Latest news with #palmoil
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Worrying impact of common ingredient in $2 snack loved by Aussies
Instant noodles are a popular snack food in Australia and around the world, with approximately 100 billion serves consumed each year. But experts are warning about one key ingredient that is not only bad for your body, its production is having a disturbing impact on the planet. A staggering 10 to 20 per cent of the volume of most instant noodles brands is palm oil, which is used in the process of flash-frying. To satisfy our hunger for this single ingredient, over the last 60 years, old-growth forests across South East Asia and the Pacific have been bulldozed and burned at an unprecedented rate to make way for plantations to grow the crop. The product, which is often disguised on ingredients lists as vegetable oil or palm kernel, has also been linked to human rights and worker abuses, as well as air pollution. Around 50 per cent of packaged foods and 70 per cent of cosmetics and soaps are estimated to contain it, but instant noodles contain more palm oil by weight than any other product on the market. In Australia, they're particularly popular with students and anyone else struggling with the cost of living, and brands like NongShim are so cheap, you can buy a pack for less than $2 at Coles or Woolworths. Sustainability experts aren't trying to stop people buying them, they're just trying to change the way they're produced. And they think consumer pressure is important. Related: 🥫 Popular grocery items linked to image of orangutan cruelty Are forests still being destroyed for palm oil? Greenpeace's team in Indonesia argues that instant noodles 'have their place' but the palm oil production industry 'needs to do much better.' 'Clearing for oil palm plantations has been the largest single cause of deforestation in Indonesia since the turn of the century,' its global head of Indonesia's forest campaign, Kiki Taufik, told Yahoo News from Jakarta. Greenpeace analysis shows how problematic its production is, with illegal oil palm plantations in Indonesia occupying 183,687 hectares of land previously mapped as orangutan habitat, and 148,839 hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat. Over 30 per cent of Borneo's forest was destroyed between the early 1970s and the mid-2010s, with palm oil production a major driver. Deforestation for palm oil production is believed to have peaked in the late 2000s. And while that's good news, a major front of concern is rapidly emerging. 'A worrying new deforestation hotspot is West Papua — the island of New Guinea has the greatest plant diversity in the world and plays a major role in protecting the global climate. Companies are grabbing Indigenous Peoples' forest land there, not only for palm oil, but also for sugar plantations,' Taufik said. What consumers don't realise is that if they take a flight from say, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta, they will see a green cover before you're landing, and that's not forest, it's monoculture crops. If you replace tropical forest with monoculture, the biggest ones who suffer is the Seth, WWF Are all instant noodle brands the same? The world's top five manufacturers of instant noodles are Nissin from Japan, Indofood from Indonesia, Master Kong from Taiwan, Nestle from Switzerland, and Otoki and NongShim from South Korea. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is concerned that only two of these brands, Nissin and Nestle, are 'transparently reporting' what percentage of palm oil in their instant noodles is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a group it helped set up to reduce the environmental harm caused by farming of the product, and help consumers avoid products linked to recent deforestation. WWF Singapore's Kamal Seth, the organisation's global palm oil lead, argues that using RSPO-certified oil would cost shoppers very little. 'As an example, let's say a cup noodle costs one dollar, the price would become one dollar and one cent at the consumer level,' he told Yahoo. 'The issue is that consumers are not even aware that their instant noodles contain palm oil. If they were made aware, they would be willing to pay one cent extra, provided the company is telling them they're buying sustainably.' While the RSPO certification scheme has been plagued by multiple controversies about its effectiveness, both Greenpeace and WWF argue it's the 'best option' right now, and consumers should look for it on packaging. 'Besides RSPO, there is no other global independent mechanism that is more credible… We continue to back it because we want RSPO to become even more effective than what it is right now,' Seth said. Other names for palm oil Here are just five ingredients that are often derived from palm oil, although there are dozens more. Glyceryl Sodium laureth sulphate Stearic acid Palm fruit oil Palmate Who eats the most instant noodles? Seth doesn't think demand for instant noodles will decrease because they are affordable, and important to the food security of millions of people. Seth's focus is on reforming the sustainability of production in the world's largest instant noodle markets which are in China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and India. And increasingly, he doesn't think the middle-class populations of these countries would mind paying slightly more for an assurance that their noodles aren't destroying the habitat of tigers, elephants, orangutans and rhinos. Noodle companies respond to palm oil concerns Responding to questions from Yahoo, Nestle said in 2024, 100 per cent of its palm oil was RSPO-certified, or from 'equivalent' sources. 