PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Under the Plantations Laws, as amended by Law Number 6 / 2023, which mandates the sustainable cultivation of plantations, including palm oil, considering social, economic, ecological, and cultural aspects, adherence to regulations is imperative. These regulations necessitate adherence to certified sustainable principles and criteria.
Palm oil plantation practices must align with the norms outlined in Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) regulations. The implementation of ISPO guidelines commenced with the publication of Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture (RMA) Number 19 / 2011, later replaced by RMA Number 38 / 2020 concerning Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Implementation, and reinforced by Presidential Regulation Number 44 / 2020 on the ISPO Certification System.
In a circular issued by the General Directorate of Plantations, Ministry of Agriculture, on March 23, 2024, it was stipulated that ISPO certification would be compulsory for all planters, including both companies and smallholders.
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The circular, signed by the General Director of Plantations, Andi Nur Alam Syah, outlined that ISPO compliance is mandatory for plantation companies since the publication of RMA Number 38 / 2020. For smallholders, this requirement will become officially mandatory five years after the same regulation’s publication.
It also suggested that every planter should notice the regulation that ISPO would be mandatory for them. “We urge you, sirs to get development nd supervision to the mandatory,” the circular noted, as Palmoilmagazine.com recently got.
The goals and aims of the circular are as the guidelines for the governments, provinces, regencies, cities to develop, supervise ISPO certification implementation. The goal is about to get ISPO certification implemented as the available regulations.
ISPO certification should be proposed by every planter to ISPO certification boards, the planters consist of plantation companies or smallholders.
“Every plantation company that has no ISPO certificate would get administrative sanction in the form of written reprimand, temporary stop operating, or revoking business permits,” the circular noted.
Still from the Circular Number: 286/KB.410/E/03/2024 about ISPO Certification Obligation, it obliges every plantation company to implement and get ISPO certification and the smallholders should get ISPO certificate after 5 (five) years since RMA Number 38 / 2020 was published.
Then governor and regent/mayor should develop in the forms of delivering facilities for planters, monitor independently in the forms of socialization and workshops, get data about planters, and/or deliver help and capital for the planters, trainings and development for them to qualify ISPO principles and criteria.
“Governor and regent/mayor should monitor ISPO certification implementation,” the circular noted. (T2)
