JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR -- Weak prices for palm oil, a worsening outlook and a backlash against the commodity over deforestation concerns are pushing Indonesia and Malaysia -- the world's biggest producers -- to boost domestic use through developing jet fuels and expanding biodiesel programs.
Widely used in Indonesia for cooking oil and applications such as personal care and cleaning products, palm oil is an important sector in Southeast Asia's largest economy with the industry employing millions of workers. Indonesia is the world's largest exporter and it is the country's top export commodity, apart from coal. Palm oil is similarly important in neighboring Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer and exporter.
