Women Palm Oil Smallholders Encouraged to Build Skills, Confidence and Economic Independence

Magdalena Sunaryati, a smallholder and village official from Sekuto Jaya, Long Ikis, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, shared her experience at a dialogue on women’s representation in the palm oil value chain in Jakarta on Thursday, attended by , October 29, 2026. Magdalena said women are capable of managing multiple responsibilities but often face social and cultural expectations that limit their confidence and participation. Together with other women in her farmer group, she takes part in plantation activities ranging from land clearing and fertilising to spraying. The group has also received assistance from Solidaridad through training programmes covering gender equality, decent...

Solidaridad Proposes Five Measures to Strengthen Women’s Rights in Sustainable Palm Oil Certification

The recommendations aim to address gaps between women’s contributions to plantation activities and their formal recognition in land ownership, financing, farmer organisations and decision-making. Women perform a range of plantation tasks, including fertilising, weeding and collecting loose fruit. However, their involvement does not always translate into equal access to training, institutional support or financial resources. Data cited by Solidaridad indicate that women account for approximately 24.2% of registered land ownership, potentially limiting their access to cooperative membership and farmer empowerment programmes. Solidaridad Indonesia Country Manager Yeni Fitriyanti said stronger sustainability standards must be accompanied by effective audits to ensure that...

Indonesian Lawmaker Calls for Palm Oil Fund Review and Faster Execution of Haze-Related Court Rulings

Ateng, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said public financing for the palm oil industry must go hand in hand with environmental accountability. The government, he argued, should ensure that plantation funds deliver tangible benefits while companies remain responsible for environmental restoration obligations imposed by the courts. “Disbursement of public funds must be accompanied by firm action to enforce environmental responsibilities,” Ateng said, as quoted by from the PKS parliamentary faction’s website on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. He also highlighted the expanded mandate of the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), following Presidential Regulation No. 132/2024, which broadened the...

Oil Palm Productivity Depends on Tree Population and Ganoderma Management, Expert Says

Djan said plantations should aim to maintain more than 136 palms per hectare, achieve over 12 fresh fruit bunches per palm annually and sustain an average bunch weight above 15 kilograms. “The palm population must be maintained. The key is managing those 136 palms per hectare properly and slowing the rate of decline as much as possible,” he said, as reported by from the Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute (PPKS) social media on Friday (October 23, 2026). He warned that losing trees at an early stage can significantly reduce a plantation’s long-term production potential. Soil Management Crucial to Controlling Ganoderma...

Lagos Consumers Rely on Taste and Color to Detect Suspected Palm Oil Adulteration

, citing the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, October 1, 2026, reported that consumers and traders shared their experiences in separate interviews in Lagos. Chidinma Nwabueze, a palm oil trader at Oyingbo Market, said she mainly sourced palm oil from trusted mills and suppliers, including those in eastern Nigeria. She said experience was important when distinguishing genuine palm oil from products suspected of being mixed with other substances. According to Nwabueze, consumers familiar with palm oil can identify differences through color, thickness and aroma. Some differences, she added, may only become apparent during cooking. Goodness Okoro, a resident...

Wilmar Invests in Education to Build the Next Generation of Palm Oil Industry Talent

Wilmar is expanding its education initiatives in Central Kalimantan, seeking to improve access to schooling while creating opportunities for children living in and around plantation areas. In Kenyala Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, Sekolah Bina Bangsa 02 stands amid the activities of a plantation area. Managed by the Bina Bangsa Foundation, the school is part of Wilmar's Central Kalimantan Project (CKP). Rather than serving only as an educational facility for employees' families, the school also provides access to children from surrounding villages. “The children are the nation's future generation and therefore must be prepared as well as possible. Every...

Indonesian Lawmakers Inspect Eight Palm Oil Companies in Riau Over Environmental Compliance

The inspections identified a range of issues involving wastewater management, emissions control, environmental documentation, riverbank protection, and land-fire prevention facilities. Rohid was accompanied by Kuansing Regional House of Representatives member Reky Fitro, Head of the Kuansing Environmental Agency Dodi Fitrawan, and other officials during the field inspections. River Buffer Zones and Plantation Boundaries Under Scrutiny At PT Karya Tama Bakti Mulia (KTBM), the inspection team found that oil palm replanting activities had reportedly not been included in the company's environmental documents. The team also identified oil palm plantings within protected river buffer zones, covering approximately 7.41 hectares along the Batang...

