Palm oil news September 2026
|
|
|
September 05, 2026
South-east Asia choked in haze as Indonesia wildfires spread
El Niño weather cycle has intensified seasonal blazes linked to illegal land clearing
South-east Asia is battling the worst haze in a decade as wildfires in Indonesia have raised health concerns and outrage across the region, where droughts and floods are being worsened by a very strong warming cycle across the Pacific Ocean.
Millions of people across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines are suffering hazardous air from the fires, which are centred on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and have destroyed more than 200,000 hectares, according to the latest available official data.
This year’s fires have been exacerbated by a strong El Niño, a cyclical weather pattern which intensifies both dry conditions and heavy rainfall.
Kuching, in Malaysian Borneo, was the most polluted major city in the world on Friday, according to air quality monitoring platform IQAir, followed by the Indonesian capital Jakarta and Singapore.
Indonesia’s health ministry reported more than 50,000 cases of respiratory infection across seven provinces between July and August, nearly a quarter of which were among children under five years old. About 1.4mn students in Indonesia were switched to remote learning in response to worsening air quality, while civil servants in some regions were also working from home.
The Philippines on Friday also suspended in-person schooling in the capital region and several other provinces, while Malaysia cancelled all outdoor celebrations of its independence day on August 31. Protests were also planned outside the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this week in response to the smog.
“Forest and land fires have serious impacts on ecological aspects . . . health, education . . . as well as the economy,” director-general of law enforcement at the forest ministry Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said this week. He added that the fires were “connected to transboundary haze . . . Therefore, we are continuing the diplomatic efforts with neighbouring countries.”
https://www.ft.com/content/0f3b5dea-b0d9-49ec-9b06-a86e389c4fbd?syn-25a6b1a6=1
---------
Haze hangs over ASEAN, prompting regional action
With El Nino intensifying drought, Southeast Asia's haze season is shaping up as a "red alert" year.
But the worsening haze demonstrates that this is no longer a seasonal irritant, analysts said. Rather, it highlights the need for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to push for systemic solutions and demand accountability.
"The bigger question is whether ASEAN can move from cooperation during a crisis to accountability before a crisis," said Heng Kiah Chun, a regional campaign strategist for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
He cited the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which was signed in 2002 to prevent and monitor haze from fires. The agreement requires member countries to monitor fires, share information and take action to control them.
But Heng said that the recurring haze shows that coordination alone has not eliminated the underlying problem.
"ASEAN does not lack mechanisms; it lacks sufficiently strong enforcement and accountability. We should not wait until the smoke crosses borders before governments act together," he told China Daily.
Indonesia, in particular, is under mounting pressure to act decisively on forest and peatland fires as haze once again blankets Southeast Asia. For example, Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to use the ASEAN mechanism to address the issue of transboundary haze. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said this was among the issues he discussed in his Aug 22 meeting with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Helena Varkkey, an associate professor of political ecology at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, said Indonesia and other ASEAN countries "have always preferred diplomatic approaches, as it saves face all around".
Boy Jerry Even Sembiring, national executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, or WALHI, said the agreement on transboundary haze falls short of delivering on enforcement and sanctions, but warned that Jakarta will "face social pressure" from its neighbors regardless.
With a severe El Nino poised to intensify fires, Sembiring said that firm action is critical not only to safeguard Indonesia's diplomatic standing but also to uphold its citizens' right to a healthy environment.
Transboundary haze has long been a problem in Southeast Asia, and it is mostly caused by the slash-and-burn clearing for palm oil and pulp plantations in the Indonesian regions of Kalimantan and Sumatra.
https://www.chinadailyasia.com/hk/article/639073
---------
Indonesia’s new commodity exchange faces liquidity challenges?
JAKARTA - Indonesia's ambition to influence global commodity prices through a new commodity exchange risks backfiring.
Citing Reuters, the policy requiring commodity transactions to be conducted through the exchange could prompt investors and buyers to turn to other markets or suppliers.
