PALMOILMAGAZINE, KUBU RAYA – Thousands of oil palm smallholders from across Indonesia are set to gather in Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, for the 5th Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholder Conference and Expo (IPOSC). The largest national gathering of smallholder organizations will take place on September 24–26, 2025 at the Q Qubu Resort Hotel, organized by the Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholders Forum (POPSI) with support from Media Perkebunan.
POPSI Chairman Mansuetus Darto emphasized that IPOSC is not just a routine meeting, but a platform for reflection and capacity-building.
“IPOSC is a forum for Indonesian smallholders to reflect, strengthen their position, and prepare for a more sustainable and modern market,” he said in a statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com on Friday (Aug 29, 2025).
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During the conference, smallholders will not only engage in discussions but also formulate key resolutions. These will be presented to the government as policy input and used to push companies toward fairer and more farmer-centered practices.
Darto added that IPOSC 2025 will also address the latest industry developments, including the role of Agrinas in managing reclaimed oil palm plantations within forest areas.
“This meeting will push for a palm oil industry that is more farmer-friendly. The goal is for smallholders to become more transformative in facing global markets, while the state becomes more responsive to their realities,” he explained.
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The conference will cover a wide range of strategic issues: farmer-company partnerships, smallholder replanting programs (PSR) through partnership schemes, the Smallholder Cultivation Registration (STDB), and the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Technical and sustainability challenges will also be on the agenda, including Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification, Ganoderma disease, horn beetle and fire caterpillar infestations, as well as controlling Elaeidobius pests. National-level speakers are expected, including representatives from the Directorate General of Plantations (Dirjenbun), the Fund Management Agency (BPDP), the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), and Fortasbi.
Alongside the conference, IPOSC 2025 will feature the largest palm oil expo ever held in West Kalimantan. According to POPSI Secretary-General and event chair Hendra J. Purba, the exhibition will showcase seed producers, fertilizers, pesticides, harvesting tools, and modern agricultural machinery.
“For smallholders in Kubu Raya and West Kalimantan, this is a golden opportunity to engage directly with input suppliers and gain access to products that can improve their farm productivity,” Hendra said.
Through this grand gathering, POPSI hopes to empower smallholders to better withstand global pressures—whether from international trade regulations or field-level technical challenges. At the same time, the expo will provide opportunities for networking, knowledge-sharing, and forging fairer partnerships.
The 5th IPOSC is designed not just as a discussion forum, but also as a celebration of the vital role of smallholders in Indonesia’s palm oil sector. From Kubu Raya, their voices are expected to resonate in policy circles and global arenas, carrying the message that smallholders are not passive recipients of policy but key actors in ensuring the sustainability of the national palm oil industry. (P2)
