Prabowo Highlights Export Leakages in Natural Resources, Says Palm Oil Hurt by Under-Invoicing

Speaking during the House of Representatives plenary session on the 2027 Macroeconomic Framework and Fiscal Policy Guidelines (KEM PPKF RAPBN 2027) on Wednesday (20/5/2026), Prabowo stated that despite Indonesia consistently recording trade surpluses for decades, much of the nation’s wealth has continued flowing abroad. “Our exports have always exceeded imports. Logically, this country should never experience economic crises. But in reality, much of our wealth flows overseas,” Prabowo said, as monitored by . The President cited United Nations data showing that Indonesia accumulated approximately US$436 billion in trade surpluses over the past 22 years, while capital outflows reached US$343 billion...

ASPEKPIR Pushes Replanting and Institutional Strengthening to Boost Smallholder Palm Oil Productivity

ASPEKPIR Chairman Sutiyono stated that enhancing plantation productivity will remain one of the organization’s top priorities in the coming years. Speaking during a discussion attended by on Tuesday (May 19, 2026), he emphasized that several strategic initiatives are currently being intensified to support Smallholders. “One of the key efforts is encouraging members to participate in the Smallholder Replanting Program (PSR), which is essential for replacing aging and unproductive oil palm trees,” Sutiyono explained. According to him, the replanting program is considered crucial for ensuring future productivity growth while maintaining the long-term sustainability of Indonesia’s palm oil sector. Beyond replanting, ASPEKPIR...

Sawit Watch Warns Centralized Palm Oil Export Plan Could Hurt Smallholders

The concern emerged after Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced plans to restructure the export governance of strategic natural resources as part of the 2027 Macroeconomic Framework and Fiscal Policy agenda. Under the proposal, a state-owned enterprise (SOE) would be appointed to manage exports of commodities such as palm oil, coal, and ferroalloys. Sawit Watch acknowledged that the initiative may strengthen Indonesia’s ambition to gain greater control over global CPO pricing. However, the organization argued that a highly centralized export system risks creating a monopsony structure that could weaken farmers’ bargaining power. “Creating a single export gateway for CPO effectively puts...

Indonesia Prepares National Export Agency as Palm Oil and Coal Become Initial Targets

The initiative is designed to strengthen oversight of Indonesia’s commodity trade flows while addressing long-standing concerns over under invoicing practices, which have been blamed for reducing potential tax revenues, royalties, and export foreign exchange earnings entering the domestic financial system. In its initial phase, the new agency is expected to focus on high-value export sectors, especially palm oil and coal, both of which remain key contributors to Indonesia’s export revenues. The government believes integrated supervision could improve transparency in commodity trading while enhancing control over export foreign exchange proceeds. The proposed concept has been described as a “Strategic National Commodity...

PT MM Named Suspect in Environmental Crime Case Over Oil Palm Activities Near River Buffer Zone

Director of Special Criminal Investigation at Riau Police, Ade Kuncoro, said the case demonstrates the authorities’ growing commitment to pursuing environmental crimes, including those involving large corporations. Investigators found that oil palm plantation activities had been carried out within the Air Hitam River buffer zone and forest areas located in Estate IV Division F of PT MM, Air Hitam Village, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency. “Investigators discovered that the area had been cleared and planted with oil palm trees between 1997 and 1998,” Ade stated during a press conference at Riau Police Headquarters on Monday. The oil palm trees reportedly entered...

India’s Palm Oil Imports Fall 26% in April 2026, Pressuring Global Market

According to Reuters, as published online by from Brecorder on Monday (18/5/2026), the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India reported that the country’s palm oil imports dropped to 513,403 metric tons in April, compared with 689,462 tons in March. The figure marked the lowest monthly import volume since December 2025. The decline in purchases by the world’s largest vegetable oil buyer is expected to increase palm oil inventories in major producing countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, while also putting pressure on Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) futures prices. In contrast, India’s soybean oil imports rose 25% to 360,350 tons, the...

MADANI Warns of Rising Forest Fires in 2026 as Palm Oil Concessions Come Under Scrutiny

In its latest report, MADANI stated that approximately 94% of the affected areas were newly burned zones, significantly expanding environmental damage. Another 3,600 hectares were identified as recurring fire areas that continued to show fire indications every month during the first quarter of the year. MADANI Berkelanjutan Executive Director, Nadia Hadad, warned that the situation represents a serious alarm ahead of the 2026 dry season. “The increasing number of fires at the beginning of this year is deeply concerning, especially as BMKG predicts that the 2026 dry season will arrive earlier, last longer, and may be influenced by weak to...

