Indonesia-Malaysia agrre to set up palm oil council

Jakarta (ANTARA Lampung) - The governments of Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to set up a Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (C Pop) with its headquarters to be located in Indonesia.

"This afternoon, some agreements have been reached, including one concerning palm oil producing countries. As we know that 85 percent of total global palm oil production is from Indonesia and Malaysia," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said after holding a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at the Bogor presidential palace in Bogor, West Java, Sunday.

The council will issue a new global sustainable palm oil standard, the president added.

The environmentally friendly standard is expected to help improve the welfare of four million oilpalm farmers in Indonesia and some 300 thousand oilpalm farmers in Malaysia, he remarked.

To formulate the new standard, the two countries have agreed to form a task force.

The Indonesian and Malaysian oilpalm industries have also agreed to establish cooperation in developing a green economic zone to promote the use of environmentally friendly fuel. 

"This is a historic initiative for palm oil industries in Indonesia and Malaysia, given the fact that it has been discussed since 2006. Hopefully, it will be beneficial for oilpalm farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia," the president noted.

During his working visit to Indonesia, Prime Minister Najib Razak was accompanied by First Lady Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim.

President Jokowi was flanked by among others Coordinating Minister for Maritime Rizal Ramli, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Chief of the Presidential Staff Teten Masduki, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiwman, and Industry Minister Saleh Husin.(Ant)