On: February 23rd, 2017
Hugeng Widodo, Berita360.com,
Jakarta – Indonesian palm oil industry has been growing fast in the last 15 years. However, the challenges and obstacles are also increasing along with the improved achievement.
One of them is negative campaign waged by western countries is through environmental issue such as deforestation.
The western countries continue to use environmental issues to take the Indonesian palm oil industry down, so their soybean oil industry (which actually requires a very large land) can prevail with the collapse of the world’s palm oil.
Other than black campaign, western countries are also often makes standardization that does not comply with the condition of Indonesian nature. For example, the use of High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessment that emerges in timber and palm oil corporations recently.
“High Carbon Stock is now become a requirement. It has not been determined in Indonesia, but there are NGOs that have defined the figure of 35%. Whereas the Indonesian natural condition could only take on the minimum of 75-80%,” said Prof. Nyoto Santoso, Forestry observer of IPB.
“If we follow the external standard of 35%, then we will be doomed. The forests in Papua will be able to be used and the people will not have anything to develop their regions anymore. Do we want Papua to stay like that without making any progress?” he added.
Thus, he requested reinforcement at ISPO. “Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the ISPO. We should enrich the contents. Fill in where it lacks. If we need HCS, then the government must also make a rule and we are all one voice,” he said.
Government Demands for ISPO Reinforcement
The Deputy for Coordination of Food and agriculture of the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Musdalifah Machmud, said that all parties should unite to raise the image of palm oil as the leading commodity so can provide benefits to the national economy.
Deputi Bidang Koordinasi Pangan dan Pertanian Kemenko Perekonomian, Musdalifah Machmud, (Foto Dok.Berita360)
“We have to strengthen ISPO to convince the world that Indonesia pays attention to environmental issues,” said Musdalifah.
“The problem is that many of our friends (NGOs) who even vilify our own commodities through their negative campaign. If there is indeed an environmental problem, it should be reported to the relevant parties,” she added.
Musdalifah also stated that the government must take firm action against certain NGOs who often make negative campaign by creating rules and standards that do not comply with the provisions of the government. (hw)
Source: http://berita360.com/
