether every relevant operation and supplier has completed the legal steps required.
Certification must improve – and regulations must remain robust
Voluntary schemes may support due diligence in the EUDR, but responsibility for ensuring legality remains with the companies placing products on the market. A market-based sustainability label should never become a short-cut to legal compliance.
Companies’ deforestation pledges also differ widely in their coverage and deadlines. With no binding requirements behind them, implementation and progress remain uneven.
In July 2026, EIA and our long-term partner Kaoem Telapak revealed how an RSPO member company remained linked to unresolved allegations of Indigenous land rights violations to the Dayak Benuaq community of Muara Tae, in East Kalimantan – more than a decade after complaints were first filed by EIA and local communities. This underscores broader concerns about the RSPO’s ability to identify and address non-compliance with it own standards.
As the UK develops its own regulation on forest risk commodities, it should make clear from the outset that certification must not confer automatic low-risk status, lighter scrutiny nor any exemption from due diligence. At most, certification can provide input into a company’s risk assessment, but it cannot replace independent checks and it must not shift responsibility away from the company.
The RSPO should require audits to test the full certified mill supply base against authoritative Forest Area maps, suspend certification where forest release and applicable penalties have not been completed and close the loophole allowing affected land within a company’s concession to be excluded while the rest remains certified.
Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities should publish up-to-date information on company status, outstanding fines and confiscated or relinquished land.
EIA contacted the RSPO and all 20 palm oil groups identified in the report. The predominant response was that areas listed in Decree No. 36 of 2025 reflect unresolved regulatory and land tenure issues rather than confirmed illegality and that compliance should be assessed through ongoing Government and RSPO processes.
https://eia-international.org/blog/palm-oil-bodys-no-harm-guarantee-still-given-to-companies-operating-illegally/
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Cocoa Surge, Tighter EU Rules: What’s Changing for Ghana’s Agrifood Exporters
The European Union is already a major agrifood trading partner for Ghana, whose exports to the bloc rose sharply in 2025.
Cocoa Dominates Ghanaian Exports
According to the European Commission, Ghana’s exports of agricultural and food products to the EU reached €2.91 billion, about $3.277 billion, in 2025, up from €1.73 billion in 2024, an increase of 68.7%. The growth, however, was largely concentrated in raw materials.
Cocoa overwhelmingly dominates Ghana’s agrifood exports to the EU. Exports of cocoa and cocoa preparations alone totaled about €2.63 billion, accounting for more than 90% of the country’s agrifood exports to the bloc in 2025. Nuts, vegetable oils and fats, and vegetables accounted for much smaller shares.
Animal Products Lead EU Agrifood Exports to Ghana
EU agrifood exports to Ghana reached €775 million in 2025, up from €684 million in 2024, but remained well below Ghanaian exports to the EU. European shipments fluctuated between 2021 and 2025. They fell from €706 million in 2021 to €662 million in 2022 and €572 million in 2023, before recovering to €684 million in 2024 and €775 million in 2025.
Animal products were the largest category of EU agrifood exports to Ghana in 2025, at €337 million, or 43.5% of the total. Poultry and eggs accounted for €185 million, followed by dairy products at €80 million and beef and veal at €45 million. Plant products and arable crops totaled €182 million, while beverages, wine and food preparations reached €163 million.
Ghanaian Exporters Face New EU Requirements
New EU regulations are also changing the requirements facing Ghanaian exporters. One of the main changes is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which covers cocoa as well as coffee, rubber and palm oil. It will apply from December 30, 2026, for large and medium-sized operators and from June 30, 2027, for most micro and small operators.
Other EU rules will impose additional requirements on products sold in the bloc. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which has applied since August 12, 2026, introduces measures covering recyclability, recycled content, packaging reduction and reuse.
From December 14, 2027, the EU Forced Labour Regulation will prohibit products made with forced labor from being placed or made available on the EU market. The regulation covers all products, including agricultural goods, and allows authorities to investigate suspected violations and bar products from the market when forced labor is established. Further growth in Ghana’s agrifood exports to the EU will therefore depend partly on exporters’ ability to meet these requirements, particularly given the European market’s already significant role as a destination for Ghanaian agricultural products.
Stéphanas Assocle https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-agriculture/0410-59444-cocoa-surge-tighter-eu-rules-what-s-changing-for-ghana-s-agrifood-exporters
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Nurturing the shoots of a sustainable future
United Plantations Bhd
Sustainability has long been at the heart of United Plantations Bhd (KL:UTDPLT), or UP, across its plantations, mills and refineries in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The group, which received the world’s first Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification in 2008, has clinched The Edge Billion Ringgit Club’s (BRC) best corporate responsibility (CR) initiatives award for the third time, following wins in 2016 and 2023.
It took this year’s award in the RM10 billion to RM40 billion market capitalisation category.
key part of UP’s environmental approach is improving yields without expanding its land footprint.
Its in-house high-yielding planting materials, combined with disciplined plantation management, enable average yields per hectare at least 80% above the global average. Producing more from the same area reduces the need for plantation expansion, helping preserve forests and biodiversity.
UP has also exceeded its publicised targets in reducing its carbon footprint. Its latest Life Cycle Assessment showed a 69% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per kg of palm oil produced between 2004 and 2025, above its 60% reduction target for 2025.
The group is now targeting a 70% reduction by 2030, supported by further innovation and its collaborations and networks in Scandinavia.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/820091
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Expansion for SD Guthrie ensures palm oil solutions growth
Palm oil solutions provider SD Guthrie International (SDGI) has moved to extend its manufacturing capabilities in Liverpool, UK, through investment in a new Enzymatic Interesterification (EIE) line, reports Neill Barston.
As the company noted, the facility features two independent EIE production systems, each with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes, supported by new storage tanks, a loading bay, weighbridge and effluent treatment plant.
Moreover, as the company observed, EIE is a process that uses enzymes to selectively rearrange fatty acids within a fat structure. Interesterification can be carried out using either chemical or enzymatic methods, with the facility utilising an enzyme-based process.
The expansion reinforces Guthrie’s focus on maximising the versatility of palm-based oils and fats, including customers across the food and drink sector, including in confectionery and snacking operations.
Notably, the business confirmed that the new production line has been designed to operate under milder processing conditions while eliminating the need for post-treatment, helping to improve process efficiency and reduce effluent generation and overall environmental impact.
Richard Town, Chief Operations Officer (Manufacturing) of SDGI, commented that the plant would enable the Company to deliver tailored palm-based fat solutions with greater precision
He said: “This is across a wide range of applications. These include margarines and spreads requiring smoothness, spreadability and controlled melting; bakery fats requiring structure, aeration and consistent performance; biscuit fillings and confectionery requiring stability, controlled melting and desired mouthfeel; and specialty fats designed for customised applications.
“This expanded capability strengthens our ability to respond to customers’ evolving needs, while enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations.”
For his part, Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Guthrie, said the Company’s strength lies in its presence across the palm oil value chain, from upstream and midstream to downstream.
He remarked: “Investments like this allow us to build on that integrated model by transforming the palm oil we produce into higher-value, specialised solutions for our customers. The new EIE facility is about more precision and more possibilities. More precision in how we develop products with specific functional characteristics, and more possibilities to help our customers meet evolving market demands.
“At the same time, it strengthens our downstream capabilities, supports our sustainability ambitions under our “Beyond Zero” framework and enables us to capture greater value across the chain while responding more effectively to customer needs.”
https://www.confectioneryproduction.com/news/59741/expansion-for-sd-guthrie-ensures-palm-oil-solutions-growth/
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SD Guthrie International Expands Liverpool Facility with New Enzymatic Interesterification Line
Investment strengthens capacity to deliver tailored, high-performance palm-based solutions to customers
Liverpool, 2 October 2026 – SD Guthrie International (SDGI), the downstream arm of SD Guthrie Berhad (Guthrie), has expanded its manufacturing capabilities in Liverpool, United Kingdom, with a new Enzymatic Interesterification (EIE) line.
The facility features two independent EIE production lines, each with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes, supported by new storage tanks, a loading bay, weighbridge and effluent treatment plant.
EIE is a process that uses enzymes to selectively rearrange fatty acids within a fat structure. Interesterification can be carried out using either chemical or enzymatic methods, with the facility utilising an enzyme-based process. The new production line has been designed to operate under milder processing conditions while eliminating the need for post-treatment, helping to improve process efficiency and reduce effluent generation and overall environmental impact.
Richard Town, Chief Operations Officer (Manufacturing) of SDGI, said the plant would enable the Company to deliver tailored palm-based fat solutions with greater precision.
“This is across a wide range of applications. These include margarines and spreads requiring smoothness, spreadability and controlled melting; bakery fats requiring structure, aeration and consistent performance; biscuit fillings and confectionery requiring stability, controlled melting and desired mouthfeel; and specialty fats designed for customised applications. This expanded capability strengthens our ability to respond to customers’ evolving needs, while enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations,” he said.
Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Guthrie, said the Company’s strength lies in its presence across the palm oil value chain, from upstream and midstream to downstream.