Indonesian Smallholder Palm Oil Processors Seek Greater Role in National Biodiesel Supply Chain

The Indonesian Association of Micro, Small and Medium Palm Oil Mills (GAPPKES MIKEMINO) is urging the government to expand the participation of smallholders and community-based palm oil mills, known as PABKESRA, in the national biodiesel supply chain. The organization argues that Indonesia's biodiesel mandate should do more than strengthen energy security. It should also enable smallholders to participate in processing, industrial development, and the creation of added value from palm oil. GAPPKES MIKEMINO Chairman M. Salim Simangunsong, together with advisory board members Dr. Sabil Rachman and Helmi Djen, said the success of downstream development should be measured partly by how...

Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food Wins PAACLA Award 2026 for Child-Friendly Palm Oil Plantations

The company received the award in the category of National Company Affiliated with a Multinational Corporation. The recognition highlights its efforts to protect children's rights, prevent child labor, and create safer environments for children in and around plantation communities. Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food maintains a policy prohibiting child labor and applies a zero-tolerance approach to employing anyone under the age of 18. The company supports this commitment through worker identity verification and efforts to raise awareness among supply chain partners about the risks associated with child labor. These measures form part of its broader approach to responsible labor practices,...

Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholders Urged to Choose Certified Seeds as Training Reaches 176 Farmers

The issue was highlighted during a palm oil cultivation training program attended by 176 smallholders from Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU), South Sumatra. Held in Palembang from September 29 to October 4, 2026, the program was organized through collaboration between the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), the Directorate General of Plantations, and IPB Training. In an official statement received by on Sunday (October 4, 2026), IPB Training Director Muhammad Sigit Susanto urged smallholders not to base seed purchases solely on price. He said certified planting material offers a more reliable foundation for developing productive plantations. “Petani mestinya memilih bibit...

Indonesia’s Biodiesel Consumption Surges 13.59% in July, Boosting Domestic Palm Oil Demand

The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) recorded domestic palm oil consumption of 2.275 million tonnes in July, up 3.35% from 2.201 million tonnes in June. Biodiesel accounted for the largest increase, with consumption rising 13.59% month on month to 1.285 million tonnes, from 1.131 million tonnes previously. According to GAPKI Executive Director Mukti Sardjono, the increase in biodiesel consumption stood out against declines in the food and oleochemical sectors. Palm oil consumption for food fell 8.31% to 805,000 tonnes, while demand from the oleochemical industry declined 3.65% to 185,000 tonnes. The figures, released in a statement received by on Tuesday,...

Sekadau Distributes 57,700 Oil Palm Seedlings to Smallholders Under IP3K Program

The seedlings were officially handed over by Sekadau Regent Aron at the regency office on Monday, October 5, 2026. The program is implemented through the local Food Security, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency (DKP3). DKP3 Acting Head Sandae said the IP3K program had been implemented consistently since 2022. By 2026, cumulative assistance had reached 132 farmer groups, covering 2,224 hectares. The seedlings come from authorized suppliers and have undergone certification and labeling by the West Kalimantan Provincial Plantation Seed Supervision and Certification Unit (UPT SBP). Farmers receiving the assistance are expected to transfer seedlings aged three to five months into larger...

PGN Moves to Integrate Palm Oil Waste-Based Biomethane into Indonesia’s Gas Network

One of the projects nearing the final stages of development is located in South Sumatra and will use palm oil mill effluent (POME) as feedstock to produce biomethane. PGN Corporate Secretary Fajriyah Usman said the project is being developed in collaboration with PT Toyota Tsusho Indonesia (TTI) and PT KIS Biofuels Indonesia (KIS). The partnership aims to expand biomethane utilization while supporting the availability of domestic energy supplies. PGN attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the biomethane facility developed by TTI and KIS on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. The facility will process organic waste from the palm oil industry and is...

Sinar Mas Supports Palm Oil Smallholders Through Replanting, Financing and Agricultural Training

Arman Fahmi, chairman of KUD Sadar Sejahtera in Beliti Jaya Village, said his cooperative’s experience had demonstrated the importance of collaboration. After previously participating in a plasma partnership, the cooperative operated independently before eventually rebuilding its relationship with a plantation company. He said limited technical knowledge had made independent plantation management more challenging, reinforcing the value of cooperation in improving smallholders’ capabilities. The cooperative is now preparing to participate in the Smallholder Palm Oil Replanting Programme (PSR) with Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food. The programme covers 1,797 hectares and involves more than 2,000 independent smallholders. Replanting Requires More Than New...

