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...
2026/05/07
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...
2026/05/05
BPDP Expands 2026 Research Grant Beyond Palm Oil, Opens Research Funding for Coconut and Cocoa
This was conveyed by Rahmat Widiana, Head of the Research Fund Distribution Division at Badan Pengelola Dana Perkebunan (BPDP), during the BPDP 2026 Research Grant Call for Proposal Webinar on Thursday (30/4/2026), attended by . According to Rahmat, the expansion of the research grant’s scope is in line with the mandate of Presidential Regulation No. 132 of 2024, which strengthens BPDP’s role in supporting the broader development of strategic plantation commodities. “Starting in 2026, our research area will no longer focus only on palm oil, but will also include coconut and cocoa. This certainly opens much greater opportunities for universities,...
2026/05/04
Palm Oil Contributes 3.5% to GDP, 2025 Exports Reach US$40 Billion
Senior Advisor for Connectivity and Service Development at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Dida Gardera, revealed that the palm oil sector contributes approximately 3.5% of Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “The contribution of the palm oil industry is substantial, around 3.5% of our GDP. Export value in 2025 also reached a record of approximately US$40 billion, with export volume hitting 38.84 million tons, up 11% year-on-year,” he said during the National Coordination Meeting on the Sustainable Palm Oil National Action Plan (RAN-KSB). The strong export performance confirms palm oil’s position as one of Indonesia’s leading global commodities. Beyond foreign...
2026/05/03
Palm Oil 2.3 Million Hectares: A Big Ambition, With Longstanding Challenges Still Unresolved
The statement by Kuntoro Boga Andri, Director of Downstream Plantation Products at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, regarding the government’s commitment to expand oil palm areas—following the direction of Prabowo Subianto—at first glance sounds like a logical continuation of the broader narrative of downstream industrialization, renewable energy, and strengthening the national economy. In the logic of development, palm oil is indeed too large to ignore. It generates foreign exchange earnings, serves as feedstock for biodiesel, supports the oleochemical industry, and provides livelihoods for millions of Smallholders across Indonesia. Yet behind that optimism lies one unresolved issue:...
2026/05/02
GAPKI Marks 45th Anniversary, Reaffirms Palm Oil’s Strategic Role in Indonesia’s 2045 Vision
Held at Pullman Jakarta Indonesia in Central Jakarta on April 29, 2026, the event highlighted GAPKI’s four-decade journey as one of the country’s most influential industry organizations, actively shaping policy dialogue and supporting the expansion of Indonesia’s palm oil sector into a globally strategic commodity industry. Eddy Martono, Chairman of GAPKI, said the organization’s 45th anniversary was more than a milestone in age—it was a moment of reflection on decades of industry transformation, institutional learning, and increasingly close strategic collaboration between government and the private sector. “This 45-year milestone is not merely about age. It reflects a long journey filled...
2026/05/01
Between 2020 and the end of 2025, total disbursement under the program reached Rp200.64 billion, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to improving smallholder productivity and infrastructure quality. Yet on the ground, access to these benefits remains far from straightforward. Many independent smallholders continue to face lengthy administrative procedures, layered documentation requirements, and years of field assistance before proposals can formally enter the approval pipeline. That reality is clearly reflected in North Aceh, where the Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) has spent years assisting smallholders in submitting proposals for plantation road rehabilitation. According to Abubakar AR, Head of SPKS North Aceh,...
2026/04/30
