PALMOILMAGAZINE, INDIA – The Asia Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) has called on Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) to reconsider its decision to cut palm oil content in its soap products by 25%. APOA warns that this reduction could severely impact millions of planters, especially smallholders, around the globe.
HUL announced the reduction in palm oil usage as a response to price volatility and environmental concerns. However, APOA stresses that this move could significantly affect the palm oil industry and efforts towards sustainable development.
“Given the rising palm oil prices and environmental considerations, this decision could negatively impact the vegetable oil industry,” said Atul Chaturvedi, Chairman of APOA, representing countries including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.
As quoted from The Economic Times, Chaturvedi also mentioned palm oil positively contributes to economic empowerment, namely through initiatives, such as, National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).
APOA also said that palm oil cultivation would be efficient in land use per hectare. The natural resource utilization is the number one of other alternative oils. Even though HUL supported sustainable certification, such as, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), reducing palm oil application would postpone efforts and potentially endanger the smallholders’ income.
APOA urged HUL to provide transparent evidences that would be supported by science about environmental impacts from palm oil to its substitution on industrial scale.
What HUL decided intensively raised discussion in many related stakeholders about economic, environmental, and social impacts. It is hoped there would be balance in sustainability and sustainable palm oil industries in the future. (P2)
