PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The Oil Palm Business Recovery and Rescue Team from ETCAS Consultant recently discussed the potential implementation of a 100% biodiesel program (B100) in Cilandak, Jakarta. The discussion was attended by experts including Drs. Dadan Rysyad Nurdin, Ir. Erick Sitompul, Dr. Ir. Memet Hakim, Aendra Medita S.Sn, Hendra Purba S.E, and Junaidi.
ETCAS member Memet Hakim stated that the B100 program could triple the production of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) or biodiesel, increasing from 12 million tons to 36 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO).
“The needs of palm cooking oil and industrial materials would also be increasing for the next five years. Besides, there would be needs for palm oil gasoline that would multiply CPO needs for about 42 million tons, from 50 million ton to be 92 million ton,” Memet said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Tuesday (2/7/2024).
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To fulfill the needs, it would need agronomy technology breakthrough, such as, root management and canopy to drastically escalate palm oil plantation productivity even though it would be in phase up to 30 – 80%. Besides, the abandoned plantations should be handed over to PT Perkebunan Nusantara to be improved and cultivated. Every land bank and area that got permits should immediately be planted with the targets about 20 million hectares for the next five years. Replanting program which now runs should substitute the old trees by planting certified seeds.
Memet thought, from the discussion result, to support the program, it would need to establish regulation of minister and government’s regulation to run the program in the same time. The government should play its roles as the main controller to implement the program. It is hoped there would be serious political will from the government to get technical meeting with Indonesian Palm Oil Association and General Directorate of Plantation Ministry of Agriculture.
In the discussion, it was proposed to provide about 5.000 – 10.000 hectares to be pilot project. In association with the president and cabinet substitution, it would be significant to maintain the sustainability and continuity of the program.
B100 and palm oil gasoline would be the answers for the western countries that dictated Indonesia and Malaysia in palm oil industries. Besides trade war, the political issue would be clearly shown up because the program was re-proposed by the elected President, Prabowo Subianto. However, the domestic business, such as, planting palm oil, should remain to be the authority of our nation, we should not be regulated by others, including in forest cultivation and management. (T2)
