Malaysia, Indonesia unite to protect palm oil industry, migrant workers

Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s two largest producers of palm oil, accounting for about 85 per cent of global supply for the ubiquitous ingredient used in everything from chocolate spreads to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

But demand has largely been limited to traditional markets like India and China, as environmental lobbyists – particularly in the West – accuse palm oil plantations of driving deforestation and biodiversity loss.