Palm OIL : who knew ?

India, the world's biggest importer of edible oils, buys more than 9m tonnes of palm oil annually

mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Between January-October 2019, India was the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil, taking in more than 4m tonnes

according to official Malaysian data.

Malaysia palm oil industry

has become an unexpected casualty of a row with India over disputed Kashmir.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said India had "invaded and occupied" the Himalayan territory.

Delhi revoked Indian-administered Kashmir's autonomy in early August

and communication and other curbs remain in place in the region more than four months on.

GUYANA could produce this : Is it the same as Coconut OIL ?

The comments did not go down well in Delhi, and India's top vegetable oil trade body

called on its members to avoid buying Malaysian palm oil to "show solidarity" over Kashmir

- a move Mr Mahathir said "amounts to a trade war".

Analysts feel the tactics are similar to those China's accused of using, where trade is a retaliatory tool.

"It is a form of linkage between economic and political objectives in foreign policy

that India had not shown earlier."