Palm Oil Sector Deemed Beneficial Despite Ongoing Deforestation Criticism

Palm Oil Magazine
Palm fruit. Photo by: Sawit Fest 2021 / Annisatul lutfiah

PALMOILMAGAZINE, SAMARINDA – M. Samsun, a member of the East Kalimantan Provincial DPRD Commission III, stated that the palm oil sector offers more benefits than drawbacks, despite persistent criticism over deforestation concerns. Samsun’s remarks were made in response to controversies surrounding President Prabowo Subianto’s comments, which were perceived as supporting the expansion of palm oil plantations.

“When weighing the benefits against the drawbacks, I firmly believe the benefits outweigh the negatives,” said Samsun, a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from KBRN RRI on Friday (17/1/2025).

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According to Samsun, East Kalimantan holds significant potential for palm oil industry development. With government policies encouraging biodiesel use through programs like B20 and future plans for B80, demand for palm oil is expected to continue rising.

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“This presents a great opportunity for investors, particularly in the development of CPO (Crude Palm Oil) factories,” he added.

Addressing deforestation concerns, Samsun emphasized that local governments have established master plans for plantation area management. These plans aim to prevent conflicts between palm oil plantations and other agricultural lands. Additionally, land-use clusters have been classified to maintain soil fertility and prevent environmental degradation.

“With proper zoning, horticultural farming will not be disrupted by palm oil plantations,” Samsun explained.

The palm oil price, which reached Rp 3,000 per kilogram in early 2025, signals positive momentum for the sector. Samsun believes that rising prices will motivate farmers to expand their palm oil plantations, ultimately boosting the regional economy.

“With such prices, farmers will undoubtedly be more enthusiastic about planting palm oil,” Samsun concluded. (P2)

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