"I will report to the Vice President (Jusuf Kalla) if they (Europe) still insist. I will ask permission for a negotiating team. I should have a mandate for that, and Indonesia should cooperate with Malaysia as the two largest CPO producers in the world," Lukita stated.
Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdi Kirana, was asked to hold talks with the Malaysian Government to strengthen negotiations with European countries.
"The ambassador was also asked to speak with the Malaysia Government, because the current administration is awaiting the upcoming election," the minister added.
The EU Parliament plans to ban the use of CPO in its member countries, because the commodity is considered inhospitable to the environment.
Such action threatens the export of CPO from Indonesia to European countries.
The EU Parliament claims to impose free palm oil regulation by 2021, with the approval of the renewable energy bill.
The Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (GAPKI) has recently revealed that in 2017, Indonesia`s palm oil exports exceeded US$23 billion, or up 26 percent, compared to that in 2016.
Meanwhile, Indonesia`s palm oil exports (CPO and its derivatives), excluding biodiesel and oleochemicals (a chemical compound derived industrially from animal or vegetable oils or fats), in 2017 reached 31.05 million tons, or increased by 23 percent, from 25.11 million tons in 2016.
(KR-LWA/INE)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
