Indonesia is burning. These fires are caused by the palm oil industry which is burning rainforests of area equal to the size of 19 football fields per hour. Palm oil industry kills 3000-5000 orangutans each year and destroys the home of countless other species unique to these rainforests. India accounts for about 16-20% of the world's palm oil imports, making it the single largest importer as of 2012-13. If India would cut its palm oil imports, it will help drive down the palm oil production due to lack of demand and thus help in preserving the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra which are important for us all because of their rich biodiversity. This will also help India's local palm oil producers who are struggling to keep up with the cheap prices of oil imported from Indonesia. Hence I urge the Honourable Prime Minister of India to ban all palm oil imports from Indonesia.
