There are over 600 names for palm oil and palm oil derivatives, and according to the WWF, every second product in German supermarkets contains palm oil. Palm oil is extremely versatile and is using less space than rapeseed, sunflowers, coconut, or soybeans to produce the same amount of oil. However, palm oil production destroys the soil, leading to jungle deforestation and the well-known problems that come with it.
On a positive note, solutions are emerging. The integration of so-called ‘islands of trees’ can significantly improve soil quality in fields. And old fields used as pasture lands apparently recover from cultivation and can be reused. It seems they’ve finally discovered that monocultures are bad, and next week they’ll probably invent the three-field system.
There are two main types of oil palms: the American oil palm and the African oil palm, with the latter being the most widespread. 85% of global production comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, but palm oil is also produced in Africa and South America.
The global palm oil market size was valued at around $72 billion in 2024.