SPKS Calls for Greater BPDP Funding to Expand Sustainable Palm Oil Certification for Smallholders

In a statement received by on Friday (June 26), SPKS said certification costs and technical assistance should become national priorities to enable more independent oil palm smallholders to meet both Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards. The organization also encouraged plantation companies to play a more active role in financing certification programs, noting that independent smallholders remain the primary suppliers of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) to the downstream palm oil industry. Supporting farmers' certification, SPKS said, should therefore be viewed as a shared responsibility across the supply chain. The call is reinforced by...

Attorney General Finds No Evidence Linking PT Salim Ivo Mas Pratama to Palm Oil Export Fraud Probe

Speaking to reporters at the AGO headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 23), Syarief Sulaiman Nahdi, Director of Investigation at the Office of the Assistant Attorney General for Special Crimes (JAM Pidsus), said investigators concluded that the company markets its products solely to meet domestic demand rather than for export activities, which remain the primary focus of the investigation. "PT Salim Ivo Mas Pratama sells its products to serve the domestic market," Syarief said. He added that investigators have not identified any facts or evidence indicating the company's involvement in the alleged export value manipulation scheme.   Executives of PT...

More Than 100 South Sumatra Smallholders Strengthen Oil Palm Cultivation Skills Through Training Program

The training, held in Palembang from June 18–23, 2026, was conducted under the Oil Palm Plantation Human Resources Development Program through a collaboration between the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), the Directorate General of Plantations under the Ministry of Agriculture, and IPB Training. The initiative was designed to address persistent challenges facing smallholders, including the use of uncertified planting materials, suboptimal cultivation practices, and plantation management inefficiencies. Although independent growers manage more than 42% of Indonesia’s total oil palm plantation area, productivity levels often remain below industry potential. Participants received comprehensive instruction covering plantation regulations, nursery management, land...

Banana Intercropping in Oil Palm Plantations Requires Careful Management, Says PPKS Expert

Djan Muhayat, a practitioner from the Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute (PPKS), said banana cultivation can coexist with oil palm as long as plant populations are carefully controlled and do not create excessive competition for sunlight. Speaking to based on information released by PPKS on Tuesday (23/6/2026), Djan noted that while intercropping can provide economic benefits, it may also lead to lower Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) production compared with plantations managed under ideal palm densities without additional shading. Particular attention should be given to banana varieties such as Kepok, which produce numerous suckers and can rapidly dominate growing space if...

STAA Joins RSPO to Strengthen Access to Sustainable Palm Oil Markets

For Indonesia’s palm oil industry, the European market has evolved beyond a traditional export destination. Buyers now demand assurances that palm oil products originate from deforestation-free supply chains, fair labor practices, and transparent governance systems. “European markets increasingly require RSPO certification as a minimum standard,” said Andra Tetuko, Head of Sustainability at STAA, in an interview with . The company’s move comes as it expands downstream operations, including a new refinery in Dumai with a processing capacity of 2,000 tons per day. Beyond market access, STAA has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. RSPO certification...

Indonesia Expands Palm Seed Exports to Colombia with 10,500 Premium Germinated Seeds

The Indonesian Quarantine Agency, through the North Sumatra Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center (Karantina Sumut), recently facilitated the export of 10,500 DxP Dami G-2 germinated oil palm seeds via Kualanamu International Airport. The shipment forms part of a larger export quota of 300,000 palm seeds approved by the Indonesian government in April 2026. Prayatno N. Ginting, Head of Karantina Sumut, said that by mid-June 2026, total exports under the quota had reached 60,500 seeds. Additional shipments to Colombia are scheduled to continue in stages through August. “The growing demand from Colombia reflects international confidence in Indonesia’s superior palm genetics....

Palm-Cattle Integration Seen as Key to Reducing Beef Imports, Indonesia Eyes Nationwide Expansion

The initiative gained renewed attention following a visit by Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Hanif Faisol Nurofiq to PT Buana Karya Bhakti’s SISKA KU INTIP (Integrated Palm Oil-Cattle Partnership Program) in Satui District, Tanah Bumbu Regency. During the visit, Hanif highlighted the program as a practical example of how Indonesia’s vast oil palm plantations can be leveraged to strengthen national food security while improving plantation efficiency. “What appears to be a simple model actually has tremendous potential to increase domestic cattle availability. The natural breeding system implemented here has proven effective in growing livestock populations,” Hanif said in a...

