JAKARTA – At least 16,800 villages having oil palm plantations across Indonesia have established an Indonesian association of oil palm villages. It is the first of its kind in the world’s largest archipelagic country.

The establishment of the Indonesian palm village association was facilitated by the ministry of village, under-developed regions, and transmigration (Kemendes) in Jakarta last month.

“The palm village association is established to deal with all palm-related issues facing our village members,” the Palm Village Association’s Deputy Chairman Sawit Pujianto said in Mukomuko on Monday (11/12).

Pujianto is the village head (Kades) of Padang Gading village in Sungai Rumbai district of Mukomuko regency. He represents villages in Bengkulu province as a member of the executive board of the national palm village association.

The national executive board of the palm village association is scheduled to be inaugurated during a meeting on 20-25 December 2023 in the office building of Kemendes in Jakarta.

According to him, the palm village association will also focus its national program on palm oil prices, especially the highest retail price (HET) across Indonesia.

“Until now we don’t know the HET of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at national and regional levels. The prices have always varied,” he said. (*)

Source: sawitku.id