PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – In late August 2024, independent smallholders from the Regency of Sintang in West Kalimantan Province had a valuable opportunity to learn about sustainable palm oil practices in Sabah, Malaysia. This initiative was facilitated by WWF Indonesia, aiming to introduce sustainable palm oil cultivation methods.
Suratno, the Manager of Koperasi Rimba Harapan, which has received a Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate, noted that the visit inspired smallholders to adopt better cultivation practices, particularly concerning environmental conservation.
He observed that while there are generally few differences between sustainable practices in Indonesia and Malaysia, Malaysian smallholders tend to be more disciplined in adhering to government regulations, such as Indonesia’s ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil) certification. “Only a few smallholders recognize the significance of certification,” he stated, as reported by Palmoilmagazine.com on Sunday, October 20, 2024.
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Suratno emphasized that one significant advantage for smallholders in Malaysia is the government’s support in enhancing production infrastructure, which helps minimize production costs and increase efficiency. However, he noted that the prices for fertilizers and fresh fruit bunches (FFB) are similar in both countries. “Indonesia also has the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency to assist smallholders with infrastructure improvements,” he added.
He said that in Malaysia, for every smallholder got certificate, there was no competition of price among them. FFB price that the smallholders produced would be purchased as the certification regulation and the trade got more stable.
In the environment cultivation, the independent smallholders in Sabah were also discipline to maintain high conservation values namely around the river. The trees and river would be 10 (ten) meters in distance. There should be no trees growing. “They breed kinds of plants around the river. We would implement it in Sintang,” Suratno said.
The visit inspired others in Indonesia to keep increasing sustainable practices and conserve the environment. (P2)
