Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has cut export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) for April shipment by 2.5 percent to 22.5 percent from 25 percent in the previous two months.

As such, exporters must pay export tax as much as 22.5 percent of the government-set export reference price.

Director General of Foreign Trade at the Trade Ministry Deddy Saleh said on Tuesday the reference price of CPO exports for April shipment was US$1,135 per ton.

Meanwhile, the export reference prices of CPO derivatives in the form of crude olein for April shipment are US$1,196 per ton, refine bleach deodorized (RBD) palm olein US$1,203 per ton, and crude kernel olein US$2,096 per ton, crude stearin US$1,165 per ton, crude kernel stearin US$2,096 per ton, RBD palm stearin US$1,176 per ton, RBD palm kernel stearin US$2,243 per ton and bio-diesel US$1,255 per ton.

The government has imposed progressive export tax on CPO and its derivatives since the issuance of the finance minister`s regulation number 67 of 2010 on goods subject to export tax.

The export tax is set by referring to CPO prices at the international commodity exchange in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

However, some CPO exporters who have an objection to the progressive export tax scheme have proposed that the government impose a flat CPO export tax scheme.

The Association of Indonesian Oil Palm Producers (GAPKI) have suggested that the government set CPO export tax at 3 percent when the global price is equal to or higher than US$700 per ton and exempt CPO derivatives from export tax to encourage the development of domestic downstream palm oil industry.

The government said it was still studying the proposal.

But Deddy said earlier it was difficult to apply a flat export tax of 3 percent under the current circumstances.
(T.M035/S012/HAJM/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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