PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Climate change-related crises such as floods, droughts, forest fires, and resultant smoke damage have adversely affected palm oil plantation productivity. These factors have led to shifts in harvest seasons, decreased product quality, plant damage, and even the potential death of plants.
Ahmad Juang Setiawan, a climate researcher at Traction Energy Asia, expressed concern over the impact of climate change on palm oil production, the primary ingredient in palm cooking oil.
Moreover, the use of palm oil as a material for biodiesel production poses a threat to palm cooking oil stocks. Increased biodiesel production requires higher palm oil blends, thereby reducing the available stock for cooking oil. The combination of climate crises and the rising demand for palm oil for biodiesel production poses a significant threat to palm cooking oil stocks.
Ahmad Juang highlighted a significant surge in palm cooking oil consumption over the past four years, particularly during the Ramadan and Idul Fitri periods, averaging a 38% increase. However, the trend in energy needs has remained stable. In August 2023, the allocation of crude palm oil (CPO) for energy purposes exceeded that for food, with over one million tons allocated for energy compared to less for food. This trend aligns with the government’s regulation to increase biodiesel production through the Vegetable Oil Mixture Program, known as B35.
He thought, there would be big chance to take for advantage on used cooking oil as the additional material to produce biodiesel. “Gathering and processing used cooking oil would reduce not only health and environmental issues by throwing away used cooking oil, but also solve palm cooking oil issue,” he said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Friday (8/3/2024).
Besides, Ahmad emphasized it is important to look back at local wisdom in agriculture as the pillar heading to (realize) sustainable food. He told that the indigenous people in Kasepuhan, South Banten developed paddy which is adjusted with many seasons. They have early prediction system which is accurate enough and even could be the same with contemporary prediction model in ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) – base in the region.
Juang told it is important that the government needs to get input from the local wisdom to formulate agricultural policies. He thought agricultural diversification is the key because every region has its unique and different needs that should be considered to create solution sustainably. (T2)
