Palm Oil – What’s all the Fuss #Blog

Stephen Wundke
29th November 2018

Good question. Just over 12 months ago we partnered with Chester Zoo to see if, through both our network of members and our huge following at the Food and Drink Festival, we could make more people aware of Palm Oil and the problems facing the world because of this product. So let’s start, for those who don’t know by explaining what Palm Oil is and for this I will use the World Wildlife Foundation, very good definition.

“Palm oil is a globally important vegetable oil found in an enormous range of food and non-food products that we use on a daily basis.  It is a very productive crop, producing more oil per land area and requiring fewer inputs than any other equivalent vegetable oil crop. Grown only in the tropics, Indonesia and Malaysia produce around 85% of the world’s palm.”

OK, so that’s what it is, so what’s the problem, is it bad for you? No it’s not.  Is it effective? Yes very, you get a greater output of usable product per acre, requiring less agricare than almost any other foodstuff of its type. Okay- so what’s the problem?

Now we get to the tricky bit. You will see in the description above it is only grown in a small part of the world and demand for this very useful oil is, as the world gets richer and people want more food, incredibly high. What is happening now is that land owners find anywhere this crop grows and they start harvesting the crop. Perfectly normal behaviour when you find out that something that grows wild and is free is now worth good money, just like fishing only a whole lot safer. The problem is they are doing this in such huge numbers that vast areas of the natural habitat of so many animals and in particular, the Orangutan, are disappearing. If this trend continues then we will lose the natural habitat of so many of the animals that extinction of a number of all important breeds is inevitable. And that simply must not happen?

So, Is Chester Zoo and Taste Cheshire suggesting, as some have, that Palm Oil should be banned. No. What Chester Zoo want to happen is that Palm Oil is farmed responsibly. What does that mean? It means becomes sustainable, just like fish quotas, just like wheat, barley, maize, etc. You plant, you grow and you harvest. That’s called a sustainable environment and that means everyone benefits.

How can you help? Easily. Just look for products that proudly display that they only use Palm Oil from a sustainable supplier. This logo makes a difference. Our Taste Cheshire producers and Restaurants have already started doing just that, with this week both Mama K’s and Crumbs, joining Chefs Table and many others, who have declared their intentions to only use sustainable Palm Oil products. That’s a great start, this movement is growing and people do care. Your job to help is simply to know the facts, make informed decisions and then act according to how your conscience tells you. This is just one of those things that makes sense, where real people can make a difference and where everyone wins.

We believe, like the Zoo that banning it is not the way forward, bans rarely ever work where big industry is concerned, they just do it anyway but creating a sustainable environment for Palm Oil is both responsible and logical and if we only buy products that are sustainable then big business gets the message very quickly. No sales to us, the consumer if you don’t adapt. If you want to know more then click on the link below which will take you to the excellent Chester Zoo website Act for Wildlife. Click here

Sustainable Palm Oil is the way forward, please take the time to read what you are buying, look for the logo and spread the word and help our planet.