Prabowo hopes Indonesia can produce petrol from plants within four years

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto hopes Indonesia will be able to produce plant-based petrol within the next three to four years as part of efforts to strengthen national energy independence.

“Our professors are currently developing petrol from palm oil, ethanol from cassava, from maize, from sorghum. So I hope that in three to four years we will also be able to produce petrol from plants,” President Prabowo Subianto said at the peak of the 79th National Cooperatives Day commemoration at Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, on Sunday.

According to the President, the development of agricultural commodity-based fuel is expected to improve the welfare of farmers, including cassava and maize growers, while also driving growth in the agricultural sector.

“This means cassava farmers will live prosperously, maize farmers will live prosperously, farmers across Indonesia will do their best for the nation and for their own families,” he said.

He noted that the use of palm oil-based fuel has enabled Indonesia to halt diesel imports starting this month.

“Just a few days ago we launched B50, diesel that is 50 per cent palm oil. Palm farmers are in Indonesia, palm oil is in Indonesia. Starting this month, we are no longer importing diesel from abroad,” he said.

In addition, the President said the government had achieved food self-sufficiency in the first year of his administration, so that Indonesia no longer imports a number of food commodities and has begun exporting them.

On the occasion, Prabowo also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the nation and defending the interests of the Indonesian people.

“We are on the right path. Defending the people is an honour for the Indonesian nation. Defending the people is an honour for every patriot. I will not hesitate, I will continue to defend and strengthen the Indonesian nation and the Indonesian people,” said Prabowo.