Palm Oil Consumption Research Articles

Effects of frying and food items on the physicochemical properties of palm oil obtained from Nigeria

The consumption of palm oil has particularly increased in Nigeria due to increased population, lifestyle changes, and its health benefits. The conversion and recycling of the ever-growing food waste from household and commercial is one of the known cost-effective and sustainable management strategies. This study investigates the effect of processing on the physicochemical properties of palm oil. Neat palm oil (NPO) and waste palm oil (WPO) samples, derived from frying four different Nigerian food items, were analyzed to determine changes in their physicochemical properties. The outcome of the investigation reveals that higher temperature during frying and contamination from different food items weakens the molecular structure of the palm oil thereby reducing the quality and stability of the samples which is expressed by the differences in their physicochemical properties. The density, peroxide value, and carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (CHO) values of NPO were 886 kg/m3, 9.473 meqO2/kg, and 39.233% while that of the WPO samples vary between 3.989–4.692 kg/m3, 10.858–15.362 meqO2/kg, and 52.346–58.468%, for density, peroxide value, and CHO, respectively. The result of the descriptive statistics shows that in the 1 series, the mean ± standard deviation (SD) [coefficient of variation (CV%)] is 119.76 ± 263.87 (220.33%). Both the SD and CV% are greater than the mean; this is due to the heterogeneous nature of the parameter values in the samples. When subjected to inferential statistical analysis, the results show that the error of prediction of relationship in NPO sample versus WPO samples is just 5.290% whereas the reduction in the error is 94.71%. More collaborative investigations are needed to determine the ease of conversion to biodiesel and the properties of biodiesel produced from WPO used to fry different Nigerian food items.

Study Case: Company Valuation and Forecasting Financial Trends at PT PP London Sumatera Indonesia (LSIP)

PT PP London Sumatra Indonesia Tbk (LSIP) is a company that has been established in Indonesia since 1906 and started its IPO in 1996 with an IPO price of Rp4.650 for each share. Even though the company’s performance is going well and the trend of palm oil consumption in Indonesia is increasing, the share price of PT PP London Sumatra Indonesia Tbk has fluctuated and even decreased when compared to the initial IPO price and share prices in the last 5 years. So this raises the question of how the company’s stock performance will be in the next few years. In this research, the author begins by analyzing the macro-environment which may have an impact on the company and industry, then the author carries out an analysis of the financial statements of the company and its competitors. Apart from that, the author also tries to forecast the company’s financial performance and then continue with company valuation analysis using the discounted cash flow method. After getting the valuation results, the author tries to see the company’s level of sensitivity using scenario analysis and also carries out capital structure analysis to find the optimal capital structure. Based on the results of financial performance analysis, Lonsum (LSIP) has better financial performance compared to its competitors except for assets turnover. And then based on the results of discounted cash flow analysis, this company is not yet worthy of being a place for us to invest. And the last based on all the results of the previous analysis, when compared with competing companies, LSIP is a company that has quite a lot of potential as a place to invest. However, currently the company still has to look for a catalyst in order to become a company that is worthy of being a place for us to invest. Based on the result, the author suggest the reader to continue to collect information related to PT PP London Sumatra Indonesia Tbk, other competitors and plantation in similar industries to find catalysts that have positive impact on the company, and invest when the company has a positive catalyst.

Liver phospholipid fatty acid composition in response to chronic high-fat diets

Liver phospholipid fatty acid composition depends on the dietary lipid intake and the efficiency of hepatic enzymatic activity. Our study aimed to simultaneously investigate the liver phospholipid fatty acid composition in response to chronic linseed, palm, or sunflower oil diets. We used adult female C57/BL6 mice and randomly divided them into control and three groups treated with 25 % dietary oils. Prior to treatment, we analyzed the fatty acid profiles in dietary oils and hepatocytes and, after 100 days, the fatty acid composition in the liver using gas-liquid chromatography. Linseed oil treatment elevated alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosapentaenoic acids and reduced arachidonic and docosatetraenoic acids, consequently lowering the n-6/n-3 ratio. Palm oil treatment increased linoleic acid and decreased docosahexaenoic acid, contributing to an elevated n-6/n-3 ratio. Sunflower oil treatment elevated total monounsaturated fatty acids by increasing palmitoleic, oleic, and vaccenic acids. The estimated activity of Δ9 desaturase was significantly elevated in the sunflower oil group, while Δ5 desaturase was the highest, and Δ6 desaturase was the lowest after the linseed oil diet. Our findings demonstrate that chronic consumption of linseed, palm, or sunflower oil alters the distribution of liver phospholipid fatty acids differently. Sunflower oil diet elevated total monounsaturated fatty acids, proposing potential benefits for liver tissue health. Considering these outcomes, a substantial recommendation emerges to elevate linseed oil intake, recognized as the principal ALA source, thereby aiding in reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio. Moreover, modifying dietary habits to incorporate specific vegetable oils in daily consumption could substantially enhance overall health.

