House Wants Palm Oil Included in Trade Negotiations

JAKARTA—The House of Representatives member called on the Government to include palm oil issues in every trade negotiations, including in negotiations over Indonesia European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement/IEU-CEPA. “The Government must include palm oil in every trade negotiations with other countries, including with the European Union,” Vice Chairman of Commission IV of The House of Representatives Hasan Aminuddin said in a hearing with Minsitry of Agriculture and Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) in Jakarta, (25/11/2019). Hasan said palm oil production has contributed to economic benefits such as government revenues, profits for companies, employment, and raised incomes for smallholders.

House Wants Palm Oil Included in Trade Negotiations

JAKARTA—The House of Representatives member called on the Government to include palm oil issues in every trade negotiations, including in negotiations over Indonesia European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement/IEU-CEPA. “The Government must include palm oil in every trade negotiations with other countries, including with the European Union,” Vice Chairman of Commission IV of The House of Representatives Hasan Aminuddin said in a hearing with Minsitry of Agriculture and Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) in Jakarta, (25/11/2019).

Hasan said palm oil production has contributed to economic benefits such as government revenues, profits for companies, employment, and raised incomes for smallholders. Millions of people make a living from palm oil globally. Therefore, the government must insist on the inclusion of palm oil in the agenda of various international forums, including negotiations on the IEU-CEPA. Echoing a similar statement, Vice Chairman of Commission IV of The House of Representatives Daniel Johan asked the Government to stand firm and tell the EU that negotiations on the IEU-CEPA could continue on the condition that the meeting includes palm oil in the negotiations.

“We, Indonesian Parliament, also asked our counterpart in Europe to treat palm oil objectively that palm oil is more productive than other vegetable oil,” Daniel said. He also supported the Government program to make it mandatory for biodiesel to have a bio-content.  Since 2014, Indonesia has implemented B10 mandatory program and continued increasing its bio-content to B30 next year. (Sumber: Liputan 6)