"International NGOs have been criticizing Indonesia`s palm oil products as harming the environment. We will challenge this accusation through researches," said the minister on the sideline of the 3rd Senior Officials Meeting of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Medan.
He noted the researches will examine the process of planning oil palm trees in peat land and its correlation with carbon emission and climate change. The minister claimed that criticism from international NGOs towards Indonesia`s palm oil products is motivated by business competition not environment.
Indonesia is the world`s largest producer of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and has been the target of criticism from international organizations and some countries saying that the country has destroyed its tropical forests to create space for oil palm plantations.
Despite the criticism, Indonesia remains the largest producer of CPO with its production predicted to increase this year from 26.5 million tonnes to 29 million tonnes by the end of this year.
"We expect an increase in CPO production this year. With the projected increase in production this year, exports are also expected to rise," Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Producers` (GAPKI) Head of Marketing Susanto said.
He explained if Indonesia could produce 28 million tonnes of CPO, while domestic consumption remained within 7 million tonnes, some 21 million tonnes of CPO could be exported.
Total production of CPO and its derivatives in 2012 reached 26.5 million tonnes, a significant increase from 23.5 million tonnes in the previous year.
Translating and Editing by Amie Fenia Arimbi
(A051/H-YH)
Reporter: Dewanti Lestari
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