Changes in serum lipids following consumption of coconut oil and palm olein oil: A sequential feeding crossover clinical trial

BackgroundHigh incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in South Asia is linked to genetic predisposition and diets high in saturated fatty acids (SFAs). Increased CVD prevalence correlates with rising palm oil consumption in some South Asian countries, where coconut oil and palm olein oil are primary SFA sources. ObjectiveCompare the effects of coconut oil and palm olein oil on serum lipoprotein lipids and biochemical parameters in healthy adults. MethodsA sequential feeding crossover clinical trial with two feeding periods of 8 weeks each was conducted among 40 healthy adults. Participants were provided palm olein oil in the first feeding period followed by coconut oil with a 16-week washout period in between. The outcomes measured were the difference in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), TC/HDL-C ratio, triglycerides (TG), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and liver enzymes. ResultsThirty-seven participants completed the study. LDL-C decreased by 13.0 % with palm olein oil (p < 0.001) and increased by 5.6 % with coconut oil (p = 0.044), showing a significant difference (p < 0.001). TC decreased by 9.9 % with palm olein oil (p < 0.001) and increased by 4.0 % with coconut oil (p = 0.044). ConclusionPalm olein oil consumption resulted in more favorable changes in lipid-related CVD risk factors (TC, LDL-C, TC:HDL-C, and FPG) compared to coconut oil.Clinical Trial Registry number and website where it was obtained: (SLCTR/2019/034); https://slctr.lk/trials/slctr-2019-034.

Consumption of interesterified palm oil leads inflammation of white adipose tissue and triggers metabolic disturbances in mice on a high-fat diet

Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of interesterified palm oil consumption on glucose homeostasis, adipose tissue remodeling, and hepatic lipogenesis in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. Sixty C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (n = 15): the control group (C) fed a standard diet (4% soybean oil), the high-fat group (HF) (23.8% lard), the high palm oil fat group (HFP) (23.8% palm oil), and the high interesterified palm fat group (HFI) (23.8% interesterified palm oil) for 8 weeks (all groups received 50% energy from lipids). The HFI group exhibited higher body mass than the HF group (+ 11%, P < 0.05), which was attributed to an increased percentage of fat mass. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, insulin, and HOMA-IR were also elevated in the HFI group. Both the HFP and HFI groups showed hypertrophied adipocytes and pancreatic islets, increased alpha and beta cell masses, hepatic steatosis, low expression of genes related to beta-oxidation, and upregulated lipogenesis. In conclusion, the consumption of interesterified palm oil alters inflammatory and glucose profiles.

Palm oil as part of a high-fat diet: advances and challenges, or possible risks of pathology?

Nutritional status disorders have the most significant impact on the development of cardiovascular and oncologic diseases; therefore, the interest in the study of palm oil as among the leading components of nutrition has been increasing. The data examined in this review were sourced from the Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), PubMed and PubMed Central, MEDLINE, CAPlus/SciFinder, and Embase databases; experts in the field; bibliographies; and abstracts from review analyses from the past 15 years. This review summarizes recent research data focusing on the quantitative and qualitative composition of nutrition of modern humans; concepts of the relationship between high-fat diets and disorders of insulin functioning and transport and metabolism of fatty acids; analyses of data regarding the palmitic acid (16:0) to oleic acid (18:1) ratio; and the effect of diet based on palm oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors and lipid and lipoprotein levels. Several studies suggest a potential vector contributing to the transmission of maternal, high-fat-diet-induced, addictive-like behaviors and obesogenic phenotypes across generations. The relationship between cholesterol accumulation in lysosomes that may lead to lysosome dysfunction and inhibition of the autophagy process is analyzed, as is the progression of inflammatory diseases, atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic liver inflammation, and obesity with associated complications. Data are discussed from analyses of differences between rodent models and human population studies in the investigated different effects of palm oil consumption as a high-fat diet component. A conclusion is reached that the results cannot be generalized in human population studies because no similar effects were observed. Although there are numerous published reports, more studies are necessary to elucidate the complex regulatory mechanisms in digestive and nutrition processes, because there are great differences in lipoprotein profiles between rodents and humans, which makes it difficult to reproduce the pathology of many diseases caused by different types of the high-fat diet.

