Latin America has the solution to the growing global edible oil shortage

The world is facing a growing shortage of the most versatile edible oil. The solution may lie in emerging producers far removed from the vast palm oil plantations of Southeast Asia, according to Bloomberg. In Malaysia and Indonesia, which today account for the lion's share of production, the old trees that cover much of the region have become less productive. At the same time, labor became increasingly scarce and controls on land clearing were tightened, making replanting more difficult. In Colombia and Guatemala, thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia, a different picture is taking shape, with some farmers there producing nearly twice the amount of oil per hectare than their peers in Southeast Asia. Additionally, in order to comply with looming European rules banning crop imports from newly deforested land, farmers are already focusing extensively on satellite and geofencing technology to ensure supply chains are fully traceable. Freedom from the fears of deforestation With ...