Amran States Raw Materials for 20 Percent Ethanol Are Sufficient

JAKARTA - Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that plant-based raw materials are sufficient to meet the requirements for 20 percent ethanol (E20). E20 serves as a substitute for petrol, a type of fuel oil that is still dominated by imports. “It’s definitely sufficient. We plant. We will plant now. Planting sugarcane, planting cassava, planting palm oil,” Amran said during a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture office in Jakarta on Monday (30/3/2026). “This can be used and can produce 300,000 ethanol,” Amran added. Amran then mentioned that Brazil has successfully implemented 27 percent ethanol. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government mandates E20 in 2028. This is because motor vehicle manufacturers have developed Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) Engines or engines that can operate using petrol, ethanol, or a mixture of both. “The directive from the President must not be broken. If consistent, in 10 years, we can achieve independence. Because ethanol can work with flexible engines,” Amran stated. Besides ethanol, crude palm oil (CPO) as a raw material for 40 percent biodiesel (B40) to substitute diesel is also sufficient. According to him, the increase is inseparable from President Prabowo Subianto’s policies. Meanwhile, CPO prices in the global market are currently rising. “Because world prices are rising. Farmers are producing. Surplus of 6 million tonnes. So the policy is great. That’s the new policy,” Amran said.