'For more than 10 years, we have been using a combination of tools, including supply chain mapping, certification, satellite monitoring and on-the-ground assessments, to assess and address deforestation risks in our supply chains and improve our understanding of human rights and land rights risks,' it said. Incredible phone footage leads to rediscovery of lost species Australia called out for 'failing' two rare species Travellers warned of hidden health risk on popular holiday island Indofood, which makes the popular Indomie brand, said it takes its 'environmental responsibilities very seriously' and that its palm oil is accredited by Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO), a mandatory accreditation scheme introduced by the government. It was keen to note changes in its production, claiming that 89 per cent of its oil palm estates were certified as sustainable under the ISPO scheme. It said it was committed to no degradation of forest deemed to have High Conservation Value — home to threatened species, Indigenous populations, or riparian zones — and it was not destroying primary forests, also known as old-growth forests. To prevent this from occurring, it places warning signs and boundary pits around them and conducts patrols. Nissin, Master Kong, Otoki and NongShim did not immediately respond to questions from Yahoo. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Zawya
25-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The Success Story of Tamura Oil – Burundi's Red Gold
Beneath the shade of oil palms, a quiet yet powerful revolution is underway. The Dukundane Cooperative, led by women (95% of its members), stands as a beacon of resilience and innovation, having transformed a once small-scale activity into a thriving semi-industrial enterprise. Founded in 2014 following women's leadership training under the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), the cooperative initially brought together women crafting and selling brooms from palm fibers. By 2020, they had taken a transformative step - launching artisanal palm oil production. The foundation for this transformation was laid in 2018 under axe 6 of the WPHF, which supports the socio-economic recovery and political participation of women and girls in peacebuilding contexts. That year, 175 women peace actors and dialogue facilitators - locally known as Abakanguriramahoro or "women mediators"—received financial support in Karonda. These women had already been active in conflict prevention and community mediation. With a grant of USD 180,000 from the WPHF, they expanded their economic activities using a holistic approach to palm tree valorization: from palm oil extraction to soap production from palm nuts and organic fertilizer from processing residues. This marked a turning point in women's economic empowerment in the region. Yet, the initiative still faced challenges due to limited equipment and technical capacity, underscoring the need for more structured support. By 2025, with new backing from the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and UN Women, the group officially became the Dukundane Cooperative. With a total investment of 603 million Burundian francs, a modern semi-industrial processing plant was established with the help of the implementing partner FVS "Amie des Enfants." The plant features: a Sterilizer, Sorting table, Destemmer, Kneader, Oil press, Decanters, Steam cooking pots, Water tank and Steam boiler. Today, the cooperative processes 10,000 kg of palm bunches daily, yielding approximately 2,500 to 3,000 liters of oil under the Tamura Oil brand. 'We thank all our partners who made it possible to establish this semi-industrial unit capable of producing refined oil that can compete in the market,' — Frida Ndagijimana, President of the 185-member cooperative, including 175 women. A Tool for Peace and Empowerment Beyond oil production, the cooperative now manages over two hectares of oil palm plantations. The facility includes a sorting shed, storage shed, staff toilets and changing rooms, and an office building. With support from national technical bodies such as the National Center for Food Technology (CNTA), Burundi Bureau of Standards (BBN), Palm Oil Office (OHP), and implementing partner CREOP-JEUNES, Dukundane has become a national model for women's economic empowerment and local development. But the story doesn't end with economic gains. This initiative is a concrete manifestation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which emphasizes the critical role of women in peacebuilding. In Karonda, that vision is now firmly rooted—and bearing fruit. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women - Africa.