Agrinas Palma Partners with Korean Consortium to Advance Palm Biomass and Green Energy Development

The collaboration opportunity emerged during a business meeting in Jakarta involving Agrinas Palma’s management team and representatives from several South Korean technology and investment firms. Discussions focused on biomass utilization, renewable energy development, and expanding export opportunities for value-added palm-based products. The meeting was led by Agrinas Palma Nusantara President Director Mohammad Abdul Ghani, accompanied by Operations Director Tuhu Bangun and Business Director Nurhidayat. Representatives from the Korean consortium included Park Geoungduk, President Director of PT Astrum Dunia Inovasi; Lim Daetaeg, President Director of Hwasung Tech-Win Co., Ltd.; and Tommy Julius R. L., President Director of PT Siborong Nusa Gemilang....

Palm Oil Futures Slip as Crude Oil and Rival Vegetable Oils Weigh on Market

The benchmark September 2026 palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange (BMD) fell RM33 per tonne, or 0.72%, to RM4,541 per tonne during the midday trading session. The decline reflected broader weakness across the global commodities complex, particularly in energy and edible oils. Market participants noted that palm oil prices were closely tracking movements in crude oil and rival vegetable oils, which have recently lost momentum amid shifting demand expectations and profit-taking activities. “Palm oil futures are following the weakness seen in crude oil, soybean oil, and the Dalian market today,” a Kuala Lumpur-based trader told Reuters. Pressure...

Minister Amran: The State Must Not Remain Silent When Oil Palm Farmers Are Harmed

Speaking during the Ministerial and Top Executive Lecture Series held as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of IPB University's Faculty of Economics and Management, Amran described the previous decline in FFB prices as an anomaly inconsistent with prevailing global market conditions. The issue emerged during a discussion with students, when IPB Student Executive Board President Abdul Aziz praised the government's progress toward national food self-sufficiency while questioning measures to address volatility in palm oil farmers' incomes. Responding to the inquiry, Amran highlighted Indonesia's recent agricultural achievements, citing data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) showing national rice production at approximately 34.6...

UNJA Secures BPDP Trust Again, Opens 30 Full Scholarships Under Palm Oil Human Resources Program 2026

According to Announcement Number PENG-3/BPDP/2026 dated May 11, 2026, UNJA is among 42 higher education institutions nationwide appointed to deliver the Plantation Human Resources Development Program. The designation marks the second consecutive time the university's D3 Chemical Analysis Program has earned the trust to administer the initiative. Dhian Eka Wijaya, Coordinator of the D3 Chemical Analysis Program at FST UNJA, described the appointment as recognition of the program's educational quality and institutional readiness. "This designation reflects national recognition of our educational governance and the preparedness of our academic resources," Dhian said, as quoted by from UNJA on Tuesday (June 16,...

FORTASBI: Strong Farmer Institutions Key to Sustainable Palm Oil and Generational Renewal

The message was delivered by Rukaiyah Rafik, Board of Governors of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Head of the Secretariat of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Farmers Forum (FORTASBI), during the RSPO Media Brunch attended by on Friday (12/6/2026). According to Rukaiyah, many support programs for independent oil palm smallholders have focused primarily on fulfilling administrative requirements for financing or certification. However, she emphasized that the real priority should be building strong and resilient farmer organizations. "Farmer groups or cooperatives should not exist solely to obtain loans. They must serve as platforms to strengthen farmers' capacities, enabling...

Smallholders Need More Than Certification: Financing Key to Sustainable Palm Oil Transition

Chairman of KUD Tani Subur, Sutiyana, who is also an independent oil palm smallholder, said the biggest challenge facing farmers today is not a lack of awareness about certification benefits, but limited access to funding. "When discussing certification, farmers often ask a simple question: who will pay for it? Many growers genuinely want to improve their plantations, but they are constrained by financial limitations," Sutiyana said during the RSPO Media Brunch attended by on Friday (12/6/2026). According to him, many smallholder plantations continue to struggle with low productivity due to poor-quality planting materials and suboptimal agronomic practices. At the same...

