Oil palm plantations, Borneo, Indonesia

On the island of Borneo, oil palms are increasingly replacing virgin tropical forests. These plantations cause the loss of 80% of the original plant life and 80 to 90% of animal species like the orangutan. World demand for palm oil is the main cause of deforestation in certain parts of Asia. At the beginning of 2010, 7.9 million hectares were planted compared to 600.000 in 1985 whereas 1.9 million hectares were waiting to be cultivated. In 2008, the Indonesian archipelago became the largest producer of palm oil, ahead of Malaysia. In 2011, the Indonesian government adopted a two-year moratorium for the deforestation of new forests concessions aimed at this culture. The Indonesian government wants to plant 7 million more hectares in the next five years. World demand for this raw material is rapidly increasing as it is used to make many food products as well as detergents and cosmetics. This alimentary oil increasingly used to make biofuel could become too expensive for poor consumers in developing countries. In the European Union, the use of half rape seed oil production to produce biofuel has forced the member countries to import more palm oil and soy for human consumption.