Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Waste Shows Potential as Eco-Friendly Nanolignin Adsorbent for Lead Removal

Research has explored lignin extracted from OPEFB as a potential adsorbent for lead ions, or Pb²⁺. The approach could open a new pathway for converting palm oil biomass waste into environmentally useful materials while supporting the development of a circular economy in the palm oil industry. The research, written by Mirza Ardella Saputra, Ph.D., from Universitas Airlangga, processed lignin extracted from OPEFB into particles ranging from the nano to submicron scale. The particle-size reduction process combined ball milling, solvent shifting and ultrasonication. Characterization results showed that ultrasonication was capable of reducing lignin particle size to approximately 268 nanometers, indicating the...

2,587 Plantation Cooperatives Urged to Drive Palm Oil Downstreaming and Strengthen Smallholder Position

The approach is expected to strengthen the bargaining position of palm oil smallholders while creating greater added value at the regional level. According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Cooperatives, the country currently has 2,587 cooperatives operating in the plantation sector. Cooperatives are considered an important institutional foundation for developing a palm oil downstreaming ecosystem that directly involves smallholders. The government sees opportunities to connect farmers, cooperatives, processing facilities, financing institutions and markets within an integrated value chain. Cooperatives located around palm oil plantation areas are being encouraged to move further into the supply chain. Instead of simply selling fresh fruit bunches...

UNDIP Students Turn Palm Oil Empty Fruit Bunches into Livestock Feed, Win National Gold Medal

Their innovation, known as SUWIIT (Smart Livestock Integrated Technology), earned a Gold Medal in the Business Plan category at the 11th Olimpiade Vokasi Indonesia (OLIVIA XI) 2026, held at Universitas Negeri Surabaya from August 2–4, 2026. The concept combines livestock feed made from palm oil biomass with digital livestock services, offering an approach that links the palm oil and livestock sectors through a circular economy model. The SUWIIT team consists of Luis Ibanez Sitinjak, Kholis Na’imah, and Irgy Khoiroel Al Fahrezi, students of the Applied Bachelor’s Program in Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology at UNDIP’s Vocational School. Their proposal was presented...

Vision AI Emerges as a New Tool for Monitoring Oil Palm Plantations

Syarifarudin Afa, AI Advisor at PT Lembaga Aplikasi Teknologi (LAT) Trisakti for the oil palm sector, said one of the approaches being developed involves on-premises AI processing. Under this model, AI models and plantation data are processed using computing infrastructure located within the company’s own environment. The approach could provide plantation companies with greater control over operational data and plant images collected from the field.   AI Monitoring Starts in the Nursery At the nursery stage, image analysis can help assess seedlings in both the pre-nursery and main nursery. Visual parameters such as leaf color, canopy condition and plant shape...

Indonesia’s One-Stop Palm Oil Export Policy Raises Questions Over Pricing and Payment Mechanisms

The policy is being regulated through Government Regulation (PP) No. 24 of 2026 and Trade Ministry Regulation (Permendag) No. 16 of 2026. However, several fundamental technical and commercial aspects remain unclear, according to Mansuetus Darto, Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Organizations Association (POPSI). Darto said greater clarity was needed to maintain market confidence while ensuring that the policy does not weaken fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices at the smallholder level. One of the main unanswered issues concerns how PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI), designated as the state-owned export entity, will determine purchase and export prices for palm oil....

Regulatory Uncertainty Could Hold Back Investment and Weigh on Indonesia’s Palm Oil Competitiveness

The regulation has raised concerns among academics and industry stakeholders over the potential impact of regulatory uncertainty on investment decisions. When rules are open to differing interpretations or applied without sufficient clarity, businesses may become more cautious in committing capital to new projects or expansion. Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Mulawarman University, Dr. Zainal Abidin, said legal certainty is a fundamental prerequisite for sustaining investment. He made the remarks during the Borneo Forum 2026 in Balikpapan on Thursday (Aug. 6, 2026), an event supported by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP). According to Zainal,...

Indonesia’s 50% DHE SDA Rule Raises Liquidity Concerns for Palm Oil Industry

Dr. Yustinus Lambang Setyo Putro, Head of Taxation and Fiscal Affairs at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), said the government should focus on ensuring that existing regulations are implemented effectively as it considers further changes to the DHE SDA framework. Speaking at the Borneo Forum 2026 in Balikpapan, Yustinus said palm oil exports are already monitored by several government institutions, including Bank Indonesia, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the Ministry of Finance, relevant technical ministries and local governments. For that reason, he said, the effectiveness of the DHE SDA policy will depend not only on the regulation...