Sarjito, who has been appointed Head of Commodity Trading Supervision, said all transactions involving the commodities concerned would eventually be required to go through the exchange, which is scheduled to begin operations next year.
The new commodity exchange is among the latest measures by President Prabowo Subianto to increase the state's role in managing natural resources.
Indonesia is the world's largest supplier of palm oil, nickel and thermal coal. It is also a major supplier of copper and bauxite.
In a speech to parliament last month, Prabowo said Indonesia would rather retain its commodities than sell them at excessively low prices.
Some critics argue that the commodity exchange plan is not only an economic strategy but also a vehicle for political messaging.
Yanuar Nugroho, a former senior official who served as an adviser to President Joko Widodo, described the plan as a nationalist narrative that was "good campaign material" but not economically sound policy.
Risk of Backfiring
Industry players and analysts said price discovery requires market confidence.
Forcing market participants to use a particular exchange could instead risk driving investors away.
This comes as a weaker rupiah, poor stock market performance and concerns over economic management have already begun to test investor patience.
Source: IDNFinancials — Indonesia’s new commodity exchange faces liquidity challenges?
https://www.idnfinancials.com/news/68386/indonesias-new-commodity-exchange-faces-liquidity-challenges?utm_source=copypaste&utm_medium=referral
© 2026 IDNFinancials. Do not republish without attribution.
--------
US tariff probe into Southeast Asia raises kosher food supply concerns
A kosher certification agency warns that tariffs on vegetable-based fatty acids from Malaysia and Indonesia threaten the kosher food supply chain.
WASHINGTON: A tariff investigation in president Donald Trump’s administration has spurred an unlikely critic: one of the largest Orthodox Jewish groups in the US.
The Orthodox Union, which calls itself the biggest kosher certification agency in the world, warned commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in a letter that tariffs on vegetable-based fatty acids would threaten the supply chain for kosher foods. Fatty acids from palm and other vegetable oils are used in a range of products including margarine, mayonnaise and other processed foods.
The opposition is an example of how the tariffs have shaken up global supply chains in novel ways. The Orthodox Union argued that the proposed duties could increase costs for kosher foods without creating additional domestic supply because alternative animal-based oils and fatty acids are largely not considered kosher.
“To me, the big deal here, is that we’re speaking about a fundamental, basic food ingredient,” said Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief executive officer of OU Kosher. “It’s not like saying, ‘don’t eat something fancy if you can’t afford it.’”
“This is something that’s found in everything,” he said.
A plurality of voters are concerned about the cost of living with the approach of the midterm elections, according to pollsters. Seventy-one percent of registered voters disapproved of how Trump is handling the issue in an Aug 31 survey conducted by Reuters and Ipsos.
The commerce department is investigating whether some vegetable-based fatty acids from Indonesia and Malaysia are unfairly burdening the domestic market.
A preliminary determination found that at least some tariffs were justified, and the agency proposed a countervailing duty of about 16.5% on vegetable-based fatty acids from Indonesia. Most of those products that originate in Malaysia will be subject to a duty of at least 4%. Final tariff rates are expected by the end of the year.
The inquiry was prompted by petition by Chicago-based Vantage Specialty Chemicals, which also produces vegetable-based fatty acids. The company argued in January that fatty acid imports were harming US manufacturing.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/04/us-tariffs-in-southeast-asia-prompt-supply-concerns-over-kosher-food
--------
EU deforestation regulation uncertainty reshapes supply planning in European oleochemicals markets
LONDON (ICIS)–European oleochemicals players are trying to prepare for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), though uncertainty over the final framework is affecting purchasing decisions, contract negotiations and trade flows for Q4 and 2027.
Across the glycerine, fatty alcohols and fatty acids markets, participants are assessing whether to secure legacy material before implementation, delay negotiations until further clarity emerges or prepare to absorb significant compliance costs.
Concerns over the potential cost of EUDR compliance are growing, with the possibility of demand destruction in Europe at the forefront of players’ minds. Meanwhile, supply chains are under pressure for 2027 with feedstock palm oil availability to be constrained due to the regulation and the impact of El Niño on yields.
EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION
The EUDR legislation requires companies trading commodities ranging from cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber, and some of their derived products to prove that the products were not sourced from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.
The EUDR was first adopted in 2023 with the initial deadline of 30 December 2024, but has since had two separate 12-month delays, causing limited confidence in its upcoming implementation date.
Both delays were announced at the last minute, with the Commission announcing both just a few weeks before the regulations had been expected to come into effect, catching the market off guard.
On 13 July, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Act finalizing the product scope of the EUDR. Crucially for the oleochemicals sector, the updated rules expand the regulation’s reach to cover key palm-oil-derived products under Annex I to prevent downstream loopholes.
The update, part of the Commission’s broader EUDR simplification package, also established a split timeline. While the core regulation is set to take effect on 30 December 2026, the newly added palm-derived oleochemicals and downstream items have been granted a grace period, with compliance pushed back to 30 December 2027.
EXPECTATIONS DIVIDED OVER IMPLEMENTATION DATE
The earlier delays have amplified the current uncertainty, with players left unsure whether the measures will come into play at the start of 2027 or be kicked down the road at the last minute for a third time.
Market opinion remains divided over whether EUDR will proceed on the current timetable.
https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2026/09/04/11231674/eu-deforestation-regulation-uncertainty-reshapes-supply-planning-in-european-oleochemicals-markets/
---------
South-east Asia choked in haze as Indonesia wildfires spread
El Niño weather cycle has intensified seasonal blazes linked to illegal land clearing
South-east Asia is battling the worst haze in a decade as wildfires in Indonesia have raised health concerns and outrage across the region, where droughts and floods are being worsened by a very strong warming cycle across the Pacific Ocean.
Millions of people across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines are suffering hazardous air from the fires, which are centred on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and have destroyed more than 200,000 hectares, according to the latest available official data.
This year’s fires have been exacerbated by a strong El Niño, a cyclical weather pattern which intensifies both dry conditions and heavy rainfall.
Kuching, in Malaysian Borneo, was the most polluted major city in the world on Friday, according to air quality monitoring platform IQAir, followed by the Indonesian capital Jakarta and Singapore.
Indonesia’s health ministry reported more than 50,000 cases of respiratory infection across seven provinces between July and August, nearly a quarter of which were among children under five years old. About 1.4mn students in Indonesia were switched to remote learning in response to worsening air quality, while civil servants in some regions were also working from home.
The Philippines on Friday also suspended in-person schooling in the capital region and several other provinces, while Malaysia cancelled all outdoor celebrations of its independence day on August 31. Protests were also planned outside the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this week in response to the smog.
“Forest and land fires have serious impacts on ecological aspects . . . health, education . . . as well as the economy,” director-general of law enforcement at the forest ministry Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said this week. He added that the fires were “connected to transboundary haze . . . Therefore, we are continuing the diplomatic efforts with neighbouring countries.”
https://www.ft.com/content/0f3b5dea-b0d9-49ec-9b06-a86e389c4fbd?syn-25a6b1a6=1
---------
Haze hangs over ASEAN, prompting regional action
With El Nino intensifying drought, Southeast Asia's haze season is shaping up as a "red alert" year.
But the worsening haze demonstrates that this is no longer a seasonal irritant, analysts said. Rather, it highlights the need for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to push for systemic solutions and demand accountability.
"The bigger question is whether ASEAN can move from cooperation during a crisis to accountability before a crisis," said Heng Kiah Chun, a regional campaign strategist for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
He cited the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which was signed in 2002 to prevent and monitor haze from fires. The agreement requires member countries to monitor fires, share information and take action to control them.
But Heng said that the recurring haze shows that coordination alone has not eliminated the underlying problem.
"ASEAN does not lack mechanisms; it lacks sufficiently strong enforcement and accountability. We should not wait until the smoke crosses borders before governments act together," he told China Daily.