“Investments like this allow us to build on that integrated model by transforming the palm oil we produce into higher-value, specialised solutions for our customers. The new EIE facility is about more precision and more possibilities. More precision in how we develop products with specific functional characteristics, and more possibilities to help our customers meet evolving market demands.
“At the same time, it strengthens our downstream capabilities, supports our sustainability ambitions under our “Beyond Zero” framework and enables us to capture greater value across the chain while responding more effectively to customer needs,” he added.
The expansion reinforces Guthrie’s focus on maximising the versatility of palm-based oils and fats. The new EIE line enhances the Group’s capability to develop fat systems with precise functional characteristics, giving food manufacturers greater flexibility in designing products for different applications and performance requirements. The facility also strengthens service to UK customers through local production and can help reduce the overall carbon footprint associated with supplying the UK market.
The investment also complements SDGI’s existing manufacturing capabilities and supports the Group’s ambition to strengthen its downstream business through technology, innovation and the development of higher-value products.
https://www.sdguthrie.com/press-releases/SD-Guthrie-International-Expands-Liverpool%20Facility-with-New-Enzymatic-Interesterification-Line
RSPO’s ‘no harm’ guarantee still given to companies operating illegally
Certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) cannot provide assurance that palm oil has been produced in full compliance with Indonesian law.
For more 20 years, the RSPO – the world’s best-known certification scheme for palm oil, intended to assure consumers that palm oil production does not cause environmental or social harms – has presented certification as a guarantee that palm oil meets environmental, social and legal standards.
It has been more than a decade since EIA has first exposed the repeated failures of the RSPO in 2015’s Who Watches the Watchmen? report and today we release our latest analysis Illegally Operated, Officially Certified.
Despite the RSPO trying to keep up with the times and align with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a fundamental problem remains for the organisation’s credibility – the companies operating illegally can remain certified.
Legal compliance is essential for sustainability. It is essential for good governance, the rule of law, upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and for preventing deforestation and environmental crime. Companies face increasing regulatory, financial and reputational risks for non-compliance. Despite its importance, RSPO certification was not designed to ensure legality, nor can it.
EIA analyses shows that more than 20 per cent of palm oil areas operating illegally in the Indonesian Forest Area are RSPO-certified. New laws such the EUDR and upcoming UK regulations require palm oil to be legally produced before it can be placed on the market. RSPO certification does not guarantee legal compliance and cannot be relied upon as a proxy for due diligence obligations.
In 2025, the Indonesian Government published Decree No. 36, identifying 436 company areas covering more than 1.1 million hectares inside the country’s Forest Area without required “forest release”. EIA’s analysis found that 178 of those areas – 41 per cent – belonged to RSPO member companies and 95 areas, or 22 per cent, were operated by RSPO-certified companies.
Together, those 95 areas cover 274,201 hectares – roughly 1.7 times the size of Greater London – and are linked to 20 palm oil groups, including some of the industry’s biggest names such as Wilmar, Musim Mas and Golden Agri-Resources.
RSPO certification has not demonstrated what regulators and buyers need to know, namely whether every relevant operation and supplier has completed the legal steps required.
Certification must improve – and regulations must remain robust
Voluntary schemes may support due diligence in the EUDR, but responsibility for ensuring legality remains with the companies placing products on the market. A market-based sustainability label should never become a short-cut to legal compliance.
Companies’ deforestation pledges also differ widely in their coverage and deadlines. With no binding requirements behind them, implementation and progress remain uneven.
In July 2026, EIA and our long-term partner Kaoem Telapak revealed how an RSPO member company remained linked to unresolved allegations of Indigenous land rights violations to the Dayak Benuaq community of Muara Tae, in East Kalimantan – more than a decade after complaints were first filed by EIA and local communities. This underscores broader concerns about the RSPO’s ability to identify and address non-compliance with it own standards.
As the UK develops its own regulation on forest risk commodities, it should make clear from the outset that certification must not confer automatic low-risk status, lighter scrutiny nor any exemption from due diligence. At most, certification can provide input into a company’s risk assessment, but it cannot replace independent checks and it must not shift responsibility away from the company.
The RSPO should require audits to test the full certified mill supply base against authoritative Forest Area maps, suspend certification where forest release and applicable penalties have not been completed and close the loophole allowing affected land within a company’s concession to be excluded while the rest remains certified.
Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities should publish up-to-date information on company status, outstanding fines and confiscated or relinquished land.
EIA contacted the RSPO and all 20 palm oil groups identified in the report. The predominant response was that areas listed in Decree No. 36 of 2025 reflect unresolved regulatory and land tenure issues rather than confirmed illegality and that compliance should be assessed through ongoing Government and RSPO processes.
https://eia-international.org/blog/palm-oil-bodys-no-harm-guarantee-still-given-to-companies-operating-illegally/
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Cocoa Surge, Tighter EU Rules: What’s Changing for Ghana’s Agrifood Exporters
- Ghana’s agrifood exports to the EU jumped 68.7% in 2025 to €2.91 billion, with cocoa accounting for more than 90% of the total
- EU agrifood exports to Ghana reached €775 million in 2025, led by poultry, eggs, dairy products and other animal products
- Ghanaian exporters face tighter access requirements under new EU rules on deforestation, packaging and forced labor
The European Union is already a major agrifood trading partner for Ghana, whose exports to the bloc rose sharply in 2025.
Cocoa Dominates Ghanaian Exports
According to the European Commission, Ghana’s exports of agricultural and food products to the EU reached €2.91 billion, about $3.277 billion, in 2025, up from €1.73 billion in 2024, an increase of 68.7%. The growth, however, was largely concentrated in raw materials.
Cocoa overwhelmingly dominates Ghana’s agrifood exports to the EU. Exports of cocoa and cocoa preparations alone totaled about €2.63 billion, accounting for more than 90% of the country’s agrifood exports to the bloc in 2025. Nuts, vegetable oils and fats, and vegetables accounted for much smaller shares.
Animal Products Lead EU Agrifood Exports to Ghana
EU agrifood exports to Ghana reached €775 million in 2025, up from €684 million in 2024, but remained well below Ghanaian exports to the EU. European shipments fluctuated between 2021 and 2025. They fell from €706 million in 2021 to €662 million in 2022 and €572 million in 2023, before recovering to €684 million in 2024 and €775 million in 2025.
Animal products were the largest category of EU agrifood exports to Ghana in 2025, at €337 million, or 43.5% of the total. Poultry and eggs accounted for €185 million, followed by dairy products at €80 million and beef and veal at €45 million. Plant products and arable crops totaled €182 million, while beverages, wine and food preparations reached €163 million.
Ghanaian Exporters Face New EU Requirements
New EU regulations are also changing the requirements facing Ghanaian exporters. One of the main changes is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which covers cocoa as well as coffee, rubber and palm oil. It will apply from December 30, 2026, for large and medium-sized operators and from June 30, 2027, for most micro and small operators.
Other EU rules will impose additional requirements on products sold in the bloc. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which has applied since August 12, 2026, introduces measures covering recyclability, recycled content, packaging reduction and reuse.
From December 14, 2027, the EU Forced Labour Regulation will prohibit products made with forced labor from being placed or made available on the EU market. The regulation covers all products, including agricultural goods, and allows authorities to investigate suspected violations and bar products from the market when forced labor is established. Further growth in Ghana’s agrifood exports to the EU will therefore depend partly on exporters’ ability to meet these requirements, particularly given the European market’s already significant role as a destination for Ghanaian agricultural products.
Stéphanas Assocle https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-agriculture/0410-59444-cocoa-surge-tighter-eu-rules-what-s-changing-for-ghana-s-agrifood-exporters
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Nurturing the shoots of a sustainable future
United Plantations Bhd
Sustainability has long been at the heart of United Plantations Bhd (KL:UTDPLT), or UP, across its plantations, mills and refineries in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The group, which received the world’s first Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification in 2008, has clinched The Edge Billion Ringgit Club’s (BRC) best corporate responsibility (CR) initiatives award for the third time, following wins in 2016 and 2023.
It took this year’s award in the RM10 billion to RM40 billion market capitalisation category.
key part of UP’s environmental approach is improving yields without expanding its land footprint.
Its in-house high-yielding planting materials, combined with disciplined plantation management, enable average yields per hectare at least 80% above the global average. Producing more from the same area reduces the need for plantation expansion, helping preserve forests and biodiversity.
UP has also exceeded its publicised targets in reducing its carbon footprint. Its latest Life Cycle Assessment showed a 69% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per kg of palm oil produced between 2004 and 2025, above its 60% reduction target for 2025.
The group is now targeting a 70% reduction by 2030, supported by further innovation and its collaborations and networks in Scandinavia.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/820091
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Expansion for SD Guthrie ensures palm oil solutions growth
Palm oil solutions provider SD Guthrie International (SDGI) has moved to extend its manufacturing capabilities in Liverpool, UK, through investment in a new Enzymatic Interesterification (EIE) line, reports Neill Barston.
As the company noted, the facility features two independent EIE production systems, each with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes, supported by new storage tanks, a loading bay, weighbridge and effluent treatment plant.
Moreover, as the company observed, EIE is a process that uses enzymes to selectively rearrange fatty acids within a fat structure. Interesterification can be carried out using either chemical or enzymatic methods, with the facility utilising an enzyme-based process.
