A global story of oil crops for food

Global production of oil crops varies dramatically by region, with palm dominant in Asia and Africa, soybean in the Americas, and sunflower seed and rapeseed in Europe. As designated by the USDA, the term oilseed refers to the oil-rich seed of a plant – for example, a soybean or a rapeseed. Seed oil refers to the oil extracted from an oilseed. While oilseed and seed oil production can align by country or region, differing distribution of oilseed and seed oil production occurs when a country does not crush or process the oilseeds it grows. China, for example, is currently the world’s foremost producer of soybean oil, but for the most part, does not grow its own oilseeds, relying predominantly on North and South American imports to sustain its domestic crushing industry. Soybeans are generally exported whole to be crushed at their destination, while palm oil is more often produced near to production. Seed oils have both dietary and industrial applications, with distribution favoring ...