Public Awareness of Palm Oil Needs to Raise

ATTEMPTS to raise public awareness of palm oil is deemed necessary to strengthen Indonesian palm oil image in global world. In this case, netizens play so significant role that attempt to raise netizen`s awareness is also important. Corporate Secretary of The Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDPKS) Achmad Maulizal Sutawijaya expressed that view as he spoke in a Journalistic Workshop with a highly topical themes ‘Raising Netizens Awareness and Positive Perception of Palm Oil Industry’ in Medan, North Sumatera, Wednesday (14/10/2018). The workshop was organized by Indonesian Journalist Association (PWI) in collaboration with Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki). “BPDPKS spends mightily to try to improve public awareness of the importance of national palm oil industry. This is important given the fact that in today’s world a good brand image can be as important as the products it produces, particularly on the global stage,” Maulizal said. Maulizal refered to current palm oil role for Indonesia that has contributed a lot to economic benefits as well as to the supply global vegetable oil need. “Some people have little awareness or appreciation of palm oil while in fact Indonesia is the world`s top producer of the commodity. That’s why we continuously intensifies our efforts to promote Indonesian palm oil as well as to encourage sustainable practices.” Gapki’s Vice Chairman for Organization Kacuk Sumarto has the same concern. He said, many people have little awareness that palm oil produce derivative products is the most widely consumed in the planet, from cooking oil to tooth paste. “Indonesia has, at least, 60 palm oil derivative products. It means palm oil is not only for cooking oil but is also literally everywhere – in foods, cosmetics, cleaning products, fuels, and so on,” Kacuk said. ***