Share of sustainable palm oil rises to 83.5 percent

An increasing share of palm oil used in Dutch food products now comes from sustainable sources. In 2024, this accounted for 83.5 percent of the total, according to the latest progress report from the Dutch Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (DASPO). A clear step forward for the sector.

‘Segregated’ share continues to grow

In 2024, the Dutch food industry processed around 435,000 tons of palm oil. Of that amount, 363,000 tons were certified sustainable — roughly 13,000 tons more than the previous year. Within that total, the fully ‘Segregated’ stream saw the strongest growth, rising from 78 to 81 percent. This category remains separated from non-sustainable oil throughout the entire supply chain. The share of ‘Mass Balance’ remained stable, while ‘Book & Claim Credits’ fell to 1 percent of total trade systems.

Of the total palm oil processed, 72,000 tons were conventional. According to DASPO, the smaller non-sustainable portion mainly relates to export products outside Europe, where demand for certified palm oil is still limited.

The Netherlands remains a key trading hub

The Netherlands continues to play a central role in the global palm oil chain. In 2024, the country imported 1.95 million tons of palm oil, including PFADs (Palm (kernel) Fatty Acid Distillates). Excluding these by-products, imports totaled 1.33 million tons — similar to 2023. Most palm oil originated from Southeast Asia (59 percent) and South America (34 percent).

Collaboration across the supply chain

The report outlines how much sustainable palm oil, palm kernel oil, and related products were purchased in the Netherlands for use in food production. The figures are based on data provided by Dutch refiners, supplemented with purchases of ‘Book & Claim Credits’.
DASPO is a collaboration of ten industry associations, supported by IDH and initiated by MVO, the Dutch oils and fats supply chain organisation. Since 2011, DASPO has published annual figures on the use of sustainable palm oil within the Dutch food industry.

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