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Could you cite a source for that? India's use of palm oil is at about 15% from what I can find.[0] It's a big number, but not as big as "most" suggests. Moreov

Could you cite a source for that? India's use of palm oil is at about 15% from what I can find.[0] It's a big number, but not as big as "most" suggests. Moreover, the same source lists that about 95% is used as edible oil. In a country with high poverty, to claim "sustainability concerns are dismissed as a western luxury" is just a statement of fact. If you don't know where your next meal is coming from, it is hard to care for orangutans dying in another country. This is not an excuse for apathy, it is just human nature. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/10/india-palm-oil-sustainability-deforestation-unilever-greenpeace https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/10...

GordonS 8y ago
I'd be interested in seeing a source for this too. I happen to have a lot of Indian friends, and I'm a big foodie, so we talk about food a lot. Ghee seems to be the main cooking fat that's used (or coconut oil in the south), although just like we in the West were told to switch away from butter "because health reasons", Indians are told ghee is bad. Rapeseed oil ("canola" for the merkin) seems to be the main one, and Mustard oil gets used quite often too.
- Symbiote 8y ago
  It's not necessarily food, as palm oil is also used in cosmetics etc.
- Pxtl 8y ago
  Yeah, I work on public health research that includes India and they always ask us the Ghee and Coconut oil questions. Short answer is we don't know. Long answer is I just write the software - ask the boss.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  ("canola" for the merkin) "Canola" is Canadian in origin. In fact, the "Can" in "canola" means Canada.
  - GordonS 8y ago
    Huh, I didn't know that, thanks for the tidbit!
guelo 8y ago
https://www.slideshare.net/GreenPalmOil/top-10-palm-oil-consuming-countries-2015 https://www.slideshare.net/GreenPalmOil/top-10-palm-oil-cons... Ok I was wrong, India is 15%, and EU consumes a surprisingly high percentage at 12%. But still, subtracting the EU and US, 85% of the oil is consumed by developing countries that are too poor to worry about the environmental impacts.
- matt_morgan 8y ago
  1. 12% of anyone's business is really significant. 2. Every step helps.
- sachdevap 8y ago
  These numbers, in my opinion, are still reductionist and keep you away from a solution. A more telling statistic would be the purpose for which the oil is used in these countries. My guess is usage of palm oil in cosmetic products is much higher in western countries. These products would be so much easier to boycott and regulate than cooking oil. That being said, it seems like India is working on adding duties to palm oil leading to an increase in domestic price. [0] [0] https://www.crisil.com/content/dam/crisil/our-analysis/views-and-commentaries/sector-round-up/palm-oil-prices-to-rise-18-20per-in-India.pdf https://www.crisil.com/content/dam/crisil/our-analysis/views...

GordonS 8y ago

I'd be interested in seeing a source for this too. I happen to have a lot of Indian friends, and I'm a big foodie, so we talk about food a lot. Ghee seems to be the main cooking fat that's used (or coconut oil in the south), although just like we in the West were told to switch away from butter "because health reasons", Indians are told ghee is bad. Rapeseed oil ("canola" for the merkin) seems to be the main one, and Mustard oil gets used quite often too.

Symbiote 8y ago
It's not necessarily food, as palm oil is also used in cosmetics etc.
Pxtl 8y ago
Yeah, I work on public health research that includes India and they always ask us the Ghee and Coconut oil questions. Short answer is we don't know. Long answer is I just write the software - ask the boss.
reaperducer 8y ago
("canola" for the merkin) "Canola" is Canadian in origin. In fact, the "Can" in "canola" means Canada.
- GordonS 8y ago
  Huh, I didn't know that, thanks for the tidbit!

guelo 8y ago

https://www.slideshare.net/GreenPalmOil/top-10-palm-oil-consuming-countries-2015 https://www.slideshare.net/GreenPalmOil/top-10-palm-oil-cons... Ok I was wrong, India is 15%, and EU consumes a surprisingly high percentage at 12%. But still, subtracting the EU and US, 85% of the oil is consumed by developing countries that are too poor to worry about the environmental impacts.

matt_morgan 8y ago
1. 12% of anyone's business is really significant. 2. Every step helps.
sachdevap 8y ago
These numbers, in my opinion, are still reductionist and keep you away from a solution. A more telling statistic would be the purpose for which the oil is used in these countries. My guess is usage of palm oil in cosmetic products is much higher in western countries. These products would be so much easier to boycott and regulate than cooking oil. That being said, it seems like India is working on adding duties to palm oil leading to an increase in domestic price. [0] [0] https://www.crisil.com/content/dam/crisil/our-analysis/views-and-commentaries/sector-round-up/palm-oil-prices-to-rise-18-20per-in-India.pdf https://www.crisil.com/content/dam/crisil/our-analysis/views...