Indonesia celebrated the national day of palm oil on 18 November, with a reminder on the very important role of palm oil industry in Indonesia’s economy. The palm oil industry is the largest contributor of foreign exchange and the largest sector in terms of employing workers.

The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) Chairman Eddy Martono said that even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when most of global economic sectors saw a negative growth, the palm oil industry can still grow positively and helped Indonesia’s trade balance to stay positive. He expressed the hope that the Indonesian palm oil industry will be continually protected with conducive policies, especially because Indonesia is the world’s largest producer, exporter and consumer of palm oil.

“We hope the government will continually apply business-friendly policies, so that the palm oil industry will keep benefiting our nation and improving the welfare of Indonesian people,” Eddy said.

Indonesia has designated 18 November as palm oil day in 2017 and it has been annually celebrated since then. It marked the first commercial planting of oil palm trees in Sungai Liput and Pulu Raja, North Sumatra, on 18 November 1911.

Previously, the oil palm trees were planted in ‘Kebun Raya Bogor’ (Bogor Botanical Garden) as ornamental plants in 1848 by a group of Dutchmen who brought them from West Africa. Now the tropical plants are widely cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia, and in several countries of Africa, and South America. (*)

Source: business.rmol.id/Merdeka.com