128 Musi Rawas Smallholders Complete Modern Oil Palm Cultivation Training Under BPDP Program

According to an official statement obtained by on Wednesday (July 28), the program was organized by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Estates (Ditjenbun) under the Ministry of Agriculture and IPB Training. The training was held from July 18 to August 2, 2026, at Beston Hotel in Palembang. The participants were divided into four training batches and received comprehensive instruction combining classroom lectures, practical exercises, and field visits. The curriculum was designed to strengthen technical knowledge while equipping farmers with hands-on skills to manage plantations more efficiently and sustainably. Representatives from...

GAPKI: Innovation and Higher Productivity Will Shape Indonesia's Palm Oil Future

GAPKI Chairman Eddy Martono said Indonesia's palm oil industry has consistently demonstrated resilience through major economic challenges, including the 1998 Asian financial crisis, the 2008–2009 global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout these periods, the sector remained one of the country's key economic pillars. During the pandemic, Indonesia's palm oil industry generated approximately US$39.2 billion in foreign exchange earnings while continuing to create employment opportunities, even as many other sectors experienced workforce reductions. Eddy noted that the industry remains strategically important because it contributes significantly to export revenues, supports millions of jobs, and drives economic activity across Indonesia's plantation...

Palm Frond Blind Business Booms as Indonesia's Dry Season Drives Demand

According to Antara, the spike in demand is being driven by households and businesses seeking affordable natural shading products to protect buildings from intense sunlight during the prolonged dry season. One collector, Toto, said weekly sales have increased from around Rp30 million to Rp60 million, supported by a doubling in shipment volumes from approximately 1,000 to 2,000 units each week. The blinds are sold through retailers at around Rp30,000 per unit and distributed to customers across Banten and the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area. Another collector, Timan, reported a similar trend, with weekly turnover rising from about Rp25 million to Rp50...

One-Gate Palm Oil Export Plan Sparks Debate Between Stronger State Control and Market Confidence

For the government, the initiative is aimed at tightening oversight of export activities and reducing long-standing trade leakages, including the practice of under-invoicing, where export values are declared below actual market prices. Such practices have long been blamed for reducing state revenue and allowing export earnings to remain outside Indonesia's financial system. The policy is also expected to strengthen government control over Export Proceeds (DHE), enhance Indonesia's bargaining position in global commodity markets, and establish a more centralized national trading platform. However, industry observers believe financial markets may interpret the proposal differently. According to Edi Suhardi, Sustainable Palm Oil Analyst...

North Konawe Accelerates Oil Palm Smallholder Registration to Strengthen STDB and ISPO Compliance

According to , citing Kendari Pos on Tuesday (August 4), the initiative was highlighted during a Multi-Stakeholder Sustainable Palm Oil Workshop, which also served as a platform to accelerate the collection of comprehensive data on oil palm growers. The event brought together local government officials, the National Oil Palm Smallholders Union (SPKS), regional agencies, and village heads from across North Konawe. North Konawe Regent Ikbar emphasized that registering smallholders is a strategic step toward establishing better governance in the oil palm sector while ensuring compliance with national sustainability standards. He explained that the registration process extends beyond administrative requirements, providing...

Indonesia Seizes Nearly 76,000 Illegal Oil Palm Seeds, Protecting Farmers from Potential US$2.6 Million Annual Losses

According to an official statement from Barantin, the operation demonstrates the government's commitment to safeguarding the quality of planting materials and protecting Indonesia's plantation sector from counterfeit seed distribution. Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency, Abdul Kadir Karding, said illegal oil palm seeds not only threaten farmers' livelihoods but also pose long-term risks to the sustainability of the country's palm oil industry. "The government must not allow counterfeit seed distribution to continue. We urge all businesses to comply with existing regulations, while those deliberately violating the law will face firm legal action," Karding said during the case announcement in Bandar...

