"The US rejects palm oil or any kind of oil from any country which is not green."Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The U.S. government has denied claims that its rejection of Indonesian palm oil is intended to protect its own vegetable oil industry.
"The U.S. rejects palm oil or any kind of oil from any country which is not green or does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions maximally. So, the stance is not related to trade interests or protection of U.S. vegetable oil industry," said Jospeh Y Yun, deputy to the assistant of the U.S. state secretary for Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), here on Friday.
He made the statement during a dialogue with newsmen at the U.S. Consulate, after a meeting with the acting governor of North Sumatra, Gatot Pujo Nugroho.
Jospeh said efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be supported by all countries and the U.S. had taken the stand because it was necessary to reduce environmental damage, which could lead to natural disasters.
He stated the U.S. considered Indonesia`s economic development, supported by commodities, to be already good, but Indonesia still needed to pay attention to the environment.
"Based on a U.S. biofuel study, the Indonesian palm oil industry has not yet been able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by even 20 percent," Jospeh added.
The U.S. in its official notification, which was received by the Indonesian trade ministry on January 28, 2012, claimed the country`s palm oil production was not sustainable.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the Indonesia Palm Oil Council, Derom Bangun, said other vegetable oil producing countries felt threatened by the continuous increase in Indonesia`s CPO production and exports.
Unsurprisingly, he added, local non-governmental organisations affiliated with foreign NGOs were spreading rumours and fuelling protests with the purpose of bringing down palm oil production.
Derom noted Indonesia must explain to the world, including the U.S., that its palm oil production process has become more environmentally friendly.
However, he said the U.S. was not Indonesia's main market, so its threat need not cause much worries.
"Indonesia`s main CPO markets are China and India, whose demands continue to rise, as well as Europe," Derom added.
"India`s palm oil imports from Indonesia this year is estimated to rise to 7.1 million tons, up from 6.75 million tons in 2011, while China`s imports have grown 12 percent to 6.65 million tons. Indonesia has become the two countries` main CPO supplier," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