The expansion reinforces Guthrie’s focus on maximising the versatility of palm-based oils and fats, including customers across the food and drink sector, including in confectionery and snacking operations.
Notably, the business confirmed that the new production line has been designed to operate under milder processing conditions while eliminating the need for post-treatment, helping to improve process efficiency and reduce effluent generation and overall environmental impact.
Richard Town, Chief Operations Officer (Manufacturing) of SDGI, commented that the plant would enable the Company to deliver tailored palm-based fat solutions with greater precision
He said: “This is across a wide range of applications. These include margarines and spreads requiring smoothness, spreadability and controlled melting; bakery fats requiring structure, aeration and consistent performance; biscuit fillings and confectionery requiring stability, controlled melting and desired mouthfeel; and specialty fats designed for customised applications.
“This expanded capability strengthens our ability to respond to customers’ evolving needs, while enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations.”
For his part, Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Guthrie, said the Company’s strength lies in its presence across the palm oil value chain, from upstream and midstream to downstream.
He remarked: “Investments like this allow us to build on that integrated model by transforming the palm oil we produce into higher-value, specialised solutions for our customers. The new EIE facility is about more precision and more possibilities. More precision in how we develop products with specific functional characteristics, and more possibilities to help our customers meet evolving market demands.
“At the same time, it strengthens our downstream capabilities, supports our sustainability ambitions under our “Beyond Zero” framework and enables us to capture greater value across the chain while responding more effectively to customer needs.”
https://www.confectioneryproduction.com/news/59741/expansion-for-sd-guthrie-ensures-palm-oil-solutions-growth/
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SD Guthrie International Expands Liverpool Facility with New Enzymatic Interesterification Line
Investment strengthens capacity to deliver tailored, high-performance palm-based solutions to customers
Liverpool, 2 October 2026 – SD Guthrie International (SDGI), the downstream arm of SD Guthrie Berhad (Guthrie), has expanded its manufacturing capabilities in Liverpool, United Kingdom, with a new Enzymatic Interesterification (EIE) line.
The facility features two independent EIE production lines, each with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes, supported by new storage tanks, a loading bay, weighbridge and effluent treatment plant.
EIE is a process that uses enzymes to selectively rearrange fatty acids within a fat structure. Interesterification can be carried out using either chemical or enzymatic methods, with the facility utilising an enzyme-based process. The new production line has been designed to operate under milder processing conditions while eliminating the need for post-treatment, helping to improve process efficiency and reduce effluent generation and overall environmental impact.
Richard Town, Chief Operations Officer (Manufacturing) of SDGI, said the plant would enable the Company to deliver tailored palm-based fat solutions with greater precision.
“This is across a wide range of applications. These include margarines and spreads requiring smoothness, spreadability and controlled melting; bakery fats requiring structure, aeration and consistent performance; biscuit fillings and confectionery requiring stability, controlled melting and desired mouthfeel; and specialty fats designed for customised applications. This expanded capability strengthens our ability to respond to customers’ evolving needs, while enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations,” he said.
Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Guthrie, said the Company’s strength lies in its presence across the palm oil value chain, from upstream and midstream to downstream.
“Investments like this allow us to build on that integrated model by transforming the palm oil we produce into higher-value, specialised solutions for our customers. The new EIE facility is about more precision and more possibilities. More precision in how we develop products with specific functional characteristics, and more possibilities to help our customers meet evolving market demands.
“At the same time, it strengthens our downstream capabilities, supports our sustainability ambitions under our “Beyond Zero” framework and enables us to capture greater value across the chain while responding more effectively to customer needs,” he added.
The expansion reinforces Guthrie’s focus on maximising the versatility of palm-based oils and fats. The new EIE line enhances the Group’s capability to develop fat systems with precise functional characteristics, giving food manufacturers greater flexibility in designing products for different applications and performance requirements. The facility also strengthens service to UK customers through local production and can help reduce the overall carbon footprint associated with supplying the UK market.
The investment also complements SDGI’s existing manufacturing capabilities and supports the Group’s ambition to strengthen its downstream business through technology, innovation and the development of higher-value products.
https://www.sdguthrie.com/press-releases/SD-Guthrie-International-Expands-Liverpool%20Facility-with-New-Enzymatic-Interesterification-Line
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October 04, 2026
Indonesia, G20 reject food as weapon of geopolitical pressure
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and fellow G20 members rejected efforts to use food as a tool of geopolitical pressure, adopting a shared position at the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.
“G20 Trade Ministers reject efforts to use food as an instrument of geopolitical pressure,” Trade Minister Budi Santoso said in an official statement issued in Jakarta on Saturday on the outcomes of the high-level meeting.
“Food is a matter of survival, and using it to exert pressure cannot be justified,” Budi emphasized.
According to the minister, Indonesia and other G20 members underscored that addressing complex international trade challenges — including excess capacity, forced labor practices, and World Trade Organization (WTO) Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) tariff provisions — requires collaboration and joint action while respecting each country’s distinct economic policies and principles.
Addressing global debates over excess production capacity, Budi emphasized the need to examine underlying market dynamics, including supply and demand balances, factory utilization rates, commercial behavior, and key drivers of production.
He stressed that evaluating industrial capacity must rely strictly on sector-specific evidence, acknowledging that individual economic sectors carry unique operational lifecycles, supply chain structures, technological scopes and market dynamics.
"Excess capacity assessments must rely on analytical, evidence-based findings rather than political labels," Budi noted.
Turning to multilateral trade rules, the G20 trade minister asserted that the WTO must uphold and strictly enforce the MFN principle across the global trading system to ensure predictability and non-discrimination in international trade.
Minister Budi pointed out that the MFN principle plays an irreplaceable role in streamlining tariff negotiations and preserving the certainty of negotiated market access commitments, warning that eroding the principle risks compromising Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) mechanisms designed for developing economies.
On human rights and labor standards, Santoso reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to eliminating forced labor as a fundamental part of protecting workers’ dignity and human rights.
However, he emphasized that labor protection initiatives must serve legitimate human rights objectives and must not be repurposed as geopolitical tools to pressure trading partners.
Indonesia highlighted its active measures to address forced labor, including ratifying nine of the 10 International Labour Organization (ILO) Fundamental Conventions and issuing Minister of Trade Regulation No. 9 of 2026, which prohibits the import of goods produced through forced labor.
Similar binding labor standards have been incorporated into Indonesia’s trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/433984/indonesia-g20-reject-food-as-weapon-of-geopolitical-pressure
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Name firms behind transboundary haze, Johor opposition chief urges Indonesia
JOHOR BARU – The Indonesian authorities should disclose the companies, including those linked to Malaysia, that are allegedly contributing to the transboundary haze that has affected people’s health, says Johor’s opposition leader.
Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen, who is also the state’s Balancing Force leader (ketua pengimbang), said in August that the Indonesian authorities had raised concerns about Malaysian-linked companies allegedly connected to the fires.
“If Malaysian companies are involved, the Indonesian authorities should disclose the companies concerned and make the investigation findings transparent, subject to due process,” he said in a statement on Oct 4.
“Malaysian companies must not be shielded from accountability simply because the fires occurred outside this country.”
Chen said he received health complaints from constituents, especially senior citizens, on a daily basis, regarding breathing difficulties and discomfort, making it a public health concern rather than simply an environmental issue.
He condemned slash-and-burn practices by plantation companies and smallholders to clear forests and carbon-rich peatlands for palm oil and pulp production, regardless of their companies’ country of origin or places of open burning.
Asean leaders, he pointed out, had adopted the Asean Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment at the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/name-firms-behind-transboundary-haze-johor-opposition-chief-urges-indonesia
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Colombia biodiesel production seen rising 4.5% to 765 million litres in 2026
Colombia’s biodiesel production is projected to increase 4.5% in 2026 to 765 million litres, supported by record crude palm oil (CPO) production in the previous year, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Oil & Fats International reported.
The country’s 10% biodiesel blending mandate, or B10, remained unchanged, while Colombia continued to be fully self-sufficient in biodiesel feedstock. The USDA’s September 24 Colombia: Biofuels Annual report said no biodiesel feedstock imports or exports were expected.
Colombia’s palm oil planted area has expanded steadily in recent years, reaching about 641,000 hectares in 2025, up 5% from 2024. The growing share of newer plantations entering maturity is expected to continue supporting higher production.
The increase in palm oil availability was backed by record CPO output. The National Federation of Oil Palm Growers (Fedepalma) reported historic CPO production of 1.93 million tonnes in 2025, up 12% from the previous year. It expects national production to cross 2 million tonnes for the first time in 2026.
Biodiesel remained the second-largest domestic user of CPO after food and edible oils. CPO consumption by the biodiesel sector was estimated at 642,000 tonnes in 2025 and is projected at about 670,000 tonnes in 2026.
Colombia has 12 operational biodiesel facilities, with six plants accounting for more than 90% of national production. According to the USDA, only one facility produces meaningful volumes of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO).
Biodiesel consumption in 2026 was estimated at 763 million litres, 4.5% higher than the revised 730 million litres recorded in 2025.
