Accommodating Oil Palm Farmers' Complaints About FFB Prices, Minister Of Trade Zulhas Promises To Accelerate CPO Exports

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan accommodated the complaints of oil palm farmers regarding the low price of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at the farmer level.

Currently the price of FFB is very depressed, even at the level of Rp. 1,000 per kilogram (kg).

This was done during a dialogue session with oil palm farmers who are members of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association (Apkasindo) in Lampung Province in Merak Batin Village, Natar District, South Lampung Regency, Saturday, July 9.

"From the results of discussions with oil palm farmers in Lampung, we got a picture of the situation faced by oil palm farmers," Zulhas said in a written statement, quoted on Monday, July 11.

On that occasion, Zulhas as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly known, emphasized that the government had asked business actors to buy FFB for Rp. 1,600 per kg.

"We also convey to the farmers that business actors have been asked to buy FFB at a minimum price of Rp. 1,600 per kg," said Trade Minister Zulhas.

To boost the absorption of smallholder FFB, said Zulhas, the government continues to encourage the acceleration of exports of crude palm oil or crude palm oil (CPO).

The hope is that the CPO tanks will soon be empty and the farmers' FFB can be reabsorbed.

"To overcome the existing problems, the Ministry of Trade continues to encourage CPO exports so that the CPO tanks are empty again and the farmers' FFB can be reabsorbed," he said.

The general chairman of PAN said that the government's program to stabilize cooking oil must also be beneficial for oil palm farmers and entrepreneurs.

"We want the benefits of this palm oil to be truly felt, both by farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers," he said.

During the dialogue, Head of DPW Apkasindo Lampung Province, Abdul Simanjuntak, said that the oil palm farmers expected the government's solution to help raise the price of FFB.

"We hope that the Minister of Trade can help improve the price of FFB to support the welfare of farmers," said Abdul.