Indonesia, in particular, is under mounting pressure to act decisively on forest and peatland fires as haze once again blankets Southeast Asia. For example, Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to use the ASEAN mechanism to address the issue of transboundary haze. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said this was among the issues he discussed in his Aug 22 meeting with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Helena Varkkey, an associate professor of political ecology at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, said Indonesia and other ASEAN countries "have always preferred diplomatic approaches, as it saves face all around".
Boy Jerry Even Sembiring, national executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, or WALHI, said the agreement on transboundary haze falls short of delivering on enforcement and sanctions, but warned that Jakarta will "face social pressure" from its neighbors regardless.
With a severe El Nino poised to intensify fires, Sembiring said that firm action is critical not only to safeguard Indonesia's diplomatic standing but also to uphold its citizens' right to a healthy environment.
Transboundary haze has long been a problem in Southeast Asia, and it is mostly caused by the slash-and-burn clearing for palm oil and pulp plantations in the Indonesian regions of Kalimantan and Sumatra.
https://www.chinadailyasia.com/hk/article/639073
---------
Indonesia’s new commodity exchange faces liquidity challenges?
JAKARTA - Indonesia's ambition to influence global commodity prices through a new commodity exchange risks backfiring.
Citing Reuters, the policy requiring commodity transactions to be conducted through the exchange could prompt investors and buyers to turn to other markets or suppliers.
Sarjito, who has been appointed Head of Commodity Trading Supervision, said all transactions involving the commodities concerned would eventually be required to go through the exchange, which is scheduled to begin operations next year.
The new commodity exchange is among the latest measures by President Prabowo Subianto to increase the state's role in managing natural resources.
Indonesia is the world's largest supplier of palm oil, nickel and thermal coal. It is also a major supplier of copper and bauxite.
In a speech to parliament last month, Prabowo said Indonesia would rather retain its commodities than sell them at excessively low prices.
Some critics argue that the commodity exchange plan is not only an economic strategy but also a vehicle for political messaging.
Yanuar Nugroho, a former senior official who served as an adviser to President Joko Widodo, described the plan as a nationalist narrative that was "good campaign material" but not economically sound policy.
Risk of Backfiring
Industry players and analysts said price discovery requires market confidence.
Forcing market participants to use a particular exchange could instead risk driving investors away.
This comes as a weaker rupiah, poor stock market performance and concerns over economic management have already begun to test investor patience.
Source: IDNFinancials — Indonesia’s new commodity exchange faces liquidity challenges?
https://www.idnfinancials.com/news/68386/indonesias-new-commodity-exchange-faces-liquidity-challenges?utm_source=copypaste&utm_medium=referral
© 2026 IDNFinancials. Do not republish without attribution.
--------
US tariff probe into Southeast Asia raises kosher food supply concerns
A kosher certification agency warns that tariffs on vegetable-based fatty acids from Malaysia and Indonesia threaten the kosher food supply chain.
WASHINGTON: A tariff investigation in president Donald Trump’s administration has spurred an unlikely critic: one of the largest Orthodox Jewish groups in the US.
The Orthodox Union, which calls itself the biggest kosher certification agency in the world, warned commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in a letter that tariffs on vegetable-based fatty acids would threaten the supply chain for kosher foods. Fatty acids from palm and other vegetable oils are used in a range of products including margarine, mayonnaise and other processed foods.
The opposition is an example of how the tariffs have shaken up global supply chains in novel ways. The Orthodox Union argued that the proposed duties could increase costs for kosher foods without creating additional domestic supply because alternative animal-based oils and fatty acids are largely not considered kosher.
“To me, the big deal here, is that we’re speaking about a fundamental, basic food ingredient,” said Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief executive officer of OU Kosher. “It’s not like saying, ‘don’t eat something fancy if you can’t afford it.’”
“This is something that’s found in everything,” he said.
A plurality of voters are concerned about the cost of living with the approach of the midterm elections, according to pollsters. Seventy-one percent of registered voters disapproved of how Trump is handling the issue in an Aug 31 survey conducted by Reuters and Ipsos.
The commerce department is investigating whether some vegetable-based fatty acids from Indonesia and Malaysia are unfairly burdening the domestic market.
