Indonesia to Halt Diesel Imports from 1 July, Implementing B50

Surabaya - The Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, stated that Indonesia will stop importing diesel starting 1 July 2026 alongside the implementation of 50% biodiesel (B50) based on palm oil.

“We will no longer import diesel. In 2026, on 1 July, we stop, B50 comes in,” said Amran at the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya on Sunday.

This step, according to him, is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen national energy independence by utilising palm oil commodities as an alternative fuel.

He explained that palm oil can not only be processed into diesel but also into petrol and ethanol, whose development is currently being accelerated.

In addition, the government is preparing cooperation with PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV (PTPN IV) for the development of palm-based petrol on a small scale before expanding it into a large industry.

“If this succeeds, we open up a large scale. So Indonesia’s future is bright,” he said.

During the visit, Amran also inspected several technological innovations from ITS, one of which is an electric tractor that he assessed as more economical and efficient.

“This tractor costs half of the usual one. Then it’s effective, doesn’t use diesel but uses electricity. So it’s very economical,” he stated.

It is known that Amran was in Surabaya to deliver a keynote speech at the 133rd graduation ceremony for doctoral, master’s, and professional engineering programmes at Grha ITS.