“Colombian biodiesel consumption remains almost entirely feedstock-anchored,” the USDA said, adding that with no imports or exports, consumption cannot exceed the supply available from domestic palm oil, including small volumes of UCO.
Biodiesel ending stocks were forecast at 29 million litres in 2026, compared with 27 million litres in 2025, according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) report.
SAF targets
On advanced fuels, Colombia’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Roadmap, published in January 2025, set targets of 100 million gallons (378.54 million litres) of SAF by 2035 and 450 million gallons (1.7 billion litres) by 2050.
State-owned oil company Ecopetrol has conducted SAF test production and is targeting sustained output by 2028, subject to the establishment of a national regulatory framework.
Ecopetrol also introduced a marine fuel blend in August 2025, creating an additional, albeit small, outlet for biodiesel demand, the USDA said.
Colombia currently has no commercial renewable diesel production, according to the report.
https://bioenergytimes.com/colombia-biodiesel-production-seen-rising-4-5-to-765-million-litres-in-2026/
Indonesia, G20 reject food as weapon of geopolitical pressure
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and fellow G20 members rejected efforts to use food as a tool of geopolitical pressure, adopting a shared position at the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.
“G20 Trade Ministers reject efforts to use food as an instrument of geopolitical pressure,” Trade Minister Budi Santoso said in an official statement issued in Jakarta on Saturday on the outcomes of the high-level meeting.
“Food is a matter of survival, and using it to exert pressure cannot be justified,” Budi emphasized.
According to the minister, Indonesia and other G20 members underscored that addressing complex international trade challenges — including excess capacity, forced labor practices, and World Trade Organization (WTO) Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) tariff provisions — requires collaboration and joint action while respecting each country’s distinct economic policies and principles.
Addressing global debates over excess production capacity, Budi emphasized the need to examine underlying market dynamics, including supply and demand balances, factory utilization rates, commercial behavior, and key drivers of production.
He stressed that evaluating industrial capacity must rely strictly on sector-specific evidence, acknowledging that individual economic sectors carry unique operational lifecycles, supply chain structures, technological scopes and market dynamics.
"Excess capacity assessments must rely on analytical, evidence-based findings rather than political labels," Budi noted.
Turning to multilateral trade rules, the G20 trade minister asserted that the WTO must uphold and strictly enforce the MFN principle across the global trading system to ensure predictability and non-discrimination in international trade.
Minister Budi pointed out that the MFN principle plays an irreplaceable role in streamlining tariff negotiations and preserving the certainty of negotiated market access commitments, warning that eroding the principle risks compromising Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) mechanisms designed for developing economies.
On human rights and labor standards, Santoso reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to eliminating forced labor as a fundamental part of protecting workers’ dignity and human rights.
However, he emphasized that labor protection initiatives must serve legitimate human rights objectives and must not be repurposed as geopolitical tools to pressure trading partners.
Indonesia highlighted its active measures to address forced labor, including ratifying nine of the 10 International Labour Organization (ILO) Fundamental Conventions and issuing Minister of Trade Regulation No. 9 of 2026, which prohibits the import of goods produced through forced labor.
Similar binding labor standards have been incorporated into Indonesia’s trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union.
https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/433984/indonesia-g20-reject-food-as-weapon-of-geopolitical-pressure
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Name firms behind transboundary haze, Johor opposition chief urges Indonesia
JOHOR BARU – The Indonesian authorities should disclose the companies, including those linked to Malaysia, that are allegedly contributing to the transboundary haze that has affected people’s health, says Johor’s opposition leader.
Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen, who is also the state’s Balancing Force leader (ketua pengimbang), said in August that the Indonesian authorities had raised concerns about Malaysian-linked companies allegedly connected to the fires.
“If Malaysian companies are involved, the Indonesian authorities should disclose the companies concerned and make the investigation findings transparent, subject to due process,” he said in a statement on Oct 4.
“Malaysian companies must not be shielded from accountability simply because the fires occurred outside this country.”
Chen said he received health complaints from constituents, especially senior citizens, on a daily basis, regarding breathing difficulties and discomfort, making it a public health concern rather than simply an environmental issue.
He condemned slash-and-burn practices by plantation companies and smallholders to clear forests and carbon-rich peatlands for palm oil and pulp production, regardless of their companies’ country of origin or places of open burning.
Asean leaders, he pointed out, had adopted the Asean Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment at the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/name-firms-behind-transboundary-haze-johor-opposition-chief-urges-indonesia
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Colombia biodiesel production seen rising 4.5% to 765 million litres in 2026
Colombia’s biodiesel production is projected to increase 4.5% in 2026 to 765 million litres, supported by record crude palm oil (CPO) production in the previous year, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Oil & Fats International reported.
The country’s 10% biodiesel blending mandate, or B10, remained unchanged, while Colombia continued to be fully self-sufficient in biodiesel feedstock. The USDA’s September 24 Colombia: Biofuels Annual report said no biodiesel feedstock imports or exports were expected.
Colombia’s palm oil planted area has expanded steadily in recent years, reaching about 641,000 hectares in 2025, up 5% from 2024. The growing share of newer plantations entering maturity is expected to continue supporting higher production.
The increase in palm oil availability was backed by record CPO output. The National Federation of Oil Palm Growers (Fedepalma) reported historic CPO production of 1.93 million tonnes in 2025, up 12% from the previous year. It expects national production to cross 2 million tonnes for the first time in 2026.
Biodiesel remained the second-largest domestic user of CPO after food and edible oils. CPO consumption by the biodiesel sector was estimated at 642,000 tonnes in 2025 and is projected at about 670,000 tonnes in 2026.
Colombia has 12 operational biodiesel facilities, with six plants accounting for more than 90% of national production. According to the USDA, only one facility produces meaningful volumes of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO).
Biodiesel consumption in 2026 was estimated at 763 million litres, 4.5% higher than the revised 730 million litres recorded in 2025.
“Colombian biodiesel consumption remains almost entirely feedstock-anchored,” the USDA said, adding that with no imports or exports, consumption cannot exceed the supply available from domestic palm oil, including small volumes of UCO.
Biodiesel ending stocks were forecast at 29 million litres in 2026, compared with 27 million litres in 2025, according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) report.
SAF targets
On advanced fuels, Colombia’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Roadmap, published in January 2025, set targets of 100 million gallons (378.54 million litres) of SAF by 2035 and 450 million gallons (1.7 billion litres) by 2050.
State-owned oil company Ecopetrol has conducted SAF test production and is targeting sustained output by 2028, subject to the establishment of a national regulatory framework.
Ecopetrol also introduced a marine fuel blend in August 2025, creating an additional, albeit small, outlet for biodiesel demand, the USDA said.
Colombia currently has no commercial renewable diesel production, according to the report.
https://bioenergytimes.com/colombia-biodiesel-production-seen-rising-4-5-to-765-million-litres-in-2026/
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October 02, 2026
US Bans Imports From 2 Indonesian Palm Oil Producers over Forced Labor
On September 29, 2026, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued two Withhold Release Orders (WROs) against palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP) in Indonesia. Both WROs are the result of a CBP review that MAR and HIP use forced labor to produce palm oil and its derivative products. During its review, CBP analyzed the following supporting evidence: interview transcripts, payroll slips, harvest quota information, photographs, open-source non-governmental organization and other government agency reports, news media, and academic research. The evidence demonstrated that workers at MAR are subject to nine International Labour Organization (ILO) indicators of forced labor, and that workers at HIP are subject to seven ILO indicators of forced labor.
The WROs are effective immediately and, therefore, CBP personnel will be detaining at the U.S. port of entry all palm oil and its derivative products produced in Indonesia by MAR and HIP under the assumption that they have been manufactured using forced labor. Importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export their shipments or seek to demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor. Importers who have purchased covered goods or whose goods get detained under a WRO should seek assistance of legal counsel.
These actions bring the total number of active WROs to 60 and eight Findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307, the law prohibiting goods made with forced labor from entering the United States. See CBP’s WRO and Findings Dashboard for more information.
https://www.thompsonhinesmartrade.com/2026/10/cbp-issues-withhold-release-orders-on-two-indonesian-palm-oil-producers/
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India steps up palm oil buying as tax cut spurs restocking
India is increasing its palm oil imports after reducing import duties, prompting refiners to restock. More than 200,000 tons of crude palm oil have been bought recently as inventories run low. The government cut taxes on edible oil imports, adding urgency to the purchases. This buying activity is crucial ahead of the Diwali festival and the wedding season.
India is snapping up palm oil after New Delhi slashed import duties, prompting refiners in the world’s biggest buyer to replenish depleted inventories ahead of the festival season.
More than 200,000 tons of crude palm oil have been bought in the past week after the government cut taxes on edible oil imports, said Aashish Acharya, vice president at Patanjali Foods Ltd. Inventories held by distributors and other downstream buyers are running low, adding urgency to purchases in time for Diwali, and the wedding season that follows, he added.
The buying spree could provide a fresh boost to the global palm market as supplies at top producers Indonesia and Malaysia remain ample. Malaysian inventories are at their highest in 2026. India typically imports 500,000 to 650,000 tons of palm oil a month. A sustained restocking push by the world’s biggest vegetable-oil importer could quickly absorb excess supply, supporting prices.