The socioecological benefits and consequences of oil palm cultivation in its native range: The Sustainable Oil Palm in West Africa (SOPWA) Project

Agriculture is expanding rapidly across the tropics. While cultivation can boost socioeconomic conditions and food security, it also threatens native ecosystems. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), which is grown pantropically, is the most productive vegetable oil crop worldwide. The impacts of oil palm cultivation have been studied extensively in Southeast Asia and – to a lesser extent – in Latin America but, in comparison, very little is known about its impacts in Africa: oil palm's native range, and where cultivation is expanding rapidly. In this paper, we introduce a large-scale research programme – the Sustainable Oil Palm in West Africa (SOPWA) Project – that is evaluating the relative ecological impacts of oil palm cultivation under traditional (i.e., by local people) and industrial (i.e., by a large-scale corporation) management in Liberia. Our paper is twofold in focus. First, we use systematic mapping to appraise the literature on oil palm research in an African context, assessing the geographic and disciplinary focus of existing research. We found 757 publications occurring in 36 African countries. Studies tended to focus on the impacts of palm oil consumption on human health and wellbeing. We found no research that has evaluated the whole-ecosystem (i.e., multiple taxa and ecosystem functions) impacts of oil palm cultivation in Africa, a knowledge gap which the SOPWA Project directly addresses. Second, we describe the SOPWA Project's study design and—using canopy cover, ground vegetation cover, and soil temperature data as a case study—demonstrate its utility for assessing differences between areas of rainforest and oil palm agriculture. We outline the socioecological data collected by the SOPWA Project to date and describe the potential for future research, to encourage new collaborations and additional similar projects of its kind in West Africa. Increased research in Africa is needed urgently to understand the combined ecological and sociocultural impacts of oil palm and other agriculture in this unique region. This will help to ensure long-term sustainability of the oil palm industry—and, indeed, all tropical agricultural activity—in Africa.

Study of the effectiveness of the drug Laennek in case of liver damage by palm oil in rats

Palm oil is a component of most food products, characterized by a high content of palmitic and oleic acids, an excess of which leads to the formation of tripalmitins, practically do not respond to enzymatic hydrolysis by lipoprotein lipase and predetermine the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. This paper presents the results of a study of the drug Laennek, produced on the basis of standardized hydrolysates of the human placenta (HRP). The use of HRP under the influence of excessive consumption of palm oil in the diet led to a significant decrease in markers of liver dysfunction (ALT), which increase with an enriched diet of refined palm oil (bilirubin, total protein, ALT, AST). The hepatoprotective effect of Laennek was confirmed by the results of histological and biochemical studies indicating a decrease in the severity and prevalence of fatty liver dystrophy.

Influence of Components of Palm Oil on the Character of Metabolism in the Human Body

