An Oil Quandary: Costly Fuel Means Costly Calories

New York Times by Keith Bradsher | Jan. 19, 2008 (Special Report)

Rising prices for cooking oil are forcing residents of Asia's largest slum, in Mumbai, India, to ration every drop. Bakeries in the United States are fretting over higher shortening costs. And here in Malaysia, brand-new factories built to convert vegetable oil into diesel sit idle, their owners unable to afford the raw material. Full Story »

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3.8

by Andy Jamieson - Oct. 1, 2008

A very important story. The article is a bit light on siting its sources. Furthermore, a few hard statistics relating the increase in palm oil cost to the average 3rd world consumer's budget would give us a clearer picture of the demand-side problem. And how much of the rain forest is being sacrificed for palm trees? I thought the Amazon was mainly losing out to pasture.