Palm Biomass Seen as Key to Indonesia’s Energy Independence

During a discussion session on palm biomass as renewable green energy, speakers highlighted that optimal utilization of palm biomass could strengthen Indonesia’s energy security while reducing pressure on foreign exchange reserves caused by fossil fuel imports. Agus Guntoro from Trisakti University explained that Indonesia’s energy challenges are becoming increasingly complex as economic growth drives higher energy demand, while fossil energy reserves continue to decline. According to him, energy sustainability should be treated as a fundamental asset for national development, requiring Indonesia to accelerate the development of alternative energy sources aligned with regional characteristics and industrial needs. “Palm biomass is highly...

Legislator Exposes Alleged Massive Losses Faced by Independent Oil Palm Smallholders in Pesisir Selatan

Speaking to on Thursday (May 14, 2026), the National Mandate Party (PAN) politician noted that plasma plantation FFB prices in West Sumatra for the May 8–14, 2026 period stood at Rp4,022/kg. In contrast, independent Smallholders in Pesisir Selatan Regency were only receiving between Rp2,745/kg and Rp2,990/kg as of May 14, 2026. He explained that several palm oil mills reduced purchase prices by around Rp75/kg during trading on May 13, 2026. Prices in the TEU area reportedly fell to Rp2,990/kg, Sdtn to Rp2,745/kg, and Sjal to Rp2,830/kg. Further declines were also recorded on May 14, with prices at KPS T dropping...

Palm Oil-Cattle Integration Could Support 2 Million Cattle, Indonesia Prepares Rp5 Trillion for SISKA Clusters

Assistant Deputy for Food Connectivity and Service Development at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, Radian Bagiyono, said Indonesia’s vast oil palm plantation area offers enormous potential for large-scale cattle development. “Indonesia’s palm oil sector is not only a major foreign exchange contributor, but also holds a strategic position as a catalyst for national resilience through the integration of food, energy, and livestock,” Radian said in an official statement received by . According to him, the palm oil industry currently contributes around 4.5% to Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports more than 16 million jobs directly and indirectly. With...

CPOPC Calls for Resilient and Inclusive ASEAN Palm Oil Trade at Singapore Forum

According to monitoring of CPOPC’s official social media channels on Tuesday (12/5/2026), this year’s forum carried the theme “Resilient Commodities: Innovation and New Markets,” focusing on strategies to strengthen commodities amid global market challenges. CPOPC Secretary General Izzana Salleh participated as a speaker in Panel 1 titled “New Markets for ASEAN Commodities,” which discussed ASEAN exporters’ efforts to respond to shifting global markets through diversification, South-South trade expansion, domestic consumption growth, and downstream value creation. During the discussion, CPOPC highlighted palm oil’s strategic role in international trade, food and energy security, downstream industrial development, and sustainability regulation implementation. “The future...

ISEI Riau Urges Revision of Palm Oil Revenue-Sharing Formula Amid Fiscal Imbalance Concerns

Under the current scheme, 96 percent of palm oil revenue-sharing funds are allocated to the central government, while producing regions receive only 4 percent. ISEI Riau stated that the mechanism stipulated under Finance Ministry Regulation (PMK) No. 10/2026 on Palm Oil Revenue Sharing Management does not adequately reflect the major contribution of palm oil-producing regions such as Riau to state revenues and export earnings. ISEI Riau Chairman Herman Boedoyo said producing regions continue to bear the environmental and infrastructure impacts of the palm oil industry without sufficient fiscal support from Jakarta. “Palm oil-producing regions, including Riau, should not continue to...

Women Driving Sustainable Palm Oil: Risniati Tarigan’s Journey from Local Trader to RSPO-Certified Smallholder Leader

Balancing her responsibilities as a homemaker, fresh fruit bunches (FFB) trader, and smallholder community leader, Risniati has spent years working closely with independent Smallholders in her area. What began as daily interactions with farmers gradually evolved into a larger mission: helping local growers improve productivity, adopt sustainable practices, and gain access to global certification standards. Through CV Perangin-Angin Group (PAG), Risniati collaborates with two fellow traders and nearly 300 independent Smallholders managing around 680 hectares of oil palm plantations. Over time, she observed recurring challenges among farmers, including improper fertilizer application, inconsistent harvesting techniques, and limited understanding of structured plantation...

