Palm Oil: Time to Rethink the Narrative

Palm oil is so ubiquitous that it can be found in everything, including your kitchen pantry and your cosmetics shelf. However, it is still one of the most misunderstood ingredients in the modern supply chain. The stories about palm oil being unhealthy or detrimental to the environment are often shaped by propaganda and half-truths.

The recent webinar, in collaboration with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), aimed to correct this. With experts from scientific, sustainability, governmental, and agribusiness approaches, the discussion involved the forefront topics associated with palm oil-from nutrition and public perception to sustainability and India's domestic production potential.

This article offers a preview of that insightful conversation, just enough to pique your interest. To truly appreciate the depth of this dialogue, you’ll want to watch the full video.

Setting the Context

India is one of the major palm oil-consuming and importing countries, thus making it a main player to tilt the palm oil narrative. Somewhere in between health and environmental debates lie greyer realities. This webinar was intended to lift the veil and furnish palm oil with insights and evidence of its genuine worth and potential.

Let’s take a peek into what some of the speakers had to say.

A Health Perspective That Challenges Popular Myths

Dr. Sanjit Kanjilal, Senior Principal Scientist, Department of Oils, Lipid Science and Technology, at CSIR-IICT, addressed the elephant in the room: palm oil’s reputation in the health space.

“The myths around palm oil have no scientific basis,” he said, citing a meta-analysis of clinical trials from 1975 to 1982 that showed no significant difference in cholesterol levels between palm oil and other commonly consumed oils like groundnut, sunflower, and canola.

Key nutritional components that rarely receive attention in popular discourse, according to Dr. Kanjilal, are palm oil's tocopherols and tocotrienols. These have antioxidative properties and may have benefits surrounding heart health, cancer protection, and neuroprotection. He then further added to palm oil's widespread criticism regarding its saturated fat content, indicating that its saturated molecular structure does not allow decent absorption in the body.

“You cannot judge an oil based on a single parameter,” he added. “There’s a much larger nutritional story here.”

Why India Needs Palm Oil And Why It Can Be Grown Sustainably

Mr. Saugata Niyogi, CEO of the Oil Palm Business at Godrej Agrovet, offered an economic and agricultural rationale for scaling up palm oil production in India.

“With over 60% of our edible oil being imported, we face a serious gap in domestic production,” he explained. “Palm oil offers the highest yield per hectare, making it the only viable option to meet this demand sustainably.”

Contrary to the belief that palm oil cultivation leads to deforestation, Mr. Niyogi pointed out that in India, the entire footprint of palm oil is deforestation-free. The lands used for cultivation originate from smallholder farmers operating on existing agricultural land, as per government guidelines under the National Mission on Edible Oils, Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).

This approach not only preserves forests but also empowers farmers, something Mr. Niyogi elaborated on in detail during the webinar.

Aligning with Global Sustainability Standards

When it comes to sustainability, India is not alone. Dr. Suresh Motwani, Regional Head of Vegetable Oil at Solidaridad and Secretary General of the Asian Palm Oil Alliance, emphasised that sustainability frameworks like ISPO (Indonesia), MSPO (Malaysia), and IPOS (India) lend a commonality to responsible production.

“Sustainability isn’t just about deforestation, it also covers fair labour, legal rights, and economic development,” he said.

The Indian IPOS (Indian Palm Oil Sustainability) framework is in line with global standards and is implemented in places like Andhra Pradesh. According to Dr. Motwani, more than 2,000 farmers have already gone through the certification process under IPOS, proving that sustainable practices are not a matter of aspirational goals but attainable objectives.

“It’s about creating shared value between producers and consumers across borders,” he said.

Malaysia’s Decades-Long Commitment to Sustainable Palm Oil

Representing one of the largest palm oil exporters to India, H.E. Dato' Muzaffar Shah Mustafa, High Commissioner of Malaysia to India, discussed the country’s national certification system, MSPO(Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil), which has been mandatory since 2020.

“MSPO ensures legal compliance, good agricultural practices, and worker welfare across the supply chain,” he said.

He described how the palm oil industry provides a means of livelihood to over three million Malaysians in a way that sustainability has become part of the DNA of the industry. Future avenues for collaboration may include technology transfer, productivity enhancement, and traceability systems within India and Malaysia.

“Sustainability will not just be a shared responsibility, it will be a shared opportunity,” he added.

Indonesia’s Model of Inclusivity and Legal Accountability

H.E. Ina Krishnamurthi, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to India and Bhutan, brought a broader societal lens to the conversation.

“This isn’t just about a commodity. It’s about community,” she stressed.

ISPO (Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil) introduced in Indonesia in 2011, revised in 2016 and 2020, is a framework geared primarily toward inclusivity, such as with smallholder farmers, who would have difficulties with documentation and access to markets. This certification covers over 5.6 million hectares of plantations, with stringent criteria written for both corporates and smallholders.

“We’re not just ticking boxes for international standards, we’re building a sustainable ecosystem that includes everyone,” she said.

More Than Just an Oil

The session was aimed at providing a strong case for rethinking palm oil. Palm oil should not be looked at merely as a product on a supermarket shelf, but as an important pillar in food security, economic empowerment, and climate responsibility.

If you are a policymaker, a business owner, a health-conscious consumer, or just plain curious, this conversation offers great perspectives that go much deeper than the headlines.

Watch the Full Webinar

To hear these experts firsthand and get the complete story, watch the full video. This may very well change your mind about palm oil.

Time to sweep the myths aside and look at the facts.

Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times.