- Leading agricultural trader Cargill Inc stopped buying palm oil products from Sime Darby Plantation Bhd (OTC:SDPNF) following indication of forced labor, Bloomberg reports.
- Sime Darby acknowledged that Cargill had suspended all new sourcing of palm oil and derivative products since February 25 for reasons undisclosed. The companies were in talks.
- Sime is a leading oil palm planter by acreage.
- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection looked to seize Sime's palm oil and related goods as Sime used convicts and forced or indentured labor to manufacture products.
- Sime acknowledged it is taking measures to improve its labor rights and that other customers have taken up the supply of bulk products to Cargill in India.
- Sime also acknowledged that Italian confectionery giant Ferrero would stop sourcing palm oil from the company.
- Ferrero, General Mills Inc (NYSE:GIS), and The Hershey Co (NYSE:HSY) ceased to have been Sime's customers for a while.
- Photo by tristantan via Pixabay
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