Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel – Vice chairman of the House of Regional Representatives (DPD) RI Sultan B Najamudin encouraged the Government to develop a standardization of sustainable agriculture and plantation systems, for every agricultural industry player in Indonesia.
This was conveyed following the existence of the European Union Anti-deforestation Law or EU Deforestation Regulation. As a result, Indonesian agricultural products, not only palm oil, but also cattle, timber, coffee, cocoa, and rubber will be affected by the law.
“The European Union, juridically, certainly has the right to show its commitment in overcoming the climate crisis through controlling the rate of deforestation. And we must admit that as long as Indonesia is quite intensive in converting forests to maintain agricultural land,” Sultan said through his official statement on Wednesday (5/24/2023).
According to him, the government does not need to submit a memorandum of protest against the EU policy to the WTO. We must be introspective and willing to be evaluated by a country that is a potential market for our superior plantation products.
“Besides developing market diversification, it is very important for the government to intensify the sustainable palm oil plantation industry through the Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Best Agriculture Practice (BAP) certifications. I think the two types of agricultural standardization can be a consideration for Europe to reopen its market for Indonesian plantation products,” explained the former head of HIPMI Bengkulu.
So, said Sultan, all farming business actors, both corporations and oil palm farmers, are required to have ISPO and BAP with a certain regional local wisdom approach. We hope that these two rules need to be regulated through government regulations and regional regulations.
“We also hope that the government will pay attention to this case with a trade history diplomacy approach towards the European Union. Because after all, almost all Indonesian agricultural commodities banned by Europe today are commodities that were first developed by European colonialism in the archipelago in the past,” he concluded.
It is known that the European Union (EU) has officially enacted the Anti-Deforestation Law or EU Deforestation Regulation as of May 16, 2023. As a result, Indonesian agricultural products, not only palm oil, but also cattle, wood, coffee, cocoa, and rubber will be affected by this law. This law will close exports for agricultural / plantation products that are considered by the EU to trigger deforestation. (Photo: Public Relations DPD RI)