Introduction: Demand for vegetable oils is currently growing worldwide and palm oil is a significant contributor to the global supply of edible oils. Over the past few decades, there has been a growing public concern about the significant interaction between health and nutrition and palm oil (PO) in particular.Purpose: The purpose of the research is to analyze the influence of PO components on the nature of metabolism in the human body and the development of pathological conditions.Materials and Methods: The search for literature on the problem over the past 105 years was carried out in the databases of the RSCI, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed using keywords and phrases: «palm oil», «human health», «diabetes», «obesity», «cardiovascular disease», «oncology», «baby food».Results: General information about PO in the food industry is given. Despite the good quality of palm kernel oil and its beneficial properties, the food industry requires another product – light-colored PO. This implies its mandatory cleaning by chemical treatment (alkali or acid) or physical methods. Deodorized PO, low in impurities and highly bleached, is considered a high quality product for the food industry. It contains 50% saturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, 40% monounsaturated (oleic) and 10% polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic). In 2022, PO produced 76,039 million metric tons or 36% of the total amount of all oils produced in world. The use of refined PO in the food industry is growing exponentially due to its consumer properties of this product: texture, aroma and neutral taste. Different fractions of PO are used in different ways in the food industry.Palm olein is used for frying and in the production of margarines, spreads, mayonnaise, vegetable cream ice cream Palm stearin is a component of confectionery fats and is used for the production of bakery products, sweets, cakes, cheese, chips, chocolate, cookies, crackers, donuts, frozen meals, instant noodles, popcorn, salad dressings, snacks, soups.Clinical and experimental studies in recent years indicate that PO can cause the development of insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM-2)) and metabolic disorders, including obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke, and various cancers. Therefore, a number of US and EU dietary guidelines aim to limit the consumption of PO in foods. However, the data of epidemiological studies conducted in various countries of the world are quite contradictory. This suggests that the assessment of the impact of PO on health must first of all take into account ethnogenetic characteristics, as well as national food traditions. Russian scientists and foreign scientists, based on the results of clinical studies, conclude that PO, as a fatty component of infant formulas, negatively affects Са2+ metabolism in the intestines of infants. Therefore, the use of PO as a component of breast milk substitutes in infant formulas should be limited and other components should be used, in particular formulas with β-palmitate or milk fat.Conclusion: General information about PO in the food industry is given. The role of PO and palmitic acid in the development of obesity and DM-2, in the development of cardiovascular diseases, and also in the occurrence of oncological diseases is shown. The possibilities of using PO in baby food are characterized. The opinion of Belarusian and Russian scientists on the impact of PO on human health is given.

The Implications of Palm Cooking Oil Price Increases in Malaysia

Domestic palm oil consumption in Malaysia increased to about 3.37 million metric tons in 2022. This number is expected to increase further due to population growth and consumer preferences for palm oil cooking oil. However, in 2016, the government withdrew its subsidy on palm cooking oil, increasing its price by 48.9%. Recently, the government proposed to use a floating price for palm cooking oil. These changes have left direct and indirect impacts on food producers and consumers. Therefore, this paper examines the impact of an increase in the price of palm cooking oil on food producers (directly) and consumers (indirectly). This study applied the Leontief price modelling technique and simulated a scenario for the price changes in the production cost. The simulation results indicated that costs and prices changed. The results found that the most significant cost change came from restaurants, 52.0%, while other price changes were from oil palm (29.6%) and restaurants (17.4%). This study also used the profit index to calculate the profit food producers and services gained. Based on this scenario, food producers should revise their prices of goods and services since they still gain profit. It was recommended that the government revise the price of palm cooking oil by providing subsidies or incentives to the food producer or consumer. The fluctuation in palm oil prices impacts the price of palm cooking oil in the market. If the government does not revise cooking oil prices, it will affect food consumers and producers.

Actions Of Fresh Red Palm And Cow Fat Blend Oil On The Hemogram Status Of Treated Wistar Rats

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that blend oil could be more beneficial to health than the individual use of the oils. The red palm and cow fat oil are local dietary cooking oils commonly consumed as blend oil in Nigeria. Aim and Objective: The present study was conducted to assess the effect of the consumption of fresh red palm and cow fat blend oil on the hematological profile of treated wistar rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 rats weighing 150-250g were randomly divided into groups of 15 rats each. Group A served as normal control and were fed with pelleted growers feed. Group B were fed with pelleted feed mixed with 2ml/kg b.wt of red palm oil by oral gavage. Group C were fed with pelleted growers feed mixed with 2ml/kg b.wt of cow fat oil while Group D were fed with pelleted growers feed mixed with 2ml/kg b.wt of a blend of red palm oil and cow fat oil (1:1) by oral gavage. Animals were sacrificed after 28 days by euthanasia using chloroform. Three (3mls) of blood were collected by cardiac puncture into ethylene diamine tetra cetic acid container for the estimation of the hematological profile using automated cell counter (Coulter Electronics, Luton, Bedfordshire, UK). Data was analyzed with one-way analysis of variance in the statistical package for social science version 22(IBM Incorporated, Armok, NY). Results were presented as mean + standard deviation from the mean with p&lt;0.05 considered significant. Results: There was a significant decrease in the white blood cell count (p = 0.001) of the rats treated with cow fat oil and those treated with a blend of red palm oil and cow fat oil compared to the normal rats and those treated with red palm oil. Similar result was recorded for the red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume (p=0.024, 0.033 and 0.019 respectively) for the rats treated with cow fat oil compared to those treated with red palm oil or a blend of red palm oil and cow fat oil as well as the normal rats. Conclusion: The consumption of cow fat oil may have a deleterious effect on the hematological profile of treated rats. This study therefore recommends the consumption of red palm oil instead of the blend of cow fat oil and red palm oil or cow fat oil alone which is a common practice in our daily diets.