A preliminary determination found that at least some tariffs were justified, and the agency proposed a countervailing duty of about 16.5% on vegetable-based fatty acids from Indonesia. Most of those products that originate in Malaysia will be subject to a duty of at least 4%. Final tariff rates are expected by the end of the year.
The inquiry was prompted by petition by Chicago-based Vantage Specialty Chemicals, which also produces vegetable-based fatty acids. The company argued in January that fatty acid imports were harming US manufacturing.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/04/us-tariffs-in-southeast-asia-prompt-supply-concerns-over-kosher-food
--------
EU deforestation regulation uncertainty reshapes supply planning in European oleochemicals markets
LONDON (ICIS)–European oleochemicals players are trying to prepare for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), though uncertainty over the final framework is affecting purchasing decisions, contract negotiations and trade flows for Q4 and 2027.
Across the glycerine, fatty alcohols and fatty acids markets, participants are assessing whether to secure legacy material before implementation, delay negotiations until further clarity emerges or prepare to absorb significant compliance costs.
Concerns over the potential cost of EUDR compliance are growing, with the possibility of demand destruction in Europe at the forefront of players’ minds. Meanwhile, supply chains are under pressure for 2027 with feedstock palm oil availability to be constrained due to the regulation and the impact of El Niño on yields.
EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION
The EUDR legislation requires companies trading commodities ranging from cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber, and some of their derived products to prove that the products were not sourced from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.
The EUDR was first adopted in 2023 with the initial deadline of 30 December 2024, but has since had two separate 12-month delays, causing limited confidence in its upcoming implementation date.
Both delays were announced at the last minute, with the Commission announcing both just a few weeks before the regulations had been expected to come into effect, catching the market off guard.
On 13 July, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Act finalizing the product scope of the EUDR. Crucially for the oleochemicals sector, the updated rules expand the regulation’s reach to cover key palm-oil-derived products under Annex I to prevent downstream loopholes.
The update, part of the Commission’s broader EUDR simplification package, also established a split timeline. While the core regulation is set to take effect on 30 December 2026, the newly added palm-derived oleochemicals and downstream items have been granted a grace period, with compliance pushed back to 30 December 2027.
EXPECTATIONS DIVIDED OVER IMPLEMENTATION DATE
The earlier delays have amplified the current uncertainty, with players left unsure whether the measures will come into play at the start of 2027 or be kicked down the road at the last minute for a third time.
Market opinion remains divided over whether EUDR will proceed on the current timetable.
https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2026/09/04/11231674/eu-deforestation-regulation-uncertainty-reshapes-supply-planning-in-european-oleochemicals-markets/
---------
|
|
|
September 04, 2026
Indonesia's global commodities price-setting ambition risks backfiring
Summary
JAKARTA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia's bid to exert control over global prices for its vast natural resources by setting up a new commodities exchange will struggle to compete with established bourses and risks backfiring if participation is mandatory.
The exchange, scheduled for launch next year, is President Prabowo Subianto's latest initiative to expand state influence over natural resources in a country that is the biggest global supplier of palm oil, nickel and thermal coal and a major source of copper and bauxite.
In a fiery speech to parliament last month, Prabowo said that Indonesia would rather keep its commodities than sell them too cheaply.
Trading through the exchange will be mandatory, said Sarjito, who was appointed chief supervisor of commodity trading and like many Indonesians uses one name. Prabowo's move comes as his approval rating has fallen 30 percentage points to 51% in eight months, and critics say the exchange plan is as much about political messaging as economic strategy.
Yanuar Nugroho, a former top aide to Prabowo's predecessor Joko Widodo, called it a nationalist narrative "good for campaign material", rather than sound policy. 'PROBABLY BACKFIRES'
Several industry veterans and analysts said price-setting was built on trust, and any move to force it risked deterring investors at a time when a depreciating rupiah, a poorly performing stock market and widespread concerns over economic management were already testing their patience. "Indonesia is a significant player in a number of commodities - enough to create serious market distortions - but trying to 'set global commodity prices' probably backfires," said Ian Hiscock, a Singapore-based principal at the Energy Shift Institute, an energy finance think tank.
