Trade Attache Candidates Briefed on Sustainable Palm Oil

SEVERAL Indonesian Trade Attache Candidates have been briefed on sustainable palm oil in order to boost palm oil trade in the global market. The brief was given in Pekanbaru, Riau, from 15 to 17 July 2019 in a discussion session and site visit to oil palm plantation and mills. Partnership Director of the Indonesia Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) Tulus Budhianto opened the occasion by delivering a presentation on the latest information on the palm oil sector in which BPDPKS involves. He shared information oh how BPDPKS works in trying to develop sustainable palm oil. Participants were also provided an in-depth understanding of sustainable palm oil.

A presentation on this matter was given by Rusman Heriawan, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BPDPKS who shared information on the role of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Forum (FoKSBI). It is a forum initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and palm oil stakeholders in order to coordinate their efforts to develop sustainable palm oil. All attache candidates were also given a chance to discuss a highly topical theme on social and economic aspect of palm oil with Mohamad Fadhil Hasan, Corporate Affairs of PT Asian Agri. They also discussed health aspect of food products contain palm oil with Sri Raharjo, an expert in food science and technology from Gadjah Mada University (UGM).

Discussion on the issue of deforestation was guided by Vice Secretary of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) Agam Fatchurrochman in which they talk about the issue linked to the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II. They also discussed the issue on deforestation linked to biodiversity with Professor at the Faculty of Forestry of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). At the same session, Didiek Hadjar Goenadi from BPDPKS provided participants hands-on knowledge of some aspect of oil palm land.

The attache candidates were also given an opportunity to visit oil palm plantation in Buatan, Riau operated by PT Asia Agri to get insights into the everyday lives in the plantation. They also visited a palm oil mill to know more about production process, especially about crude palm oil (CPO) production. Participant also observed a process of waste management system that utilize palm oil mills wastes to produce biogas for use in a gas engine to produce electrical power. ***