Bisnis Indonesia, 3 December 2018
European countries begin to open themselves to Indonesian crude palm oil (CPO). French Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said France refused to boycott Indonesia’s CPO, as it is not the right way to reduce negative impact of CPO. He said plantation management improvement is more important to support sustainable development.
Previously, German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Bio-Based Economy, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Director General Clemens Neumann during his visit to Indonesia on November 14 appreciated Indonesia’s efforts in improving plantation management and enhancing the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification system.
In another development, Switzerland in October 2018 declared that the country will not block CPO imports from Indonesia. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said although Switzerland is not a European Union member, their stance may pave a way for Indonesia to spread positive campaigns on CPO.