From the Amazon to the Aisles: Discovering Sustainable Palm Oil in the Heart of Peru

A pioneering four-day journey in Peru’s Uyacali region in the Peruvian Amazon brought RSPO buyer members closer to the growers and communities behind sustainable palm oil. RSPO Communications Manager (Latin America) Juan Camilo Plazas reflects on his immersive experience.

Since joining RSPO just a few months ago, my understanding of sustainability has taken on an entirely new meaning.

After years working in corporate communications and public relations, shaped by the private sector’s narrative of environmental responsibility, this was my first real exposure to what sustainability really looks like on the ground and the people who make it possible.

Last May, I had the privilege of traveling to the Ucayali region with a group of passionate sustainability representatives from leading consumer goods companies in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, including Blommer Chocolate Company, Edgewell Personal Care, Grupo Bimbo, Hershey’s, Natura, and the J.M. Smucker Company.

Our tour, organised by RSPO, was designed to foster direct connections between these sustainable palm oil buyers and the key actors in Peru’s sustainable palm oil sector: the Association of Palm Growers of Monte Alegre (APROMAN), the Central Committee of Palm Growers of Ucayali (COCEPU), Oleaginosas Amazónicas S.A. (OLAMSA) and Agroindustrias Oleaginosas del Perú S.A. (AOPSA). 

Circularity in the Amazon 

Our trip began in Lima, a bustling capital that set the stage for what would be an unforgettable immersion into sustainability, community, and culture. We departed in the early hours of the following morning for Pucallpa, a vibrant and dynamic city in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon and a key hub for the country’s sustainable palm oil production.

Upon arriving in Pucallpa, we headed out to visit OLAMSA, a palm oil mill with over 23 years of experience. Under the Amazonian sun, we witnessed firsthand how fresh fruit bunches are sterilised, threshed, pressed, clarified, and dried to produce crude palm oil. It was a fascinating process that relies not only on advanced technology but also on highly skilled labour following the principles of circular economy.

Next, we visited AOPSA, the region’s social refinery, a facility established to add value to the community while generating positive social impact. There, crude palm oil is refined, separated and packaged for domestic and industrial use, including the production of vegetable shortening. It was striking to see how both companies are contributing to the region’s economic development while promoting sustainable practices.

Learning from the land, ancestral wisdom

Known for their ancestral knowledge, spiritual traditions, and geometric art called Kené, this community reminded us of the deep relationship between people and nature, a connection that aligns closely with the values we strive to uphold in the sustainability sector.

Together with our buyer colleagues from the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, our gracious hosts from Peru, and our partners from Solidaridad, we continued our journey  visiting a farm belonging to APROMAN, the first group of independent smallholders in Peru to become eligible for RSPO certification. There, we were welcomed by Mr. Angulo, a seasoned grower whose hands and stories reflect decades of hard work that today yield tangible results thanks to sustainable palm oil. 

Our colleagues from Solidaridad led a hands-on activity using educational games to explore the complexities of palm oil production and sustainability. It was a long but deeply enriching day, filled with invaluable exchanges and mutual learning.

On our final day, we had the extraordinary opportunity to conclude the tour with a visit to the Indigenous Shipibo-Konibo community of San Francisco. Known for their ancestral knowledge, spiritual traditions, and geometric art called Kené, this community reminded us of the deep relationship between people and nature, a connection that aligns closely with the values we strive to uphold in the sustainability sector.

Looking Back: People bringing sustainability to life

Over the course of four days, I gained a much deeper and more practical understanding of what sustainability means on the ground. Witnessing the efforts of smallholders and buyers working together to build a more responsible palm oil sector in Peru was eye-opening –it reminded me that sustainability is not just about frameworks and policies, it is about the real people who bring them to life every day, often under challenging conditions. 

Juan Camilo Plazas Ovalle is the RSPO Communications Manager of Latin America. To connect, email: [email protected].