Jokowi Opens Cooking Oil Export Faucet, Andre Rosiade: Win-win Solution Saves The Fate Of Oil Palm Farmers

Member of Commission VI DPR, Andre Rosiade. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the DPR, Andre Rosiade, said the government's decision to lift the ban on exporting cooking oil to foreign countries is one way out to save the fate of oil palm farmers.

As is known, oil palm farmers screamed as long as the temporary ban on CPO exports was enforced.

In response to this, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially lifted the temporary ban on the export of cooking oil and its derivatives.

The reason is because the supply of bulk cooking oil is already abundant and the price has decreased.

After the CPO export ban policy through the Minister of Trade Regulation No. 22 of 2022, the price of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) per Saturday, May 14, actually dropped from Rp. 1,700 to Rp. 1,940 per kg.

This figure is much lower than Sunday, April 24, which is still in the range of Rp. 2,500 to Rp. 3,200 per kg.

"Moreover, the Minister of Trade Regulation 22 of 2022 has arranged for periodic evaluations in accordance with developing conditions in the community. So the President's decision to re-allow CPO exports is one of the win-win solutions, both to ensure that as many as 16 million oil palm farmers are not oppressed. ," said Andre Rosiade in an official statement, quoted Saturday, May 21.

In addition, Andre hopes that with the lifting of the ban on the export of CPO and its derivatives, the price of bulk cooking oil will decrease to Rp. 14,000 per liter and the stock will be widely available.

"On the other hand, we hope that the government and all its staff can ensure that the price of bulk cooking oil drops to Rp. 14,000 per liter, and that the goods are not scarce. So that it can reach the entire community," he said.

Tighten supervision

Andre also requested that the government through its ranks involve all stakeholders to be able to carry out stricter supervision regarding the distribution of cooking oil trade in Indonesia. So, people can really get and feel cheap cooking oil on the market.

"The key problem is that distribution control must be carried out strictly and involve all stakeholders, so that people can get and enjoy cheap cooking oil in the largest palm oil producing country in the world," said Andre.

Andre hopes that the Rp14,000 Migor Rakyat program, which is a collaboration between the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) with cooking oil business actors, can be spread throughout Indonesia. So that the benefits can be felt by the community.

"So far, the people's migration program has at least 1,200 sales points spread across DKI Jakarta, West Java, Banten, East Java, North Sumatra, and North Sulawesi. We hope that in the near future the number of people's migration points will be Rp. 14,000 per person. This liter will be 10,000 locations throughout Indonesia," he said.

Andre reminded the government through law enforcement officials to continue to focus on cracking down and dismantling the cooking oil mafia network that disrupts the flow of palm oil trade in Indonesia.

That way, an abundant supply of cooking oil and affordable prices can be realized according to what President Jokowi wants.

"On the other hand, we encourage the law enforcement process for the cooking oil mafia to be deeper, and reveal, including arresting the cooking oil mafias who interfere with the palm oil trade system in Indonesia," he said.