PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) held its 12th Ministerial Meeting on November 29, 2024 in Jakarta. This meeting became a strategic forum to strengthen cooperation among palm oil producing countries in facing global challenges, including trade protectionism and sustainability issues.
The event was attended by ministers from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Honduras as full members, as well as observer countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria. Colombia, Ghana, and Papua New Guinea, which are in the process of joining, were also present to strengthen cooperation.
Chaired by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, the meeting highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration to support the sustainability of the palm oil industry while expanding the global market. “This collaboration is important to strengthen the position of palm oil in reducing world carbon emissions and encouraging palm-based energy diversification, such as B40 biodiesel,” Airlangga said in an official statement quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com, Monday (2/12/2024).
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Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Commodities, YB Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, added that increasing trade protectionism was a major challenge. “A joint strategy is needed to ensure fair market access for all palm oil producing countries, especially smallholders,” he said.
During the forum, CPOPC agreed to prioritize the development of palm-based green energy, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which is considered important for future energy needs. Indonesia and Malaysia are seen as the main leaders of this initiative thanks to their sustainable production capacity.
The Indonesian delegation, consisting of various ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade, and PFMA (BPDPKS), also raised other issues, such as efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 41% through the utilization of palm biomass. This support is in line with global warming targets promoted by various international forums.
In addition, training for smallholders is one of the main agendas to ensure they can meet international regulations, such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which comes into effect at the end of 2026. The training aims to increase the capacity of smallholders in producing palm oil that meets sustainability principles.
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CPOPC continues to strengthen diplomacy with key consumer countries such as India, China, and the European Union. Positive campaigns to overcome the negative image of palm oil are also part of this strategy.
Another concrete step proposed is the utilization of palm oil waste, such as used cooking oil and Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), to support the green energy transition. This initiative is expected to increase the added value of palm products while expanding the global biodiesel market.
The meeting closed with the handover of CPOPC leadership from Indonesia to Malaysia for the 2024-2025 period. Collaboration among member countries is expected to advance an inclusive and sustainable global palm oil industry, and support the transition to green energy. (P1)
