Palm Oil Farmers Urge Govt to Evaluate CPO Export Ban
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17 May 2022 17:43 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairperson of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association (Apkasindo) Gulat Manurung on Tuesday said that the demands of palm farmers who collectively urged the government to revoke its temporary export ban on palm oil and its derivatives had been formally received by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
“All of our demands have been sent to and received by Minister Airlangga. He is currently holding a meeting with the President,” said Gulat in front of the Economic Affairs Coordinating Ministry headquarters on May 17.
The association is currently holding a rally against the government’s export suspension of crude palm oil (CPO) which they claim had caused the value of palm fresh fruit bunches to nosedive in the market and made farmers endure major financial losses.
Palm oil farmers demanded the government comply with their five main requests, among others; protecting 16 million palm farmers across 22 provinces that are affected by the 70 percent price drop; Urging President Jokowi to review the suspended export policy; Urging the President to subsidize bulk oil, packaged cooking oil.
Their fourth demand to the government is establishing new regulations that better oversee palm oil farms and factories; and lastly, urging President Jokowi to order the Agriculture Ministry to revise the Ministry’s Regulation No.01/2018 on fresh fruit bunches.
Read: Palm Farmers Protest CPO Ban during 'Honey Moon' Period
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