The government last week halved the levy on imports of crude palm and soybean oils to 5%, as part of a broader reduction in taxes on edible oils aimed at containing food costs. India imports about 60% of the vegetable oil it consumes, leaving domestic prices exposed to swings in global markets.
Indian purchases could accelerate if prices fall further and rise to as much as 750,000 tons a month during peak demand, Acharya said. “If prices come down by another $40 a ton or so, India will buy more aggressively.”
Consumption typically rises during the festival season, which starts in September and runs through Diwali in November, as households and restaurants use more cooking oil for fried foods, traditional sweets and other treats.
Bookings have been stronger than usual over the past week, as the duty cut improved palm oil’s appeal and encouraged buyers to lock in festive-period supplies, said Rajesh Modi, a trader at Sprint Exim Pte in Singapore. While India also scrapped import taxes on crude sunflower oil, buyers have favored palm amid uncertainty over Black Sea supplies due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Benchmark palm oil futures in Kuala Lumpur have retreated sharply from an August closing peak of 5,018 ringgit ($1,228) a ton as robust production and weak exports fuel concerns that inventories will swell in the coming months. Prices fell for a fifth day to as low as 4,528 ringgit on Thursday, the lowest intra-day level since July 14.
“Palm is now the cheapest edible oil,” Modi said. “They are looking to buy palm at every price correction.”
https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/food-entertainment/personal-care-pet-supplies-liquor/india-steps-up-palm-oil-buying-as-tax-cut-spurs-restocking/134617799
US Bans Imports From 2 Indonesian Palm Oil Producers over Forced Labor
On September 29, 2026, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued two Withhold Release Orders (WROs) against palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP) in Indonesia. Both WROs are the result of a CBP review that MAR and HIP use forced labor to produce palm oil and its derivative products. During its review, CBP analyzed the following supporting evidence: interview transcripts, payroll slips, harvest quota information, photographs, open-source non-governmental organization and other government agency reports, news media, and academic research. The evidence demonstrated that workers at MAR are subject to nine International Labour Organization (ILO) indicators of forced labor, and that workers at HIP are subject to seven ILO indicators of forced labor.
The WROs are effective immediately and, therefore, CBP personnel will be detaining at the U.S. port of entry all palm oil and its derivative products produced in Indonesia by MAR and HIP under the assumption that they have been manufactured using forced labor. Importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export their shipments or seek to demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor. Importers who have purchased covered goods or whose goods get detained under a WRO should seek assistance of legal counsel.
These actions bring the total number of active WROs to 60 and eight Findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307, the law prohibiting goods made with forced labor from entering the United States. See CBP’s WRO and Findings Dashboard for more information.
https://www.thompsonhinesmartrade.com/2026/10/cbp-issues-withhold-release-orders-on-two-indonesian-palm-oil-producers/
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India steps up palm oil buying as tax cut spurs restocking
India is increasing its palm oil imports after reducing import duties, prompting refiners to restock. More than 200,000 tons of crude palm oil have been bought recently as inventories run low. The government cut taxes on edible oil imports, adding urgency to the purchases. This buying activity is crucial ahead of the Diwali festival and the wedding season.
India is snapping up palm oil after New Delhi slashed import duties, prompting refiners in the world’s biggest buyer to replenish depleted inventories ahead of the festival season.
More than 200,000 tons of crude palm oil have been bought in the past week after the government cut taxes on edible oil imports, said Aashish Acharya, vice president at Patanjali Foods Ltd. Inventories held by distributors and other downstream buyers are running low, adding urgency to purchases in time for Diwali, and the wedding season that follows, he added.
The buying spree could provide a fresh boost to the global palm market as supplies at top producers Indonesia and Malaysia remain ample. Malaysian inventories are at their highest in 2026. India typically imports 500,000 to 650,000 tons of palm oil a month. A sustained restocking push by the world’s biggest vegetable-oil importer could quickly absorb excess supply, supporting prices.
The government last week halved the levy on imports of crude palm and soybean oils to 5%, as part of a broader reduction in taxes on edible oils aimed at containing food costs. India imports about 60% of the vegetable oil it consumes, leaving domestic prices exposed to swings in global markets.
Indian purchases could accelerate if prices fall further and rise to as much as 750,000 tons a month during peak demand, Acharya said. “If prices come down by another $40 a ton or so, India will buy more aggressively.”
Consumption typically rises during the festival season, which starts in September and runs through Diwali in November, as households and restaurants use more cooking oil for fried foods, traditional sweets and other treats.
Bookings have been stronger than usual over the past week, as the duty cut improved palm oil’s appeal and encouraged buyers to lock in festive-period supplies, said Rajesh Modi, a trader at Sprint Exim Pte in Singapore. While India also scrapped import taxes on crude sunflower oil, buyers have favored palm amid uncertainty over Black Sea supplies due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Benchmark palm oil futures in Kuala Lumpur have retreated sharply from an August closing peak of 5,018 ringgit ($1,228) a ton as robust production and weak exports fuel concerns that inventories will swell in the coming months. Prices fell for a fifth day to as low as 4,528 ringgit on Thursday, the lowest intra-day level since July 14.
“Palm is now the cheapest edible oil,” Modi said. “They are looking to buy palm at every price correction.”
https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/food-entertainment/personal-care-pet-supplies-liquor/india-steps-up-palm-oil-buying-as-tax-cut-spurs-restocking/134617799
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October 01, 2026
Palm Oil’s Untapped Potential - New Evidence Highlights Its Role in India’s Evolving Nutrition and Food Safety
Palm oil is one of the world’s most widely used edible oils, yet its nutritional and functional benefits remain widely misunderstood.
India deserves a palm oil conversation built on evidence. Our aim is not to promote or dismiss any single oil, but to help consumers, regulators and food businesses to understand palm oil composition.”— Dr BN Jha, MBBS MD General MedicineMUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, October 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- "No Palm Oil" is becoming a familiar promise on Indian food packaging. From biscuits and namkeen to ready-to-eat snacks, brands are using the phrase as moniker for "healthier", sans evidence that the reformulated product is nutritionally superior than the one it replaced.
The claim tells shoppers what has been taken out. It rarely tells them what has gone in instead, or whether the resulting product is any lower in saturated fat, sugar, sodium or calories.
The result is a marketing narrative that has moved ahead of the science. It misleads the consumers about an oil that accounts for more than one-third of India's edible oil consumption.
"The growing use of 'No Palm Oil' claims has introduced a simplified way of communicating food quality, but the absence of palm oil does not, by itself, establish that a product has a better nutritional profile. A reformulated product may replace palm oil with another fat while simultaneously changing other aspects of its formulation, including sodium, additives or the degree of processing."
- Dr Vishal Malhotra, Senior Healthcare Consultant, Makreo Research
What gets lost in this debate is what palm oil actually offers. Several of its qualities remain little known to most consumers:
• Naturally free of industrial trans fats: unlike partially hydrogenated oils, palm oil needs no hydrogenation to become semi-solid, making it a key ally in removing trans fats from Indian diets.
• A balanced fat profile: about 40–45% of its fat is monounsaturated, the same type found in olive and groundnut oil, alongside 40–50% saturated fat.
• Stable at high heat: its low polyunsaturated content means it breaks down more slowly during frying, forming fewer degradation products in the oil that reaches the plate.
• A natural source of antioxidants: palm oil contains tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E, and unrefined red palm oil is one of the richest plant sources of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/945397118/palm-oil-s-untapped-potential-new-evidence-highlights-its-role-in-india-s-evolving-nutrition-and-food-safety
---------
‘No Palm Oil’, ‘High Protein’, ‘Low Sugar’: Are Food Labels Misleading You?
Does “no palm oil” automatically make a packaged food healthier? Marketing veteran Lloyd Matthies explains how brands use claims like “high protein”, “low sugar” and “no palm oil” to influence buying decisions, why these labels can create a health halo, and what consumers should actually check before picking a product. He also breaks down how food companies respond to changing consumer behaviour and why the ingredient list and nutritional information matter more than the claims on the front of the pack.
Palm Oil’s Untapped Potential - New Evidence Highlights Its Role in India’s Evolving Nutrition and Food Safety
Palm oil is one of the world’s most widely used edible oils, yet its nutritional and functional benefits remain widely misunderstood.
India deserves a palm oil conversation built on evidence. Our aim is not to promote or dismiss any single oil, but to help consumers, regulators and food businesses to understand palm oil composition.”— Dr BN Jha, MBBS MD General MedicineMUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, October 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- "No Palm Oil" is becoming a familiar promise on Indian food packaging. From biscuits and namkeen to ready-to-eat snacks, brands are using the phrase as moniker for "healthier", sans evidence that the reformulated product is nutritionally superior than the one it replaced.
The claim tells shoppers what has been taken out. It rarely tells them what has gone in instead, or whether the resulting product is any lower in saturated fat, sugar, sodium or calories.
The result is a marketing narrative that has moved ahead of the science. It misleads the consumers about an oil that accounts for more than one-third of India's edible oil consumption.
