Old trees and aging farmers

The double threat facing palm oil industry.

Audio Articles now available! Download the Reuters App. One Essential Read One Essential Read Recommended by Kate Turton, Newsletter Editor Experts warn palm oil exports could drop by 20% over the next five years   An oil palm farmer walks through a plantation in Pontian, Malaysia, April 24, 2025. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain A major struggle facing the world's top palm oil suppliers, Malaysia and Indonesia, is the difficulty in replacing aging palm oil trees. Many small farmers, who make up 40% of plantations, can't afford to replant old trees because it means years without income. As a result, more plantations are full of trees past their prime, leading to declining yields just as global demand is rising.  Read the full article Get full access to Reuters.com for just $1/week. Subscribe now. Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website Reuters One Essential Read is sent three days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you've engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions © 2025 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036