Pengaruh Harga Internasional, Ekspor, Harga TBS, Dan Volume Produksi Biodiesel Terhadap Harga CPO Domestik

The palm oil industry downstream program supports the development of new energy made from palm oil, namely biodiesel. Biodiesel is used as a blend for fuels such as diesel. One of the goals of developing the biodiesel industry is to produce new renewable energy sources so that it can reduce dependence on fossil energy. With the development of the biodiesel industry, Indonesia's consumption of crude palm oil (CPO) will increase. It is feared that this could lead to an increase in domestic CPO prices. This research was conducted to analyze the impact of developing the biodiesel industry on domestic CPO prices. The data used is secondary data in the form of annual data from 1997-2021. The research analysis used multiple linear regression which is processed with Ordinary Least Square (OLS). The variables in this research are international CPO prices, CPO export volumes, biodiesel production, prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFB), and productivity of oil palm plantations. The real domestic CPO price was significantly affected by international CPO prices, CPO export volume, FFB prices, and the productivity of oil palm plantations. Biodiesel production was not proven to have a significant effect on domestic CPO prices.

Food, biofuels or cosmetics? Land-use, deforestation and CO2 emissions embodied in the palm oil consumption of four European countries: a biophysical accounting approach

Around 75% of tropical deforestation in the XXI century has been driven by the expansion of agriculture and forest plantations. Since 1990s, palm oil has been standing for a critical global traded product in terms of embodied deforestation. The European Union (EU) is one of the major players in terms of embodied deforestation linked to palm oil consumption. By adopting a biophysical accounting approach, the study: (1) investigated the palm oil imports between 2000 and 2020 by four EU countries (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea, (2) estimated the share of imports driven by the demand from the food, oleochemicals, and energy sectors, and (3) quantified land, deforestation, and CO2 emissions associated with Land-Use Change (LUC) embodied in trade. Different trade profiles have emerged among the four importing countries. Italy and Spain showed a major direct trade link with producing countries, while France and Germany have significant connections with non-producing countries (i.e. intermediate trade partners). Overall, our results show that, following different trends, leading consumption sectors have shifted from the food towards the energy sector. Consequently, the growing demand for palm oil as a feedstock for biofuel production has determined increased environmental impacts in South-East Asia. Since 2000, the total embodied land footprint has increased four-fold, while, over the period considered, according to our second and the third attribution approaches (i.e. historical and rapid-conversion), between 5–78 m2 of deforestation and 28–445 kg CO2 emissions associated with LUC activities have been incorporated in the per-capita consumption of palm oil and its co-products in the leading European economies. Moreover, according to the first attribution approach (i.e. concession-level) and the allocation by sector, we concluded that, between 2004 and 2016, the German food sector is the one that embodied the larger deforestation footprint, followed by the Italian and Spanish energy sectors.