"The growing use of 'No Palm Oil' claims has introduced a simplified way of communicating food quality, but the absence of palm oil does not, by itself, establish that a product has a better nutritional profile. A reformulated product may replace palm oil with another fat while simultaneously changing other aspects of its formulation, including sodium, additives or the degree of processing."
- Dr Vishal Malhotra, Senior Healthcare Consultant, Makreo Research
What gets lost in this debate is what palm oil actually offers. Several of its qualities remain little known to most consumers:
• Naturally free of industrial trans fats: unlike partially hydrogenated oils, palm oil needs no hydrogenation to become semi-solid, making it a key ally in removing trans fats from Indian diets.
• A balanced fat profile: about 40–45% of its fat is monounsaturated, the same type found in olive and groundnut oil, alongside 40–50% saturated fat.
• Stable at high heat: its low polyunsaturated content means it breaks down more slowly during frying, forming fewer degradation products in the oil that reaches the plate.
• A natural source of antioxidants: palm oil contains tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E, and unrefined red palm oil is one of the richest plant sources of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/945397118/palm-oil-s-untapped-potential-new-evidence-highlights-its-role-in-india-s-evolving-nutrition-and-food-safety
---------
‘No Palm Oil’, ‘High Protein’, ‘Low Sugar’: Are Food Labels Misleading You?
Does “no palm oil” automatically make a packaged food healthier? Marketing veteran Lloyd Matthies explains how brands use claims like “high protein”, “low sugar” and “no palm oil” to influence buying decisions, why these labels can create a health halo, and what consumers should actually check before picking a product. He also breaks down how food companies respond to changing consumer behaviour and why the ingredient list and nutritional information matter more than the claims on the front of the pack.
National authorities must work together to ensure consistent enforcement of EUDR
With the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) coming into force from 1 January, national authorities need to be aligned to prevent palm oil entering Europe through more lenient entry points, the OFI Commercial/Technical conference heard in Amsterdam last week.
The conference was one of four held under one roof from 21-23 September at the OFI International 2026 show, which attracted more than 350 people from over 30 countries.
“The EUDR is a welcome and loved baby but its delivery has been long and painful,” said Ruben Brunsveld, deputy director, market transformation EMEA, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Originally due to take effect on 30 December 2024, the EUDR has been delayed twice but is now set to come into force for large- and medium-sized companies on 1 January, and for small and micro operators on 30 June 2027.
Companies placing palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, cattle, rubber or timber goods on the EU market will need to have a functioning due diligence system to prove these commodities are deforestation-free, legally produced and traceable to their source.
Brunsveld told the conference that while RSPO certification did not substitute an operator’s due diligence responsibilities, it could demonstrate compliance in required risk analysis, traceability and National Competent Authority (NCA) checks.
He identified three outstanding issues in the implementation of the EUDR – data sharing, the new Annex 1 to the EUDR, and different national approaches to implementation.
Data sharing: Under the EUDR, companies will need to submit due diligence statements (DDSs) into an EU information system, throwing up questions on who owns the data, who has access to it, and the protection of sensitive commercial information.
Annex 1: The July 2026 revision of Annex I - which determines which products fall within the EUDR - removed some products from scope and added others, including certain palm oil derivatives. The new products would become subject to the EUDR from 30 December 2027, and it remained to be seen how companies would respond to this, Ruben said.
National implementation: While the EUDR is an EU law, it is up to each country’s NCA to enforce it.
Ruben said NCAs needed to be aligned to prevent different entry points into Europe, especially if some NCAs were more lenient in enforcing the EUDR than others.
Marieke Leegwater, senior policy advisor at Solidaridad, added that there was increasing evidence that smallholders were being excluded from EU value chains because of lack of documentation and the complexities of organising data; and it was often unclear how farmer data ownership would be protected.
“For palm oil, smallholders are being pushed out of value chains to Europe. It started with the RSPO and the EUDR has made it worse.”
European palm oil volumes were now mostly supplied from bigger estates and a solution needed to be found to include smallholders, she said.
EU-Indonesia palm oil trade
Relating to palm oil, Frans Claassen, managing director of MVO – the Netherlands oils and fats industry association – said the new the EU-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) could make Indonesian palm oil significantly more attractive for the EU.
“CEPA will introduce annual duty and levy-free export quotas for Indonesian palm oil to the EU. The quota starts with 1.9M tonnes and increases by 3% for nine consecutive years.”
The agreement – set to come into force in early 2027 – would abolish current 3.8% EU import duties on crude palm oil (CPO); 12.8% duties on solid fractions (immediate packings, maximum 1kg); 10.9% of ‘other’ solid fractions; 5.1% duties on refined/bleach/deodorised (RBD) palm oil or palm olein for non-food applications; and 9% duties for ‘other’ RBD palm oil or palm olein.
Claassen explained that Indonesia accounted for a 10% share of total EU CPO imports of 1.68M tonnes in 2025, and a 51% share of the EU’s total processed palm oil imports of 1.46M tonnes that year, giving it a 29% share of total EU imports of palm oil.
At the Indonesian September 2026 palm oil reference price of US$1,007.51/tonne, CEPA would remove US$268.90/tonne in export duties and levies on CPO, and US$176.75/tonne of export duties and levies on RBD palm oil, which could make Indonesian CPO significantly more attractive for the EU.
However, the actual benefits fully depended on how Indonesia allocated the quotas, and European processors needed clarity on the practical operation and allocation of quotas “without delay”, Claassen said.
Dr Fadhil Hasan, senior economist and head of foreign affairs at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), said that CEPA was in the process of ratification in Indonesia and would be passed in March.
On policy changes related to palm oil, Dr Hasan said the country’s new state-owned entity - Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI) – had been set up to improve governance in export activities and export earnings management, and to eliminate the risk of under-invoicing and transfer pricing.
“DSI is not the sole exporter of palm oil and other products.”
The government was also setting up a commodity exchange to make and strengthen palm oil price discovery.
And there was a shift in Indonesia’s mandatory biofuel blending programme to emphasise energy security, rather than as instrument to stabilise palm oil prices.
Dr Hasan added that due to strong El Niño effects this year, palm oil production would fall by 4-5M tonnes in 2027. Domestic consumption would increase by around 2M tonnes next year due to full B50 palm oil-based biodiesel mandatory blending, and exports would therefore decline next year.
Vegetable oil squeeze
Artem Hammerschmidt, head of vegetable oils and biofuels research at Cefetra Analytics, also spoke of a “major vegetable oil squeeze” in the next two years.
He said surging energy prices had strengthened the economic case for biofuels, raising the demand outlook for oils and fats.
In the USA, mandate-driven output requirements would rise by around 3M tonnes in 2026 and another 2M tonnes in 2027, forcing US biodiesel/HVO and SAF producers back into imported oils and fats. Indonesia’s palm oil use for biodiesel, driven by its B50 biodiesel mandate, was also set to lift domestic palm oil use for biodiesel to 16.8M tonnes, curtailing exports.
Hammerschmidt said total oils and fats requirements for FAME, HVO and SAF in 2025 totalled 58.9M tonnes but were forecast to jump by 6-7M tonnes in 2026 and by another 7M tonnes in 2027 to total 72.5M tonnes.
“The challenge is not absorbing one exceptional increase but doing so for two consecutive years.”
With El Niño setting the stage for a major vegetable oil squeeze, global production of oils and fats was expected to fall by 0.3M tonnes in 2026/27, exports could fall by 0.8M tonnes and stocks could plunge by 3.3M tonnes as demand jumped 5.7M tonnes, he said.
Limited global supply of used and waste oils also meant Europe would increasingly rely on rapeseed oil as a biofuel feedstock, with producers having to pay more for used cooking oil (UCO) as suppliers would need to go further afield to find and collect new supplies.
UCO
Because UCO is increasingly used as a raw material for biofuels, the EU was introducing new requirements for UCO imports, explained Steven Danneel, Coordinating Senior Inspector, Animal By-products, Tactical Direction & Expertise Division, Directorate Enforcement, of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority (NVWA).
Danneel told the OFI Commercial/Technical conference that UCO could originate from vegetable oils such as soyabean and palm oils, or animal-based sources such as tallow.
Under the new rules, due to come into force on 19 November 2027, UCO containing or consisting of animal-origin material would be considered as Category 3 material under the EU Animal By-products (ABP) regulation.
The imported ABP UCO had to originate from an ABP-approved or registered operator in the third country, which would be an issue, he said.
This was because UCO may be collected from many small sources; authorities in the exporting country would have to oversee the different operators and provide relevant information for EU purposes; and existing UCO supply chains may not be structured for this.
Danneel added that as it was not always possible to test if UCO came from animal origins, traceability would need to be document-based, rather than from analysis of the product.
The OFI Commercial/Technical Conference was organised by Oils & Fats International (OFI) and MVO - The Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry association.
The conference and the OFI International 2026 show, held at the Amsterdam Congress Centre, was supported by the Netherlands Oils, Fats and Oilseeds Trade Association (NOFOTA) and FOSFA International. The event also featured a major exhibition of suppliers to the oils and fats industry and three other conferences organised by the German Society for Fat Science (DGF); Euro Fed Lipid (EFL) and Triact.
https://www.ofimagazine.com/news/national-authorities-must-work-together-to-ensure-consistent-enforcement-of-eudr
---------
US tech firm inks deal with Malaysian consortium for proposed 680MW solar-plus-storage project to power data center
A US-based multinational technology company has signed an agreement recently with a Malaysian consortium for a proposed 680MW solar-plus-storage project to power its data center, according to the companies’ joint press release.
