how has the production of palm oil grown

                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
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  • Where does palm oil come from?
  • In the map, we see the distribution of production across the world. Small amounts of palm oil are grown in many countries, but the global market is dominated by only two: Indonesia and Malaysia. In the chart, we see the production of the palm oil plant across a number of countries. Other producers include Thailand, Colombia, and Nigeria.
  • How has palm oil changed over the years?
  • Between 1970 and 2020, the world’s production of palm oil increased by about 40 times. Global production went from only 2 million tonnes to around 80 million tonnes. The change in global production is shown in the chart.3 The story of palm oil is less about it as an isolated commodity and more about the rising demand for vegetable oils.
  • How much land is used to grow palm oil?
  • Between 1970 and 2020, the land the world uses to grow palm has increased by almost ten times, from 3 million to almost 30 million hectares. Indonesia and Malaysia account for around 70% of global land use for palm oil. This is relatively little, considering that these countries account for more than 80% of production.
  • Why is the demand for palm oil growing?
  • As a result of population and prosperity growth in countries such as China and India, the demand for palm oil continues to grow strongly. Palm oil production is expected to grow to a global level of more than 85 million tons by 2025.