This submission is related to reading about the UN FAO Food Price index[1] (for which there has been some recent HN discussion[2]). Although all commodities me

This submission is related to reading about the UN FAO Food Price index[1] (for which there has been some recent HN discussion[2]). Although all commodities measured by the index are increasing in price over time, there has been a notable large increase in Vegetable Oils prices, including a significant rise during 2021. Palm oil seems to be one of the potential causes, and it may have some problematic externalities[3]. There may also have been questionable decisions[4] in the past by both the U.S. and EU that had pro-environmental intent (increased use of biofuels) but that could also have introduced problematic side-effects. [1] - https://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/ https://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/ [2] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29113533 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29113533 [3] - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-palmoil-strategy-insight/fearing-tobaccos-fate-palm-oil-industry-fights-back-idUSKCN1VB0CH https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-palmoil-strategy... [4] - https://ethical.net/ethical/the-problem-with-palm-oil/ https://ethical.net/ethical/the-problem-with-palm-oil/