The consortium, comprising Gamuda Bhd, SD Guthrie Bhd and Gentari Sdn Bhd have signed a Bilateral Energy Supply Contract (BESC) term sheet through their joint venture firm, G3nerasi Kinta Sdn Bhd, with the US firm which is unnamed.
G3nerasi Kinta Sdn Bhd is a joint venture company between Guthrie’s wholly owned subsidiary, SD Guthrie Renewable Energy Sdn Bhd, with Gamuda Energy Sdn Bhd and Gentari Renewables Sdn Bhd.
The BESC project is expected to be commercially operational in 2029 and will supply renewable power to the US firm’s data center under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS).
The project, which includes a four-hour battery energy storage system, will run for 21 years, and may generate more than RM10 billion in gross revenue over the offtake period, according to Gamuda. It added that funding could come from a combination of project financing and equity contributions from the partners based on their respective stakes.
https://w.media/us-tech-firm-inks-deal-with-malaysian-consortium-for-proposed-680mw-solar-plus-storage-project-to-power-data-center/
--------
From residue to resource: The rise and risks of marine biofuels
While corn, sugarcane, wheat, or vegetable oils can be converted into fuel, their use for food is driving demand to develop waste or bi-products from agricultural, forestry, food-processing and other biological industries as more prudent alternatives, explained Mark Smith, Director – Decarbonisation, NorthStandard.
Bio-residues can, for example, be used to derive fuels or fuel blends which promise to ‘drop-in’ as replacements for conventional oils to help ships reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Already, Fuel EU Maritime regulations financially incentivise the use of bio-residue, where a reduced emissions ‘surplus’ can be sold to ship operators in deficit to avoid compliance penalties.
A proposed revision to the EU ETS would introduce a technology neutral framework called SMAP (Sustainable Maritime Alternative Propulsion) to help close the cost gap between fossil and low-carbon fuels.
Furthermore, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) encourages the production of biofuel from residues including used cooking oil (UCO), some animal fat, Palm Oil Mill Effluent, tall oil (a pine wood pulp by-product), and lignocellulosic residues (from non-food plant parts), as well as forestry, agricultural and some industrial residues.
In its initial form, the IMO Net Zero Framework (NZF) also envisaged ‘GHG pricing’, supported by a mechanism incentivising lower emissions, although administrations are currently divided on whether the measure is workable, or even desirable. Between 30 November and 3 December, the 85th Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting will test the basis on which the NZF can move forward.
Residual fuel demand
Nevertheless, demand for marine biofuels continues to grow. In its latest ‘Maritime Forecast to 2050’, DNV notes that 89.8% of in-service tonnage can operate only on oil fuels.
“This implies reliance on drop-in fuels such as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for decarbonization, unless these vessels are converted to use alternative fuels or equipped with onboard carbon capture and storage,” says DNV. “For vessels currently on order, 60.6% of the tonnage and 79.5% of the ships by number face similar limitations.”
Against this backdrop, it is likely that suppliers seeking to satisfy maritime demand will increasingly look beyond conventional feedstocks towards more complex bio-residue sources.
It is therefore worth acknowledging that bio-residues need to be treated as waste-derived fuel which require enhanced fuel-quality management and pollution preparedness.
Potential unintended consequences
As RED III applies to all industries, there will also be competition from the airline and heavy transport industries in the use of bio-residues, and we suspect this will create additional risks in the maritime sector.
Buyers in the sector may be exposed to lower-quality residues, for example, chemically variable feedstocks and/or blends from multiple residue streams. Pressure may mount on traceability systems, fraud risks may increase (due to misclassification of sustainability values in Proof of Compliance documents) and disputes over the chain of custody accumulate.
For ship operations, the risks may translate into oxidation instability, and greater variability in acidity and cold flow properties, or in degradation during storage. Lower quality fuels could foul injectors or cause fuel pump wear. More sediment could form and more blockages occur in purifiers and filters, and microbial growth could increase where residual contaminants or water are present.
Compatibility with conventional marine fuels and cross-contamination may also become issues when biofuel specifications are not reliable. Fuel incompatibility can cause issues with seals, gaskets, coatings and certain alloy metals.
https://safety4sea.com/from-residue-to-resource-the-rise-and-risks-of-marine-biofuels/
---------
Palm Oil Imports Restricted Under New Forced Labor Orders
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced two new withhold release orders that, effective Sept. 29, require the detention at all U.S. ports of entry of palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation in Indonesia. CBP states that these WROs are based on evidence that workers at these factories are subject to nine International Labor Organization indicators of forced labor.
According to CBP, importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export those shipments or demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor.
WROs are issued pursuant to 19 USC 1307, which prohibits imports of goods made wholly or in part with forced labor, including convict labor. CBP notes that it is now enforcing 60 WROs and eight findings under this law.
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg offers a comprehensive suite of services to help companies address forced labor concerns around the world, including supply chain reviews, due diligence strategies, and proactive remediation. For more information, please contact STR.
https://www.strtrade.com/trade-news-resources/str-trade-report/trade-report/october/palm-oil-imports-restricted-under-new-forced-labor-orders
With the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) coming into force from 1 January, national authorities need to be aligned to prevent palm oil entering Europe through more lenient entry points, the OFI Commercial/Technical conference heard in Amsterdam last week.
The conference was one of four held under one roof from 21-23 September at the OFI International 2026 show, which attracted more than 350 people from over 30 countries.
“The EUDR is a welcome and loved baby but its delivery has been long and painful,” said Ruben Brunsveld, deputy director, market transformation EMEA, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Originally due to take effect on 30 December 2024, the EUDR has been delayed twice but is now set to come into force for large- and medium-sized companies on 1 January, and for small and micro operators on 30 June 2027.
Companies placing palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, cattle, rubber or timber goods on the EU market will need to have a functioning due diligence system to prove these commodities are deforestation-free, legally produced and traceable to their source.
Brunsveld told the conference that while RSPO certification did not substitute an operator’s due diligence responsibilities, it could demonstrate compliance in required risk analysis, traceability and National Competent Authority (NCA) checks.
He identified three outstanding issues in the implementation of the EUDR – data sharing, the new Annex 1 to the EUDR, and different national approaches to implementation.
Data sharing: Under the EUDR, companies will need to submit due diligence statements (DDSs) into an EU information system, throwing up questions on who owns the data, who has access to it, and the protection of sensitive commercial information.
Annex 1: The July 2026 revision of Annex I - which determines which products fall within the EUDR - removed some products from scope and added others, including certain palm oil derivatives. The new products would become subject to the EUDR from 30 December 2027, and it remained to be seen how companies would respond to this, Ruben said.
National implementation: While the EUDR is an EU law, it is up to each country’s NCA to enforce it.
Ruben said NCAs needed to be aligned to prevent different entry points into Europe, especially if some NCAs were more lenient in enforcing the EUDR than others.
Marieke Leegwater, senior policy advisor at Solidaridad, added that there was increasing evidence that smallholders were being excluded from EU value chains because of lack of documentation and the complexities of organising data; and it was often unclear how farmer data ownership would be protected.
“For palm oil, smallholders are being pushed out of value chains to Europe. It started with the RSPO and the EUDR has made it worse.”
European palm oil volumes were now mostly supplied from bigger estates and a solution needed to be found to include smallholders, she said.
EU-Indonesia palm oil trade
Relating to palm oil, Frans Claassen, managing director of MVO – the Netherlands oils and fats industry association – said the new the EU-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) could make Indonesian palm oil significantly more attractive for the EU.
“CEPA will introduce annual duty and levy-free export quotas for Indonesian palm oil to the EU. The quota starts with 1.9M tonnes and increases by 3% for nine consecutive years.”
The agreement – set to come into force in early 2027 – would abolish current 3.8% EU import duties on crude palm oil (CPO); 12.8% duties on solid fractions (immediate packings, maximum 1kg); 10.9% of ‘other’ solid fractions; 5.1% duties on refined/bleach/deodorised (RBD) palm oil or palm olein for non-food applications; and 9% duties for ‘other’ RBD palm oil or palm olein.
Claassen explained that Indonesia accounted for a 10% share of total EU CPO imports of 1.68M tonnes in 2025, and a 51% share of the EU’s total processed palm oil imports of 1.46M tonnes that year, giving it a 29% share of total EU imports of palm oil.
At the Indonesian September 2026 palm oil reference price of US$1,007.51/tonne, CEPA would remove US$268.90/tonne in export duties and levies on CPO, and US$176.75/tonne of export duties and levies on RBD palm oil, which could make Indonesian CPO significantly more attractive for the EU.
However, the actual benefits fully depended on how Indonesia allocated the quotas, and European processors needed clarity on the practical operation and allocation of quotas “without delay”, Claassen said.