BRIN Turns Palm Oil Boiler Ash into Advanced Nanomaterial for Flexible Energy Storage

Palm oil boiler ash, generated in volumes reaching millions of tons annually, has long posed an environmental challenge due to limited utilization. Yet researchers have found that this industrial residue contains 50–65% silica (SiO₂)—a key material that can be refined into nanosilica, an ultra-fine material measuring around 8–10 nanometers with highly desirable physical and chemical properties. Nanosilica is widely recognized for its large surface area, tunable pore structure, and high chemical adaptability, making it a strategic material across multiple sectors, including cosmetics, biomedical engineering, construction, electronics, and advanced energy systems. According to Rike Yudianti, a researcher at BRIN’s Research Center...

GAPKI Pushes Stronger Daily Labor Standards in Palm Oil Through Padu Perkasa Workshop

The initiative took shape in Bengkulu through the Padu Perkasa Workshop: Advancing the Welfare of Daily Workers in the Palm Oil Plantation Industry, which brought together around 50 participants representing GAPKI member companies and labor unions from across the sector. The workshop served as a strategic platform to build common understanding around labor protection through implementation of the General Guidelines for Sustainable Daily Palm Employment Agreements, known as Padu Perkasa—a framework designed to promote fairer, safer, and more sustainable working arrangements for daily plantation workers. Opening the event, the Head of Industrial Relations Division at Bengkulu’s Manpower and Transmigration Office,...

Tanzania’s Oil Palm Genetic Resource Release Strengthens Strategic Partnership with Indonesia

That message was underscored by Macocha Moshe Tembele, Ambassador of Tanzania to Indonesia, during the ceremonial release of Tanzanian oil palm genetic resources for the enrichment of Indonesia’s germplasm collection, held at Tanah Besih Estate in Tebing Syahbandar District, Serdang Bedagai Regency, North Sumatra. According to Tembele, the initiative carries significance far beyond the transfer of plant genetic material. At its core, he said, the release symbolizes how scientific collaboration and international partnership can help address the long-term challenges facing global agriculture—from productivity and crop resilience to food security and climate adaptation. “Today, we are not only releasing genetic resources—we...

CPOPC Strengthens Sustainable Palm Oil Cooperation with Papua New Guinea

The commitment was reaffirmed during a courtesy meeting between CPOPC and Papua New Guinea’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Simon Namis, highlighting growing momentum for closer engagement between palm oil producing countries. CPOPC emphasized its role as a collaborative platform where producing nations can exchange perspectives, address common challenges, and strengthen collective advocacy for the global palm oil sector. A key topic discussed was the introduction of the Global Framework Principles for Sustainable Palm Oil (GFP-SPO), a flagship initiative aimed at helping producing countries build stronger sustainability governance. The framework is seen as particularly relevant for Papua New Guinea, which currently does...

Early Selection of Oil Palm Seedlings Crucial to Detect Abnormalities, Says PPKS

In educational material cited by on Tuesday (May 5, 2026), PPKS explained that abnormal oil palm seedlings are generally caused by two main factors: genetic conditions and improper nursery treatment. If left untreated, such abnormalities could reduce plantation productivity in the future. From a genetic perspective, several symptoms require close attention, including vivipary (germination inside the fruit), sterility, twisted or spiral leaf growth, and shortened rachis that makes seedlings appear stunted. Meanwhile, nursery management issues commonly found in the field include incorrect planting depth, compact or unscreened planting media, insufficient or excessive watering, and poor-quality water such as saline or...

PTPN IV PalmCo Partners with ITS to Develop Palm-Based Gasoline Over Next Five Years

The partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by PalmCo President Director Jatmiko K. Santosa and ITS Rector Bambang Pramujati in Surabaya. The signing was witnessed by Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, signaling strong government backing for faster national energy self-sufficiency. Speaking at the event, Amran said the collaboration between industry and academia is crucial to unlocking domestic green energy innovation. “Today we signed an MoU for Benwit. We will begin on a small industrial scale, and if successful, immediately expand to large-scale production. This development must be closely monitored so Indonesia can reduce dependence...

Urgency of 2025–2029 National Sustainable Palm Oil Action Plan Regulation Grows Stronger, Seen as Key to Industry Reform

These challenges, experts say, underscore the urgent need for government and industry stakeholders to accelerate governance reform through stronger sustainable palm oil policies. Ermanto Fahamsyah, Professor of Economic Law at University of Jember, emphasized that Indonesia’s palm oil sector requires a more comprehensive development roadmap to address environmental and social concerns while maintaining its strategic contribution to the national economy. Speaking at the Coordination Meeting on the Development of the National Sustainable Palm Oil Action Plan (RAN-KSB) policy in Jakarta on April 29, 2026, Prof. Ermanto stated that negative perceptions surrounding the palm oil industry show governance reform can no...