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Mongabay
Mongabay
JAKARTA — Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of crude palm oil, has ordered a ban on the export of the commodity starting April 28 to address an ongoing shortage of cooking oil in the country. President Joko Widodo announced the ban on April 22, set to run indefinitely, saying he wanted to ensure the country has enough cooking oil amid a general surge in food prices both domestically and abroad. Palm oil, of which Indonesia produces 59% of the global supply, is the dominant vegetable oil used to make cooking oil in Indonesia. Since late last year, however, Indonesia has suffered from acut…