Legislator: Palm oil exports must not sacrifice national needs

The Deputy Chairperson of Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR), Evita Nursanty, has requested that the export of palm oil products does not sacrifice the fulfilment of domestic cooking oil needs.

“We must not allow cooking oil shortages to occur. The industry has a responsibility to meet domestic requirements,” said Evita while leading a visit by Commission VII to the PT Berkah Emas Sumber Terang (BEST) factory in the Tanjung Emas Port area, Semarang, Central Java, on Friday.

According to her, the palm oil processing and downstreaming industry holds a strategic position within the economy. “The challenge is how that advantage can be transformed,” she noted.

She expressed appreciation for the downstreaming of palm oil, which has led to the export of various palm oil derivatives. “We have the capability to produce value-added products and penetrate international markets,” she added.

However, she requested that national requirements be met before focusing on export orientation. Evita cited the cooking oil consumption in Central Java, which reaches 566 tonnes per day, as an example. “The demand in Central Java is quite high; we must ensure no shortages occur,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Expert Staff to the Minister of Industry for Industry 4.0 Transformation Acceleration, Andi Rizaldi, stated that palm oil production in 2025 is projected to reach 24.45 million kilolitres. He continued that national demand stands at 5.9 million kilolitres, representing approximately 25 per cent of total domestic production. Furthermore, he noted that exports of palm oil products in 2025 are expected to reach 14.24 million kilolitres.