The Palm Scribe is a platform to serve the palm oil industry by helping it foster a healthier and more constructive public discourse on the industry.
NEWS
RSPO Releases Oil Palm Workers’ Decent Wage Guidance
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has launched a first-ever guidance document on a decent living wage for the oil palm industry to ensure that workers and their families earn a sufficient wage for housing, medical, clean water, basic amenities and more....
Senior EU Diplomat: EU Palm Oil Policy is Up for Review
The Delegated Act that allows the European Union to implement a much-criticized policy to phase out palm oil-based biofuels in its renewable energy sector, was a dynamic process that was open for review, a senior EU diplomat said in Jakarta (28/5). Acting Charge...
Eagle High Plantations Pledges 25 Year-Funding for Borneo Biodiversity Conservation
Marking its strengthened commitment to sustainable production and landscape protection, palm oil company Eagle High Plantations (EHP) will provide 25 years of financing for the Rimba Raya biodiversity reserve in Central Kalimantan, the company said in a release...
Lower CPO Revenues Adds to Indonesia’s Current Account Deficit
Weak global prices of palm oil, Indonesia's largest foreign exchange earner, has contributed to the country's historic US$2.5 billion trade deficit in April, the largest monthly deficit since 2013, The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said. The BPS highlighted that...
Despite Loss, ANJ Records Higher 2018 CPO and FFB Output
Palm oil producer Austindo Nusantara Jaya (ANJ) said that although it posted a loss in revenue in 2018 mostly because of low world prices, it also posted higher production of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs). In a press conference after a company...
Indonesian Banks Play Important Roles in Achieving Palm Oil Sustainability
As demand for sustainable financing grows, Indonesian banks are trying to contribute to the battle against deforestation and against other environmental and social issues in the palm oil sector, by requiring clients to comply with palm oil sustainability standards,...
Good Growth Conference Praises Indonesia for Progress in Battling Deforestation
The Palm Scribe Content Manager, Bhimanto Suwastoyo, was selected by the UNDP's Good Growth Governance initiative to visit Peru with other journalists around the world to see how Peru is coping with the growing palm oil. This article is one of a series of reports from...
Peru: Where Land Tenure Rests on a Weak Legal Framework
The Palm Scribe Content Manager, Bhimanto Suwastoyo, was selected by the UNDP's Good Growth Governance initiative to visit Peru with other journalists around the world to see how Peru is coping with the growing palm oil. This article is one of a series of reports from...
SIIA: EU Move on Palm Oil is Counter Productive to Sustainability
The European Union move to phase out the use of palm-oil based biofuel in its renewable energy targets, citing alleged excessive deforestation, may result in a regression in sustainability practices and more deforestation, the latest report issued by the Singapore...
INFOGRAPHICS
PROFILE
Sekjen GAPKI Lakshmi Sidarta: Cermati Potensi Pasar Minyak Sawit Domestik Indonesia
Ditengah masifnya serangan terhadap kelapa sawit dan industrinya, termasuk dari Uni Eropa, seorang eksekutif dari industri kelapa sawit mengingatkan bahwa Indonesia sebenarnya mampu untuk mengembangkan pasar domestiknya agar tidak lagi bergantung kepada ekspor. Uni...
SPECIAL REPORTS
From Coca to Cacao, The Transformation of Chazuta
The Palm Scribe Content Manager, Bhimanto Suwastoyo, was selected by the UNDP's Good Growth Journalism Initiative to visit Peru with other journalists around the world to see how Peru is coping with the growth of palm oil. This long story is part of the requirement to...
OPINIONS
The Argument for Palm Oil: Less is More
Indonesia’s announcement that it plans to make permanent a moratorium on new forest clearing for oil palm plantations or logging, already repeatedly extended since 2011, is a bold move that will allow the industry to focus on boosting productivity but also diffuse a...
VIDEOS
Nazir Foead: Challenges in Planting Oil Palm on Peatland
Our Story: How Palm Oil Changed Our Lives
Konsultasi Dengan Masyarakat Setempat Kunci Bagi Operasi ANJ di Papua
News Roundup
Summaries of what Indonesian newspapers are reporting about the industry.
Press Release
The Palm Scribe compiles press releases from various parties in the palm oil industry here.
Resurrecting downstream palm oil industry
Bisnis Indonesia, 5 April 2019 The downstream palm oil industry has been suffering from stagnancy ever since the government decided to keep export duty of crude palm oil at zero at the end of 2018. On Tuesday (April 2), Indonesian Vegetable Oil Association (Gimni)...
Paris Agreement to protect people
Kompas, 30 March 2019 It has been suggested that Indonesia follow its commitment to improve governance of oil palm plantations, rather than threatening the European Union to leave the Paris Agreement. Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) National Executive Climate...
Japan postpones palm oil certification requirement
Kontan Harian, 1 April 2019 Japan is postponing the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification requirement for Indonesia's crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives until 2021, following a comprehensive review of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership...
Farmers find difficulties in meeting replanting fund requirements
Kompas, 14 February 2019 Oil palm farmers are finding it difficult to meet the replanting fund eligibility requirements. As a result, they had to delay replanting and continue to cultivate old oil palm trees. Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDPKS) Director Herdrajat...
CPO price weaken due to oversupply
Bisnis Indonesia, 13 February 2019 The benchmark crude palm oil contract for April delivery at the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell 0.53% or 12 points to 2,254 ringgit per metric ton on Tuesday's (February 12) close. Asia Trade Point Futures analyst Deddy Yusuf...
Look at palm oil problems as a whole
Kompas, 12 February 2019 The government should read in detail the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on palm oil and biodiversity. The report found that while palm oil is more efficient than other kinds of vegetable oil, expansion of oil palm...