RSPO Distributed Rp416 Billion to Support Indonesia's Independent Oil Palm Smallholders

According to RSPO data, 41,134 independent Smallholders in Indonesia have participated in sustainability certification programmes covering a total area of 89,650 hectares between 2018 and 2026. Guntur Cahyo Prabowo, Head of Global Smallholders at RSPO, emphasized that certification should not be viewed merely as an audit process or an administrative requirement. Instead, he described it as a strategic instrument for strengthening farmer organizations and ensuring the consistent implementation of sustainability principles. "Certification requires entities or organizations capable of ensuring compliance with standards. At the same time, trust among farmers must be built so they are willing to organize themselves into...

CPOPC Encourages Youth to Become Ambassadors for Sustainable Palm Oil Information

The initiative brings together participants from various countries and equips them with a comprehensive understanding of the palm oil sector, enabling them to become credible sources of information within their communities and social networks. Musdhalifah Machmud, Deputy Secretary-General of CPOPC, said the programme was developed in response to the growing influence of social media in shaping public perceptions, particularly among younger generations. "We invite young people from around the world to gain a better understanding of palm oil. Social media has become one of the main sources of information for today's youth, but much of the information circulating online is...

Indonesia Ensures Palm Oil Exports Continue During Transition to New Export Regulation

Speaking during a public dissemination event on the new export regulation attended by on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), Bayu Wicaksono Putro, Director of Export and Import Facilitation and Acting Director of Agricultural and Forestry Product Exports at the Ministry of Trade, said the new regulation largely retains provisions that were previously stipulated under Permendag No. 26/2024. "The scope of regulated products remains the same as under the previous regulation. These products have already been covered under Permendag No. 26/2024," Bayu said. Under the new framework, the government continues to regulate exports of five categories of palm oil products, namely Crude...

Indonesia Tightens Palm Oil Export Rules Through New Strategic Commodity Regulations

The Ministry of Trade has officially enacted Minister of Trade Regulation No. 16 of 2026, governing the export of palm oil products and derivatives effective June 1, 2026. Trade Minister Budi Santoso said the policy is intended to ensure that exports of strategic commodities are conducted in an orderly, transparent, and accountable manner. "The Ministry of Trade is applying various export control instruments to ensure that strategic natural resource exports are implemented in a transparent, accountable, and legally compliant manner," Budi stated. The regulation forms part of Indonesia's broader strategy to maximize the economic value of its natural resources while...

Bangka Regent Threatens to Revoke PT Sawindo Kencana's Permit Over Unresolved Smallholder Palm Credit Dispute

Bangka Regent Fery Insani delivered the ultimatum during a meeting aimed at accelerating the settlement of KKSR-related loans affecting local oil palm farmers. The company has been given two weeks to attend formal discussions and reach an agreement regarding amendments to existing KKSR arrangements. Fery criticized the company's repeated absence from meetings organized by local authorities, saying the lack of engagement had hampered efforts to find solutions for affected farmers. "The regional government has consistently opened channels for dialogue, yet company leaders have never attended these meetings directly," he said. If no progress is made within the stipulated timeframe, the...

Assessing the Potential of Regenerative Agriculture in Oil Palm Plantations

In a country often perceived as naturally fertile, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Indonesia may have vast land resources, abundant rainfall, and year-round vegetation growth, but beneath that image, many agricultural landscapes are quietly losing their productivity. Dr. Heru Bagus Pulunggono, a lecturer at the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, has observed this trend closely. He begins with a fundamental aspect of Indonesia’s agricultural challenge: the basic characteristics of its soils. According to Heru, most Indonesian soils have moderate to deep soil profiles but are highly acidic. Such conditions...

Indonesia Extends Trade Surplus Streak to 72 Months, Palm Oil Remains Largest Foreign Exchange Earner

Trade Minister Budi Santoso reported that Indonesia posted a trade surplus of US$90 million in April 2026. The result was supported by a non-oil and gas surplus of US$3.53 billion, which offset a US$3.44 billion deficit in the oil and gas sector. “Cumulatively, Indonesia’s trade balance recorded a surplus of US$5.64 billion during January–April 2026. This was driven by a non-oil and gas surplus of US$14.16 billion, despite an oil and gas deficit of US$8.52 billion,” Santoso said in an official statement. Although positive, the four-month surplus remains below the US$11.07 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.  ...