Demand In Global High Market, Gapki Optimistics Palm Oil Industry Grows Positive

The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) said the prospect of the national palm oil industry in the future remains optimistic and positive considering the demand for these commodities in the global market will remain high.

"To maintain the sustainability of the Indonesian palm oil industry, there is one most important aspect that needs to be considered, namely the policy aspect," said Head of Communications Division Gapki Tofan Mahdi as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 9.

Tofan said, it is not the low price of crude palm oil (CPO) that can destroy the palm oil industry.

According to him, it will take a long time because prices always fluctuate, it is impossible to keep going down, there must be a point to go up.

"But the wrong policy in managing the palm oil industry can destroy this strategic industry in an instant," said Tofan.

Speaking in front of more than a hundred participants of HPN and students from various universities in North Sumatra, Tofan revealed the strategic role of palm oil in the economy.

"Looking at the pandemic in 2020, Indonesia's contraction in economic growth was the lowest compared to other countries, even better than developed countries," said Tofan.

Tofan said that in 2022, palm oil export foreign exchange donations reached a record high in history. The value of export foreign exchange reached US$39 billion or almost Rp600 trillion. This high export foreign exchange supports the stability of the rupiah exchange rate against foreign currencies, especially the US dollar.

"It's hard to imagine the Indonesian economy without the palm oil industry," said the researcher at the Paramadina Public Policy Institute.

On that occasion, he also said that the press played a major role in supporting the advancement of the palm oil industry in Indonesia. Therefore, the synergy between members of the press and stakeholders in the palm oil industry must continue to be strengthened.

"Through objective and positive palm news publications, the image of the palm oil industry is getting better. This will strengthen the sustainability of the Indonesian palm oil industry," said Tofan Mahdi.

In relation to National Press Day, he hopes for continuous support from the Indonesian press for the palm oil industry.

"Continue to help us in fighting discrimination and negative campaigns of palm oil. Friends of the press must also participate in overseeing every process of policy formulation and regulations related to palm oil," he said.