Bloomberg
16-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Palm Oil Jumps Above 4,000 Ringgit Mark to Track Soy Oil, Crude
Palm oil jumped above the 4,000 ringgit mark to track gains in soyoil, which surged on Washington's proposal to allow refiners to blend a record amount of biofuels into gasoline and diesel next year. The long-awaited plan that was unveiled by the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday aims to boost American biofuel production and deter imports. It would require refiners to mix arecord 24.02 billion gallons of biofuels into conventional diesel and gasoline. That's nearly 8% higher than the 2025 target and was more-than-expected by many analysts.
Reuters
12-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
India's May palm oil imports surge 84% m/m to hit six-month high
MUMBAI, June 12 (Reuters) - India's palm oil imports jumped to a six-month high in May, driven by low inventories and the tropical oil's price discount to rival soyoil and sunflower oil, which prompted refiners to boost purchases, an industry body said on Thursday. Higher imports of palm and soyoil by India, the world's biggest buyer of vegetable oils, could support Malaysian palm oil prices and U.S. soyoil futures . Palm oil imports rose 84% in May from April to stand at 592,888 metric tons, the highest since November 2024, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) said. India imported an average of more than 750,000 tons of palm oil each month during the marketing year that ended in October 2024, the SEA said. Imports of soyoil increased 10.4% to 398,585 tons, the highest since January, and sunflower oil imports rose 1.9% to 183,555 tons, it added. Higher imports of palm oil and soyoil lifted India's total vegetable oil imports in May by 33% from a month before to 1.19 million tons, the highest since December, it said. Below-average imports from January to April reduced domestic vegetable oil stocks to 1.33 million tons by June 1, the lowest since July 2020, according to SEA data. Palm oil imports are likely to increase further in June and could rise to about 850,000 tons, as the oil is trading at a discount to soyoil, said Rajesh Patel, managing partner at GGN Research, an edible oil trader. Soyoil imports in June will hold steady around 400,000 tons, Patel said. India buys palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, while it imports soyoil and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine. Vegetable oil imports are expected to pick up in the coming months as this month's duty cut will help boost demand, said a New Delhi-based trader. India halved the basic import tax on crude edible oils to 10% in a bid to reduce food prices and help the domestic refining industry.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India's May palm oil imports surge 84% m/m to hit six-month high
By Rajendra Jadhav and Anmol Choubey MUMBAI (Reuters) -India's palm oil imports jumped to a six-month high in May, driven by low inventories and the tropical oil's price discount to rival soyoil and sunflower oil, which prompted refiners to boost purchases, an industry body said on Thursday. Higher imports of palm and soyoil by India, the world's biggest buyer of vegetable oils, could support Malaysian palm oil prices and U.S. soyoil futures. Palm oil imports rose 84% in May from April to stand at 592,888 metric tons, the highest since November 2024, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) said. India imported an average of more than 750,000 tons of palm oil each month during the marketing year that ended in October 2024, the SEA said. Imports of soyoil increased 10.4% to 398,585 tons, the highest since January, and sunflower oil imports rose 1.9% to 183,555 tons, it added. Higher imports of palm oil and soyoil lifted India's total vegetable oil imports in May by 33% from a month before to 1.19 million tons, the highest since December, it said. Below-average imports from January to April reduced domestic vegetable oil stocks to 1.33 million tons by June 1, the lowest since July 2020, according to SEA data. Palm oil imports are likely to increase further in June and could rise to about 850,000 tons, as the oil is trading at a discount to soyoil, said Rajesh Patel, managing partner at GGN Research, an edible oil trader. Soyoil imports in June will hold steady around 400,000 tons, Patel said. India buys palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, while it imports soyoil and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine. Vegetable oil imports are expected to pick up in the coming months as this month's duty cut will help boost demand, said a New Delhi-based trader. India halved the basic import tax on crude edible oils to 10% in a bid to reduce food prices and help the domestic refining industry. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
