PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Eddy Martono, Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (IPOA), stated that the government has issued Regulation Number 39/2021 on the Implementation of Halal Product Guarantee. According to Chapter 1, paragraphs 2 and 3, halal products include goods and services related to food, beverages, medicine, cosmetics, chemical products, biological products, genetically modified products, and other items that people use, wear, or benefit from, provided they are declared halal by Islamic law.
Additionally, the Minister of Religion’s Decision Number 1360/2021 outlines materials exempt from halal certification obligations. This regulation is a derivative of Regulation Number 39/2021 and specifies that excluded materials include those derived from nature, such as unprocessed mining products; non-risk materials that do not contain haram substances; and non-hazardous materials unrelated to forbidden items.
Eddy noted that while CPO (Crude Palm Oil) may seem to meet the criteria for exemption from halal certification, the minister’s decision indicates that CPO is not categorized as an excluded product.
Also Read: Ensuring Halal Certification and Traceability in Palm Oil Amidst Rising Challenges
“It means CPO should get halal certificate and the deadline should end on 17 October 2024. Meanwhile in the Decision of Minister of Religion Indonesian Republic Number 748, CPO is in the negative list in the excluded product from halal certificate obligation. But for the Decision of Minister of Religion Indonesian Republic Number 1360 / 2021 about Excluded Materials from Halal Certificate Obligation, CPO should get halal certificate obligation,” Eddy recently said to Palmoilmagazine.com.
He also mentioned, fresh fruit bunch (FFB) process to get CPO would be mechanically running. It was not mixed with other materials. “We think, CPO is not risky that contains of forbidden materials,” he said.
Palm oil trade in the globe does not require halal certificate. But Eddy said, halal certificate obligation should not for the material of CPO but in the downstream products namely for foods and cosmetics. The production process of the two, would mix other materials to get the end products that the people consumed or used.
In association with halal certificate obligation for 4 palm oil products, IPOA sent documents to Ministry of Religion in order to review the Decision of Minister of Agriculture Number 1360 / 2021, and put CPO into the exception from halal certificate obligation.
“As a consideration and if it is needed, IPOA is open to take the team of Ministry of Religion to clearly see how CPO production was processed in the mill. Would it get halal certificate or not?” Eddy said. (P2)
