T

he Indonesian Palm Oil Council (DMSI) has urged the government to provide effective advocacy through the relevant ministries, especially the Foreign Ministry, in facing negative palm oil campaigns.

DMSI chairman Derom Bangun said the current pressure against Indonesian palm oil was disturbing as crude palm oil (CPO) exports to the international market had dropped by between 6 and 7 percent of the total 3 million tons to Europe and between 4 and 5 percent to India annually.

Derom explained that the drop in CPO exports was caused by negative campaigns allegedly initiated by a number of foreign companies.

'€œPressure on the palm oil industry has been very upsetting,'€ Derom told reporters recently in Medan.

Derom said such a pressure came in the form of a new regulation issued by the European Union on food information to consumers that was approved by the European Union Council on Sept. 29, 2011, but will be put to effect on Dec. 13, 2014.

Derom added that the regulation would require all types of vegetable oil used in food products be listed separately on the label.

According to Derom, currently many companies in Europe have listed palm oil on labels clearly among other oil varieties. Examples of the labels were found when Green Campaign Indonesia delegates visited the United Kingdom and the Netherlands from Sept. 9 until Sept. 13.

'€œConsumers who have been influenced to avoid palm oil will not buy or consume the food products,'€ he said.

In this regard, Derom said the Indonesian government should carry out promotional activities, followed by strong research overseas as a form of good advocacy.

'€œThe relevant ministries are expected to conduct research on palm oil to help counter the negative campaigns faced by the Indonesian palm oil industry overseas,'€ said Derom.

Derom acknowledged that the Indonesian palm oil industry was still weak in terms of research, adding that the industry, worth more than US$20 billion annually, had yet to receive support for research funding.

He said the government should provide research funding from the state budget as well as from companies engaged in the palm oil industry.

Meanwhile, as many as 90 international companies from seven countries recently attended the biggest palm oil industrial exhibition in Medan.

The seven countries involved in the exhibition were Singapore, Malaysia, India, China, Taiwan, Germany and Indonesia.

PT Fireworks Indonesia managing director Susan Tricia, organizer of the exhibition, said that a number of major palm oil companies in Indonesia and overseas exhibited various technologies that improve the effectiveness and work efficiency of palm oil factories.

According to Susan, the trade fair has become a reference on renewable technologies for those involved in the palm oil industry.

'€œThe exhibition is aimed at showcasing renewable technologies in the palm oil industry,'€ Susan said, adding the Indonesia International Palm Oil Conference, or IIPOC 2013, was also held during the event.