Indonesia’s Domestic Palm Oil Consumption to Exceed Exports in 2026, IPOSS Forecasts

In its fourth-quarter 2026 outlook, titled Maintaining Room for Growth Amid a New Balance, published on October 14, IPOSS forecasts that domestic consumption will account for 51.3% of Indonesia’s total palm oil utilization in 2026. Exports are projected to represent the remaining 48.7%. The shift comes as national production growth remains relatively modest. IPOSS estimates that Indonesia will produce 52.4 million tonnes of palm oil in 2026, an increase of just 1.86% from 2025. Meanwhile, domestic consumption is projected to rise 7.4% to approximately 27.1 million tonnes, driven primarily by increased demand for biodiesel feedstock following the implementation of the...

Indonesia’s Finance Ministry Calls for Private Investment to Boost Palm Oil Productivity and Jobs

Speaking at the Plantation360: Mobilizing Private Capital for More and Better Jobs event in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Suahasil said investment should reach across the palm oil value chain, including initiatives that strengthen the capacity of independent and partnered smallholders. The event was organized by EDS16 in collaboration with the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC). Suahasil emphasized that palm oil plays a strategic role in Indonesia’s economy, supporting rural livelihoods while supplying raw materials for manufacturing, food production and the energy sector. Indonesia has more than 16.8 million hectares of oil palm plantations, approximately 41%...

Bandung Sahari Seeks to Change the Narrative Around Indonesia’s Palm Oil Industry

“Why do we always learn about palm oil from foreigners?” asks Bandung, who serves as Head of Communications at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI). For him, the question reflects a broader concern: Indonesia is the world’s largest palm oil producer, yet domestic perspectives and locally generated research do not always receive sufficient attention in international and public discussions. Bandung has spent decades working in the plantation sector and is also involved in environmental and scientific organisations. His affiliations include the Governing Board of Peka Indonesia Foundation, the Peat Society of Indonesia and the Entomological Society of Indonesia. His scientific...

IPOC 2026 to Examine Geopolitics, Energy Security and Global Palm Oil Market Outlook

Held under the theme “Palm Oil in a Fragmented World: Securing Food, Energy, and Economic Resilience,” the conference will take place at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, bringing together government representatives, market analysts, academics, industry players and international partners. IPOC 2026 organising committee chairman Suryanto Bun said the annual event would provide a platform to examine policy developments and market prospects affecting the palm oil industry in Indonesia and globally. As the world’s largest palm oil producer, Indonesia plays a significant role in global vegetable oil supplies. Domestically, the sector supports food production, cooking oil availability, biodiesel development, export earnings...

Smallholder Palm Oil Replanting Hits 428,000 Hectares in a Decade as Administrative Bottlenecks Persist

Speaking at a press conference during preparations for the 22nd Indonesian Palm Oil Conference (IPOC 2026) in Jakarta on Friday (9/10/2026), Suryanto Bun, Head of GAPKI’s PSR Acceleration Division, revealed that total replanted area over the past decade reached approximately 428,000 hectares. "While we acknowledge minor administrative improvements and reduced paperwork requirements, fulfilling field compliance remains a persistent hurdle," Suryanto told . Forestry Overlaps and Legal Certainty A major obstacle facing smallholders is securing land legality documentation. The process is particularly complex for smallholder farms operating near or overlapping with designated state forest areas (kawasan hutan), creating administrative deadlocks that...

Jambi Trains 118 Oil Palm Smallholders in Harvesting and Post-Harvest Management

These issues were at the centre of a harvesting and post-harvest training programme attended by 118 oil palm smallholders from Tebo, Sarolangun and Batanghari regencies in Jambi Province. Held from October 7–11, 2026, the programme formed part of Indonesia’s 2026 Oil Palm Plantation Human Resource Development Programme, a collaboration involving the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), the Directorate General of Plantations at the Ministry of Agriculture, and IPB Training. According to a report by Kabarku on the programme, Prof. Dr. Ir. Hariyadi, MS, head of the IPB Training team, emphasised the importance of proper harvesting techniques in determining plantation output....