PALMOILMAGAZINE, MANOKWARI – The West Papua Provincial Government, through the Department of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantations (TPHBun), is expediting the issuance of a gubernatorial regulation (Pergub) on the regional action plan for sustainable palm oil development. This regulation aims to provide a legal framework for managing the palm oil industry in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.
Head of the Plantation Division at TPHBun West Papua, Benediktus Hery, stated that the draft regulation has been completed and has undergone harmonization with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
“The draft has been harmonized at both the national and regional levels. We aim to have it issued within this year,” Hery said in Manokwari, as reported by Palmoilmagazine.com from Antara, Friday (7/3/2025).
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The formulation process of the regional action plan involved various stakeholders, including working groups focused on data strengthening, capacity building for farmers, environmental monitoring, conflict resolution, and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification.
The document, set for the 2024-2026 period, has been aligned with policies from the West Papua Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) and the West Papua Environmental and Land Affairs Agency (DLHP).
“We want to ensure that palm oil management in West Papua complies with regulations, especially in preventing negative environmental impacts,” Hery emphasized.
Palm Oil as a Strategic Commodity
Hery highlighted that palm oil is one of West Papua’s key commodities, playing a vital role in regional economic development. However, its management must be optimized to maximize benefits for local communities.
Currently, the total licensed palm oil plantation area in West Papua covers 97,566.5 hectares, but only around 45,000 hectares have been cultivated. These plantations are spread across several regions, including Manokwari, Teluk Bintuni, and Fakfak.
“With the existing land area, West Papua is currently only able to produce crude palm oil (CPO) without processing it into higher-value derivative products,” Hery noted.
The issuance of this regulation is expected to foster sustainable palm oil industry growth in West Papua, support the local economy, and maintain environmental balance. (P2)
