"Supply chain report investigates deforestation tied to palm growing in Colombia", 01 August 2023

...On April 19, the European Parliament approved a law aimed at curbing deforestation...

Given these changes in international legislation...[,]...the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Netherlands and AidEnvironment conducted an investigation into Colombia’s palm oil supply chain...

The study, “Uncovering the supply chain: palm oil from Colombia to the EU,” shows how this supply chain works, starting with cultivation sites in Colombian fields through to consumption in European countries...

Six case studies of companies linked to 11 palm oil mills were identified. The companies featured in the research are Poligrow Colombia, Agropecuaria Santamaria, Agropecuaria La Rivera Gaitán, Riopaila Castilla, Daabon Group and Oleoflores...

Drost, from AidEnvironment, is most concerned about Poligrow Colombia because it is certified by the RSPO...

The report also claims that Poligrow’s processing plant is located very close to where the deforestation frontier ends and the forest begins, as well as to Indigenous territories and illicit crop production areas...

...The report notes that Agropecuaria Santamaria is a member of the RSPO...Agropecuaria Santamaria’s palm processing mill is also located in Meta, near the deforestation frontier and areas of illegal crop production.

Next on the list of companies is Agropecuaria Rivera Gaitán, also found in the Meta department. Its founder, Reinel Gaitán Tangarife, was arrested in February 2022, accused of allegedly being the largest deforester in Colombia and linked to environmental crimes such as illegal mining, bribery and fraud...

...Riopaila Castilla...has been accused of having created artificial companies in order to buy the land it leases. In addition, some 16,200 ha (40,000 acres) of land were burned around its processing mill between 2021 and 2022.

...The report claims that the Daabon Group, one of the five main suppliers of palm oil to Colombia, Europe and other Latin American countries, is under investigation by the RSPO for inadequate working conditions.

When asked for comment, the Daabon Group reported, “the complaint was withdrawn by the same union body in January 2023.” Regarding the burned areas and deforestation that occurred near the company’s facilities, the Daabon Group also stated that it does not know how these incidents came about and that “we have no intention of expanding into areas that have been burned or deforested.” The RSPO complaints panel also says the process was closed when the allegation was withdrawn...

Mongabay Latam contacted all six companies to ask their opinion on the study’s findings. Daabon Group responded, while Poligrow and Riopaila Castilla said they would respond but had not sent their responses by the time of publication. Agropecuaria Rivera Gaitán, Agropecuaria Santamaria and Oleoflores did not reply...