Recognising the Value of Oil Palm in the Post-covid-19 World

Abstract

During 2020, the global oil palm sector suffered a series of shocks related to the covid-19 pandemic. In this article I survey the immediate effects of the pandemic, and related socioeconomic factors, on the oil palm supply chain, from plantation to plate. Overall, the sector has proved remarkably resilient and prospects for its post-covid-19 performance are generally promising. This can be traced to the key roles of palm oils in two vital areas, namely food security and health care, although prospects in the biofuels area are less certain. Keywords: Covid-19, food security, health care, biofuels