Jokowi Assembles Cabinet Ministers for Meeting on Palm Oil

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi convened an internal meeting this morning, Feb. 12 at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Some ministers had arrived at the Palace Complex since 9:15 am, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlngga Hartarto, who was the first to arrive.

Airlangga Hartarto, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, briefly told journalists upon exiting his car that the meeting was for an internal agenda. 

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas arrived after Airlangga at around 9:25 am. He confirmed that palm oil would be on the agenda. “Yes, [the meeting will be about palm oil]. The Coordinating Minister will issue further information later,” said Zulhas, who is also the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani arrived at approximately 9:30 a.m. in her Alphard RI-32. When asked by journalists about the meeting, she simply smiled and did not offer any comments.

Several ministers were also scheduled to attend the weekly meeting, including State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir and Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi.

The government has launched the People’s Palm Oil Rejuvenation (PSR) program, which aims to enhance the productivity and quality of Indonesian palm oil products, especially those produced by smallholders. The program seeks to improve the management of the country's palm oil plantations.

Smallholder palm oil planters received assistance funds of Rp30 million per hectare with a maximum plantation area of 4 ha in the first year of the program. For the second and subsequent years, they could take advantage of the microcredit (KUR) program with a maximum limit of Rp500 million at an interest rate of 6% per year.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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