South Sumatera Offers Solution to Counter Palm Oil Black Campaign

The government of South Sumatera is adopting Verified Source Area (VSA) method in thousand hectares of oil palm plantation in Musi Banyuasin Regency to make sure the plantations are outside of protected forest area. This verification is also aimed to respond to negative campaign telling that oil palm plantations are built on protected forest. “Land verification is also expected to raise price of fresh fruit bunches at farmers level,” Musi Banyuasin Regent Dodi Reza Alex said, Tuesday (12/2/2019). VSA will reaffirmed the regency’s commitment to sustainable development, especially in palm oil sector. The method will also make possible for consumers to know the supply chain of vegetable oil they consume. “This will make easier for buyers, traders, or other parties to trace the status of sustainability level of the plantations,” Dodi added. Chairman of Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) of South Sumatera Harry Hartanto welcomed the method adopted by the regency to counter black campaign. They invited all stakeholder to fight against such campaign. “The allegation is manifestly and demonstrably false, only to stop palm oil entering their countries because they want to sell their own products, such as sunflower and soybean oils,” Harry said. (Source: Antaranews)