Jokowi Lifts Ban On CPO Exports, Fadli Zon: Minister Of Trade Is Replaced, Looking For Competent Ones

Gerindra Party politician Fadli Zon. (Instagram @fadlizon)

JAKARTA - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Gerindra faction, Fadli Zon, appreciates President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) decision to lift the ban on the export of crude palm oil (CPO) starting next week.

"Finally, the ban on CPO exports was lifted, that's what it should be," said Fadli, Friday, May 20.

According to Fadli, the CPO export ban policy actually resulted in losses. Both in the trade balance and for oil palm farmers and domestic CPO producers.

"In addition to failing to achieve its goal of lowering retail cooking oil prices in the country, this policy has now been proven to bring even more losses," explained Fadli.

The Gerindra politician then asked the Minister of Trade (Mendag) M Lutfi to be removed after the lifting of the ban on CPO exports. According to him, the current trade minister is incompetent as an assistant to the president.

"Just replace the Minister of Trade, look for a competent one," said Fadli.

It is known, President Jokowi announced the reopening of the ban on exports of palm oil products, including cooking oil and crude palm oil (CPO).

Previously, President Jokowi officially banned the export of cooking oil and its derivative raw materials, including CPO, starting Thursday, April 28, 2022.

Since the cooking oil export ban policy, the supply of cooking oil has continued to increase based on field observations due to the export ban policy. In addition, there was a decline in the national average cooking oil price.

"Based on the current supply and price of cooking oil, and considering that there are 17 million workers in the palm oil industry, farmers and workers and other supporting staff, I have decided that cooking oil exports will be reopened on Monday, May 23, 2022," Jokowi said in his official statement. Thursday, May 19.