Pakistan's Palm Oil Imports Hit Record 3.48 Million Tons as Consumption Climbs Despite Tax Pressure

According to , citing Propakistani on Sunday (August 2), data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed that palm oil imports reached US$3.785 billion, up from 3.214 million tons worth approximately US$3.4 billion recorded in FY2025. The average import price also increased, rising to around US$1,078 per ton compared with US$1,056 per ton a year earlier. The surge was largely driven by expanding domestic consumption of cooking oil and ghee, fueled by population growth and declining production of local oilseed crops. Sheikh Umer Rehan, Chairman of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA), said Pakistan's annual edible oil consumption...

SPKS Backs Konawe Utara's Sustainable Palm Oil Roadmap, Prioritizes Farmer Registration and ISPO Certification

According to an official statement released by SPKS and received by , SPKS Chairman Sabarudin delivered the commitment during a multi-stakeholder workshop on sustainable palm oil held at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Baperidda) office in Konawe Utara on July 30. The event was officially opened by Regent Dr. H. Ikbar. Sabarudin emphasized that successful implementation of the regional action plan requires close collaboration among local governments, farmers, plantation companies, academics, and civil society organizations. He said that accelerating farmer data collection, polygon-based plantation mapping, issuance of the Smallholder Plantation Registration Certificate (STDB), and wider adoption of the Indonesian Sustainable...

Indonesia's Palm Oil Export Policy Encourages India to Accelerate Edible Oil Self-Sufficiency

According to Fortune India, Indonesia's decision to maintain export restrictions on Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) and Used Cooking Oil (UCO) is aimed at securing sufficient feedstock for the domestic expansion of biodiesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production. Indonesia is also reportedly considering a centralized export mechanism for strategic commodities, including crude palm oil (CPO), through designated state-owned enterprises. The move signals a stronger government role in managing exports of key agricultural commodities with global market significance. For India, these policy developments present an opportunity to reduce its heavy reliance on imported vegetable oils by strengthening domestic palm oil...

Central Kalimantan Pushes Palm Oil Revenue Sharing Funds to Expand Workers' Social Protection

The initiative was highlighted during a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on optimizing both funding schemes for employment social protection, bringing together representatives from the provincial government, the Ministry of Finance, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, and other stakeholders. Representing Provincial Secretary Linae Victoria Aden, Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs Anang Dirjo said the forum marked an important step toward expanding social protection coverage for workers who play a vital role in Central Kalimantan's plantation and forestry industries. He noted that Ministry of Finance Regulations No. 10/2026 and No. 16/2026 provide a clear legal framework allowing regional governments to allocate revenue-sharing funds to...

Palm Oil Becomes Economic Lifeline for Indonesia’s Transmigration Areas, Deputy Minister Says

Speaking about the government's evolving transmigration policy, Viva said the program is no longer focused solely on relocating people to new areas. Instead, its primary objective is to improve the welfare of both transmigrant families and surrounding local communities by fostering sustainable economic development. This new approach has also prompted the Ministry of Transmigration to remain actively involved in resolving land disputes affecting transmigration communities, including overlapping land claims reported in South Kalimantan and several regions in Riau. Although some of these disputes no longer fall directly under the ministry's administrative authority, Viva said the government still considers it responsible...

Palm Oil Faces Growing Challenge of Balancing Production Efficiency and Sustainability

While oil palm generates substantially more oil per hectare than competing oilseed crops, its rapid expansion has also intensified global scrutiny over deforestation, biodiversity loss, and responsible land management. Historical evidence suggests that humans have utilized oil palm for more than 5,000 years, with traces of its early use discovered in present-day Ghana. Yet despite this long history, the industry's modern challenges have become increasingly complex as governments, businesses, and consumers seek a balance between economic development and environmental protection. Global palm oil production has now surpassed 80 million metric tons annually, placing it well ahead of soybean and rapeseed...

BPDP, Directorate General of Estates, and Koompasia Enviro Institute Train 90 Aceh Smallholders in Sustainable Palm Oil Cultivation

The training, organized by PT Koompasia Enviro Institute, forms part of Indonesia's Palm Oil Human Resources Development Program (SDM PKS), supported by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Estates (Ditjenbun) under the Ministry of Agriculture. The initiative aims to equip smallholders with practical knowledge to manage their plantations more efficiently and sustainably. Held in Medan from July 20–25, 2026, the program combined five days of classroom instruction with a full day of field practice at Verdant Bioscience, PT Timbang Deli Indonesia. The curriculum was designed to bridge theory and practical application,...