ilustrasi kebun sawit (beritasatu.com)
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The government through the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) ensured there is no deforestation in the land clearing process for oil palm plantation in Papua, because the procedure is already in accordance with the current regulations.
This is a response towards an allegation of deforestation echoed by a non-governmental organization from the United States, Mighty Earth, against Korindo Group.
The General Director of Plantation from the Ministry of Agriculture, Kasdi Subagyono expressed that at the moment, Indonesia has made a mandatory rule stating that all oil palm companies operating in Indonesia must obtained ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil) certification or a policy on sustainable palm oil management, with a purpose of fulfilling Indonesia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases and give attention towards environmental issues.
“With ISPO, that means we are very concerned with environment preservation. Oil palm management cannot be done carelessly, by clearing the forest as much as one likes. There are rules, there are many requirements for that,” Kasdi said when contacted Tuesday.
Previously, Mighty Earth made accusations that based on its investigation for two years, there has been a deforestation allegedly done by Korindo. In addition, Korindo was accused of doing human rights violation in the land clearing process.
Moreover, Kasdi confirmed that the accusations echoed by the foreign NGO towards the agribusiness industry in the country is not uncommon. His team is committed to keep supporting the growth of agribusiness industry, particularly the national oil palm, which in fact is the highest foreign exchange contributor for Indonesia, with more than Rp300 trillion/year.
“The government will always strive to facilitate the development of palm oil industry, which is still the highest foreign exchange contributor from non-oil and gas commodity,” he said.
On a separate occasion, the Member of DPR RI Commission II, Firman Soebagyo said that during the discussion of Draft Law on palm oil, the Parliament has even invited the foreign NGO that keeps conducting a black campaign in order to have a further dialogue regarding palm oil industry in Indonesia.
“They never came, but keeps conducting black campaign,” he concluded.
Source : investor.id
