An Introduction into Palm Oil
Elaeis guineensis is the scientific name for this edible vegetable oil, which is derived from the fruit of oil palm plants. There are two different types of oil that can be produced: crude palm oil, which is obtained by pressing the fleshy fruit, and palm kernel oil, which is obtained by crushing the kernel, or the stone, in the fruit’s centre. Although they are native to Africa, oil palm trees were only recently introduced to South-East Asia as an ornamental tree crop.
Currently, Indonesia and Malaysia account for more than 85% of the world’s supply, but 42 other nations also produce palm oil. Nearly half of the packaged goods we see in stores include palm oil, which is found in everything from pizza, doughnuts, and chocolate to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and lipstick. In many parts of the world, it is also utilised as a biofuel and in animal feed. An alarming amount of rainforests are being cleared and burned to make way for crops of palm oil trees.
Palm oil is a very adaptable oil with a wide range of uses, which contribute to its popularity. It is stable at high temperatures, which helps to give fried foods a crispy and crunchy texture. It is also odourless and colourless, so it doesn’t change the look or smell of food products. It is semi-solid at room temperature, which can keep spreads spreadable.
It is resistant to oxidation, which can give products a longer shelf life. However, it has countless illefects. In addition to seriously reducing habitat, palm oil plantations also contribute to air pollution, soil erosion, water pollution, and climate change. They also have a terrible impact on indigenous people who have depended on the forest for countless generations.
Palm Oil Plantation causes Deforestation
Orangutans, elephants, tigers, rhinos, and many more animals have lost vital habitat as a result of extensive deforestation of tropical rainforests and are now in danger of going extinct. Scientists have warned that if sustainable techniques of palm oil extraction are not used, orangutans may go extinct within a decade. Currently, over 80% of orangutan habitat has been altered or lost. In the absence of their natural habitat, orangutans may starve or consume young palm plants, which would make them a problem and subject to euthanasia.
Palm Oil Plantation expose these endangered species to the illegal wildlife trade, one of the greatest threats to wildlife and humanity alike. Poachers may kill the mother while capturing and smuggling newborn orangutans for sale as pets. Less than 3,000 elephants are still alive today on the island of Sumatra, where their population has drastically declined.
Due to their role in nutrient cycling and as a source of food for other species, insects play a crucial role in ecosystems. According to the current research, there is a direct correlation between the fewer species found in palm oil plantations and the regions’ decreased capacity for energy transmission and ecosystem function. For other local species, like the orang-utan, this is bad news because it will be more difficult for them to thrive if the ecosystem produces less energy.
Sun Bears being pushed to extinction
Sunbears have suffered significantly as a result of deforestation for palm plantations. This species are skilled climbers and spend a lot of time in the trees looking for insects and honey to eat. The bears must relocate in search of a new habitat as forests are removed. As a result, they inexorably come into touch with people, frequently in palm farms where they dig around the bases of trees in quest of insects to consume. The tree dies as a result of the root system being destroyed. As a result, bears caught on plantation grounds are frequently killed. According to estimates, the population has decreased by 75% as a result of fast deforestation. This is why sunbears are India’s rarest bear.
Additionally, plantations are frequently built in underdeveloped areas, which results in low yields. There seems to be a lot of oil palm plantation everywhere there is land available. Pressure needs to be applied to nations like Malaysia and Indonesia to get serious about examining how to optimise this industry. The goal of sustainable certification is to show that palm oil, despite its current bad state, has not led to deforestation. The quality of certification is far from what it ought to be. However, we continue to believe that it is necessary because testing is the only unbiased approach we have to determine whether palm oil abides by particular standards. The certification body must improve and step it up.
What about alternatives?
The solution to this problem is not easy. It would need 4 to 10 times more land to produce the same quantity of other oils like soybean, coconut, or sunflower oil. This would simply move the issue to other regions of the planet and put other habitats, species, and communities in danger. Millions of smallholder farmers also rely on the production of palm oil for their livelihoods. Avoiding palm oil is not the solution.
The UK government acknowledged in 2012 that we contributed to both the problem and the potential solution surrounding palm oil. They pledged that all palm oil used in the UK would come from sustainable sources that don’t affect the environment or people. In 2019, sustainable palm oil accounted for 70% of all imports into the UK.
It is critical that the palm oil sector invest in, expand, and support smallholder programmes and initiatives for a sustainable environment. Governments in nations that use and produce palm oil must make sure that there are national rules in place to guarantee that any palm oil traded is free from deforestation, conversion, and exploitation.
Written by Krishnag Sikaria
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