Adoption of Sustainability Practices by Smallholders: Examining Social Structure as Determinants

Global palm oil consumption, registering at 77 million metric tons annually, presents a significant ecological challenge. The importance of fostering sustainable production is paramount. Yet, issues of deforestation and other unsustainable practices cast doubt over this objective. Sustainable certification schemes such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) aim to improve sustainable practices among stakeholders, including smallholders. A low achievement rate of only 30% certified smallholders suggests impediments beyond financial constraints. This study investigates the impact of social structure, specifically communication elements like social interaction ties and shared identity, on smallholders’ adoption of sustainable certification—a viewpoint aligned with innovation diffusion theory. Employing a quantitative design and a questionnaire survey, data was collected from 300 independent smallholders and analyzed via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings illuminate that communication through social interaction ties and shared identity significantly influences the adoption of sustainable-certified schemes by smallholders. This suggests that innovation diffusion within this sector is socially motivated, emphasizing the influential role of communication in facilitating adoption of sustainable practices among small farmers. This novel understanding offers valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in utilizing social dynamics to endorse sustainable practices within the palm oil industry. Keywords: Sustainable certification, communication, smallholders, innovation diffusion, social structure.

Review of Studies on Palm-Oil Consumption in Relation to Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

Background: A balanced-diet containing edible-oil has been advocated to have more of unsaturated fatty acid. The saturated nature of palm-oil (PO) has led to the recommendation that its consumption should be limited to avoid the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the claims and counterclaims of PO consumption and the risk of CVD from biochemical perspective. Methods: Relevant published peer-review articles on PO consumption associated with risk of CVD were sorted from Google Scholar, Scopus, Medline, and PubMed databases. Keywords, such as “palm-oil, cardiovascular diseases, and cholesterol” were used for the search. Results: Apparent in animal studies, 52.17% support the claim that PO consumption is associated with CVD, and has been attributed to its saturated nature. According to the reports, PO consumption by virtue of its saturated nature-elicited hypercholesterolaemia, which may result to CVD. Furthermore, PO consumption may instigate fatty liver, cause narrowing blood vessels and thickening aorta of the heart, and consequently non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a serious condition that may lead to severe cirrhosis, thereby increase CVD risk. On the other hand, 47.83% refute such claims that PO consumption is not associated with CVD risk. Based on human studies, 45.45% and 54.55% support and refute, respectively the claims that PO is associated with CVD. Conclusion: PO consumption has shown to be associated with hypercholesterolaemia, elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol, hence, could instigate CVD, even though no study convincingly establishes any relationship between PO consumption and the risk of CVD. Furthermore, consumption of repeatedly heated PO (deep-frying) may instigate oxidative stress, and consequently CVD.

An empirical analysis of Malaysian palm oil export to world major palm oil importing countries: evidence from a panel cointegration model

The paper explores the long-term causal relationships of Malaysian palm oil exports with the real effective exchange rate of the respective importing countries, palm oil consumption, vegetable oil production, and GDP growth. The study applied panel cointegration and causality approaches based on data from 10 main palm oil importing countries between 2004 and 2018. The impacts of economic growth, the effective real exchange rate, and the production of other vegetable oils by the main palm oil importing countries on Malaysian palm oil exports were found to be negative. However, palm oil consumption by the main palm oil importers was found to be a statistically significant positive determinant of Malaysian palm oil exports. This finding indicates that consumption has a direct positive effect on the demand for exports. A panel Granger causality analysis revealed a unidirectional causality between importing countries’ production of other vegetable oils and Malaysian exports of palm oil.

Indonesian Economic Diplomacy toward Palm Oil: Indonesia’s Respond to the EU Resolution on Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforest (2016/2222(INI))

Palm Oil becomes one of Indonesian major trade commodity, besides oil and gas. It has comparable quality with palm oil from Malaysia, Netherland, Papua New Guinea, and Guatemala. Therefore, an accessible and good prospect of the global market is essential for the sustainability of Indonesian palm oil production and marketing. European Union (EU) is a major importer of Indonesian palm oil because the consumption of palm oil among EU member countries is considered high. However, in the past few years, there were some international reports, including European media, that Indonesian palm oil is environmentally unfriendly, because the operation of palm oil plantation leads to deforestation and the greenhouse emission issue, abandoning the local people's, rights and decreasing the population of orangutan and other animals. EU then produced EU Resolution on Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforest (2016/2222(INI)) in 2017 to ban the import of Indonesian palm oil. Furthermore, different views among both sides and competition over similar products from Europe contribute to Indonesian efforts to conduct economic diplomacy, to protect the Indonesian economy.