Dr Fadhil Hasan, senior economist and head of foreign affairs at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), said that CEPA was in the process of ratification in Indonesia and would be passed in March.
On policy changes related to palm oil, Dr Hasan said the country’s new state-owned entity - Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI) – had been set up to improve governance in export activities and export earnings management, and to eliminate the risk of under-invoicing and transfer pricing.
“DSI is not the sole exporter of palm oil and other products.”
The government was also setting up a commodity exchange to make and strengthen palm oil price discovery.
And there was a shift in Indonesia’s mandatory biofuel blending programme to emphasise energy security, rather than as instrument to stabilise palm oil prices.
Dr Hasan added that due to strong El Niño effects this year, palm oil production would fall by 4-5M tonnes in 2027. Domestic consumption would increase by around 2M tonnes next year due to full B50 palm oil-based biodiesel mandatory blending, and exports would therefore decline next year.
Vegetable oil squeeze
Artem Hammerschmidt, head of vegetable oils and biofuels research at Cefetra Analytics, also spoke of a “major vegetable oil squeeze” in the next two years.
He said surging energy prices had strengthened the economic case for biofuels, raising the demand outlook for oils and fats.
In the USA, mandate-driven output requirements would rise by around 3M tonnes in 2026 and another 2M tonnes in 2027, forcing US biodiesel/HVO and SAF producers back into imported oils and fats. Indonesia’s palm oil use for biodiesel, driven by its B50 biodiesel mandate, was also set to lift domestic palm oil use for biodiesel to 16.8M tonnes, curtailing exports.
Hammerschmidt said total oils and fats requirements for FAME, HVO and SAF in 2025 totalled 58.9M tonnes but were forecast to jump by 6-7M tonnes in 2026 and by another 7M tonnes in 2027 to total 72.5M tonnes.
“The challenge is not absorbing one exceptional increase but doing so for two consecutive years.”
With El Niño setting the stage for a major vegetable oil squeeze, global production of oils and fats was expected to fall by 0.3M tonnes in 2026/27, exports could fall by 0.8M tonnes and stocks could plunge by 3.3M tonnes as demand jumped 5.7M tonnes, he said.
Limited global supply of used and waste oils also meant Europe would increasingly rely on rapeseed oil as a biofuel feedstock, with producers having to pay more for used cooking oil (UCO) as suppliers would need to go further afield to find and collect new supplies.
UCO
Because UCO is increasingly used as a raw material for biofuels, the EU was introducing new requirements for UCO imports, explained Steven Danneel, Coordinating Senior Inspector, Animal By-products, Tactical Direction & Expertise Division, Directorate Enforcement, of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority (NVWA).
Danneel told the OFI Commercial/Technical conference that UCO could originate from vegetable oils such as soyabean and palm oils, or animal-based sources such as tallow.
Under the new rules, due to come into force on 19 November 2027, UCO containing or consisting of animal-origin material would be considered as Category 3 material under the EU Animal By-products (ABP) regulation.
The imported ABP UCO had to originate from an ABP-approved or registered operator in the third country, which would be an issue, he said.
This was because UCO may be collected from many small sources; authorities in the exporting country would have to oversee the different operators and provide relevant information for EU purposes; and existing UCO supply chains may not be structured for this.
Danneel added that as it was not always possible to test if UCO came from animal origins, traceability would need to be document-based, rather than from analysis of the product.
The OFI Commercial/Technical Conference was organised by Oils & Fats International (OFI) and MVO - The Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry association.
The conference and the OFI International 2026 show, held at the Amsterdam Congress Centre, was supported by the Netherlands Oils, Fats and Oilseeds Trade Association (NOFOTA) and FOSFA International. The event also featured a major exhibition of suppliers to the oils and fats industry and three other conferences organised by the German Society for Fat Science (DGF); Euro Fed Lipid (EFL) and Triact.
https://www.ofimagazine.com/news/national-authorities-must-work-together-to-ensure-consistent-enforcement-of-eudr
---------
US tech firm inks deal with Malaysian consortium for proposed 680MW solar-plus-storage project to power data center
A US-based multinational technology company has signed an agreement recently with a Malaysian consortium for a proposed 680MW solar-plus-storage project to power its data center, according to the companies’ joint press release.
The consortium, comprising Gamuda Bhd, SD Guthrie Bhd and Gentari Sdn Bhd have signed a Bilateral Energy Supply Contract (BESC) term sheet through their joint venture firm, G3nerasi Kinta Sdn Bhd, with the US firm which is unnamed.
G3nerasi Kinta Sdn Bhd is a joint venture company between Guthrie’s wholly owned subsidiary, SD Guthrie Renewable Energy Sdn Bhd, with Gamuda Energy Sdn Bhd and Gentari Renewables Sdn Bhd.
The BESC project is expected to be commercially operational in 2029 and will supply renewable power to the US firm’s data center under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS).
The project, which includes a four-hour battery energy storage system, will run for 21 years, and may generate more than RM10 billion in gross revenue over the offtake period, according to Gamuda. It added that funding could come from a combination of project financing and equity contributions from the partners based on their respective stakes.
https://w.media/us-tech-firm-inks-deal-with-malaysian-consortium-for-proposed-680mw-solar-plus-storage-project-to-power-data-center/
--------
From residue to resource: The rise and risks of marine biofuels
While corn, sugarcane, wheat, or vegetable oils can be converted into fuel, their use for food is driving demand to develop waste or bi-products from agricultural, forestry, food-processing and other biological industries as more prudent alternatives, explained Mark Smith, Director – Decarbonisation, NorthStandard.
Bio-residues can, for example, be used to derive fuels or fuel blends which promise to ‘drop-in’ as replacements for conventional oils to help ships reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Already, Fuel EU Maritime regulations financially incentivise the use of bio-residue, where a reduced emissions ‘surplus’ can be sold to ship operators in deficit to avoid compliance penalties.
A proposed revision to the EU ETS would introduce a technology neutral framework called SMAP (Sustainable Maritime Alternative Propulsion) to help close the cost gap between fossil and low-carbon fuels.
Furthermore, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) encourages the production of biofuel from residues including used cooking oil (UCO), some animal fat, Palm Oil Mill Effluent, tall oil (a pine wood pulp by-product), and lignocellulosic residues (from non-food plant parts), as well as forestry, agricultural and some industrial residues.
In its initial form, the IMO Net Zero Framework (NZF) also envisaged ‘GHG pricing’, supported by a mechanism incentivising lower emissions, although administrations are currently divided on whether the measure is workable, or even desirable. Between 30 November and 3 December, the 85th Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting will test the basis on which the NZF can move forward.
Residual fuel demand
Nevertheless, demand for marine biofuels continues to grow. In its latest ‘Maritime Forecast to 2050’, DNV notes that 89.8% of in-service tonnage can operate only on oil fuels.
“This implies reliance on drop-in fuels such as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for decarbonization, unless these vessels are converted to use alternative fuels or equipped with onboard carbon capture and storage,” says DNV. “For vessels currently on order, 60.6% of the tonnage and 79.5% of the ships by number face similar limitations.”
Against this backdrop, it is likely that suppliers seeking to satisfy maritime demand will increasingly look beyond conventional feedstocks towards more complex bio-residue sources.
It is therefore worth acknowledging that bio-residues need to be treated as waste-derived fuel which require enhanced fuel-quality management and pollution preparedness.
Potential unintended consequences
As RED III applies to all industries, there will also be competition from the airline and heavy transport industries in the use of bio-residues, and we suspect this will create additional risks in the maritime sector.
Buyers in the sector may be exposed to lower-quality residues, for example, chemically variable feedstocks and/or blends from multiple residue streams. Pressure may mount on traceability systems, fraud risks may increase (due to misclassification of sustainability values in Proof of Compliance documents) and disputes over the chain of custody accumulate.
For ship operations, the risks may translate into oxidation instability, and greater variability in acidity and cold flow properties, or in degradation during storage. Lower quality fuels could foul injectors or cause fuel pump wear. More sediment could form and more blockages occur in purifiers and filters, and microbial growth could increase where residual contaminants or water are present.
Compatibility with conventional marine fuels and cross-contamination may also become issues when biofuel specifications are not reliable. Fuel incompatibility can cause issues with seals, gaskets, coatings and certain alloy metals.
https://safety4sea.com/from-residue-to-resource-the-rise-and-risks-of-marine-biofuels/
---------
Palm Oil Imports Restricted Under New Forced Labor Orders
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced two new withhold release orders that, effective Sept. 29, require the detention at all U.S. ports of entry of palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation in Indonesia. CBP states that these WROs are based on evidence that workers at these factories are subject to nine International Labor Organization indicators of forced labor.
According to CBP, importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export those shipments or demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor.
WROs are issued pursuant to 19 USC 1307, which prohibits imports of goods made wholly or in part with forced labor, including convict labor. CBP notes that it is now enforcing 60 WROs and eight findings under this law.
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg offers a comprehensive suite of services to help companies address forced labor concerns around the world, including supply chain reviews, due diligence strategies, and proactive remediation. For more information, please contact STR.
https://www.strtrade.com/trade-news-resources/str-trade-report/trade-report/october/palm-oil-imports-restricted-under-new-forced-labor-orders
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