President Jokowi Welcomes Palm Oil Smallholders at Palace

President Jokowi, accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, welcomes palm oil smallholders at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday, (03/23). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Muchlis Jr)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday (03/23) welcomed palm oil smallholders at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

“We talked about innovation developed by palm oil smallholders. Thank God, [the President’s] response was good, particularly regarding how the BPDPKS [Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency] funding can be provided to palm oil smallholders,” the smallholders representative Rukaiyah Rafik said after the meeting.

On that occasion, they also asked for more representatives in the BPDPKS structure to serve the interest of palm oil smallholders across Indonesia.

Regarding the biodiesel program, the palm oil smallholders said that companies could establish partnerships with palm oil smallholders through direct cooperation.

On that occasion, President Jokowi encouraged palm oil smallholder cooperatives to produce cooking oil so that it can be accessed by the public at an affordable price.

“We thank Mr. President for his warm welcome and his directives. [The President] said that he would talk to cooperatives to create a model for farmers to produce cooking oil,” Rukaiyah said. (BPMI Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RI/MMB)