KEPUASAN PETANI PLASMA TERHADAP PELAYANAN KEMITRAAN DI PTPN XIII PIR V NGABANG

Palm oil is one of the commodities that is seeded in Indonesia. It can be seen from the vast oil palm plantations has increased and the production of crude palm oil (CPO) is also increasing, in order to meet the demand for food and non-food industries. At home, in a span of 14 years from 1990 to 2003 the consumption of palm oil has increased every year, in 1990 the new consumption of 1.2 million tons, in 2003 increased to 3.2 million.The purpose of this study was to determine the Plasma Farmers Satisfaction Of Service Partnership in PTPN XIII PIR V Ngabang. The method used daam this study is a survey method of research that is conducted to obtain the factors of the symptoms and seek factual information from a group or area. The questionnaire uses primary data with respondents numbering 50 people, the variables studied were Smallholders Satisfaction, Reliability (reliability), Tangible (Embodiment / physical evidence), Responsiveness (Seize Power), Assurance (Assurance), Empathy (Empathy).The results of the study are presented in tabular form and are described in the narrative, the result obtained is of 50 respondents regarding the services and materials in the guidance states Unsatisfied 27 respondents (54%), the quality of the means of production is satisfied by 32 respondents (64%), the service factory in TBS less able to accommodate as many as 25 respondents (50%), the core enterprise assistance in tackling pests and diseases of oil palm plantations is satisfied by 25 respondents (50%). Regarding the company's core discipline in obeying the agreement is satisfied by 28 respondents (56%), the core of the company's attitude towards the welfare of farmers not satisfied by 23 respondents (43.40%).Suggestions in this study to provide satisfaction to farmers is expected to the company must provide it in accordance with the wishes of farmers such as providing roads for village farmers routinely provide fertilizer to farmers in order to increase the production of oil palm fruits.Keywords: plasma farmers satisfaction, services, partnership in PTPN XIII ngabang.

The Impact of The European Union’s Environmental Policy towards Competitiveness in Malaysia’s Palm Oil Industry

Palm oil can’t be isolated from the environment and sustainability issues. The consumption of edible palm oil has decreased in recent years due to increased environmental problems. Unfortunately, palm oil has also been portrayed negatively by some groups who claim that palm oil production would cause higher global GHG emissions than conventional fossil fuels due to the conversion of forests and peatlands. The European Union has aimed to increase its use of renewable energy from biofuels, with one of the potential feedstock being palm oil. However, European countries appear to have the most stringent requirement on certified palm oil despite such pros. The growing environmental and sustainability concerns of oil palm farming may adversely affect palm oil’s import demand and hence the Malaysian economy. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of environmental policy on Malaysia’s competitiveness in palm oil products. The relative trade advantage (RTA) index is used to measure the competitiveness index, and the dynamic generalized method of moment (DGMM) is employed in the study. The data used for this study spans from 2009 to 2016. The results indicate that environmental regulations in the EU positively impact palm oil industry competitiveness, which is technically consistent with the Porter Hypothesis, which argues that more stringent environmental regulations can trigger innovation that may offset the costs of complying among the producers. The progress of palm oil downstream is crucial to improving the overall competitiveness of the palm oil industry and the national economy. As per the findings of this study, the Malaysian government should implement appropriate environmental intervention models to meet international standards. Environmental protection, in general, necessitates significant capital expenditure and long-term investment decisions to fund innovation, which may offset the costs of regulatory compliance and eventually improve trade competitiveness, particularly in the downstream industry.

How effective is a fat subsidy? Evidence from edible oil consumption in India

AbstractTaxes on fats and sugar‐sweetened beverages are deployed in the developed world to encourage healthier diets. How effective might such fiscal instruments be in emerging economies? We evaluate the impacts of a subsidy for palm oil, introduced as part of the public distribution system in three Indian states. Using variants of the difference‐in‐differences approach, we find that palm oil consumption increased, particularly in rural areas, as a result of the subsidy, and traditional oils were displaced by cheaper palm oil. However, the intervention did not significantly alter overall edible oil consumption. These results are robust to different specifications, alternative estimation samples, and the exclusion of households who may have been potential beneficiaries of other interventions. Impacts were higher in Tamil Nadu than in other states, and were higher for vegetarian households in rural areas. There was only weak evidence of spillover income effects on other food groups. Given India's dual burden of malnutrition, our analysis suggests that fiscal policy interventions have the potential to effectively nudge consumer choices towards healthier edible oil consumption.