The move risked pushing rule-abiding investors out and leaving "more nefarious actors to square regulations with economic reality," reducing transparency rather than boosting it, he said. In the case of nickel, that could include accelerating substitution away from nickel-based battery chemistries and providing incentives to buyers to underwrite projects from more reliable suppliers, he said.
One industry insider, asking not to be named given the sensitivity of the matter, said even if the exchange was mandated for all transactions of relevant commodities, buyers would try to find alternative suppliers, or even alternative products, if the set price was much higher than on other exchanges. Simeng Deng, senior analyst at Rystad Energy, said buyers could simply walk away, noting that Indonesian coal exports - the world's largest by volume - were already under pressure as top buyers China and India diversified purchases towards Mongolia, Russia and South Africa.
The exchange risked becoming a domestic administrative layer rather than a genuine price-discovery mechanism, she said, which could push wary buyers to shift from Indonesia even faster, while raising compliance costs and giving investors reason to sit on capital until the rules settle. Prabowo's spokesperson and officials at the Financial Services Authority could not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sarjito declined to comment further.
PALM OIL: MALAYSIA VS INDONESIA Palm oil underlines the challenge of taking on an incumbent exchange.
Indonesia, by far the top producer and exporter of the edible oil, launched a palm oil bourse in 2023, but transactions remain light. Past efforts by regional and global exchanges to develop alternative palm oil futures have done little to dent the dominance of Malaysia, which launched its Crude Palm Oil (CPO) Futures contract in 1980, as the global price setter. Bursa Malaysia Derivatives recorded 19.62 million CPO futures contracts, equivalent to 490.43 million metric tons of CPO, traded in 2025, while Indonesia trade ministry data showed CPO futures trading over the same year at 30,341 lots, equivalent to just 151,705 tons.
"It is going to be very difficult to compete with Bursa," said Julian McGill, managing director of oil crop advisory firm Glenauk Economics, adding that being the largest producer conferred "surprisingly limited" advantage. Veteran palm oil trader M.R Chandran, chairman of agritech firm IRGA, expects a split market rather than a new benchmark: Jakarta's new bourse would probably serve as "an internal reference for export duties and domestic clearances," with Bursa Malaysia’s Crude Palm Oil Futures contract remaining the benchmark for global price discovery and risk management.
Malaysian Palm Oil Association CEO Roslin Azmy Hassan said Kuala Lumpur "shouldn't be complacent" but sees no "immediate threat". Liquidity, transparency and international participation, he said, take years to build. Concerns over transparency, legal certainty and exchange independence already discouraged trading on Indonesian exchanges, a Jakarta-based palm oil analyst with a global trading house said.
Even supporters of the new Indonesian exchange said building credibility takes time. "A successful exchange is not built overnight. A successful exchange is built over time," Yazid Kanca Surya, CEO at PT Jakarta Futures Exchange, told Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesias-global-commodities-price-setting-ambition-risks-backfiring-2026-09-03/
--------
Malaysia 'Understands' Why Indonesia Overhauls Its Exports
Jakarta. A senior government official from coal-importing and palm oil-investing Malaysia admitted Thursday that his country now understood the rationale behind Indonesia’s new export policies.
This excerpt is from an article published by Jakartaglobe.id under the headline "Malaysia 'Understands' Why Indonesia Overhauls Its Exports". Click the following link to read the full article: https://jakartaglobe.id/business/malaysia-understands-why-indonesia-overhauls-its-exports.
Author : Jayanty Nada Shofa
--------
GAPKI Targets 100% Sustainability Certification Of All Members
PONTIANAK – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) held an event titled “Accelerating ISPO 2026 Implementation: Socialization and Certification Clinic for Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO)” at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on 19 – 20 August 2026.
The event was attended by 110 participants, including representatives from GAPKI member companies, ISPO internal auditors, sustainability teams, legal and Occupational Health and Safety (SMK3) personnel, and related stakeholders, as well as participants from non-member companies. Speakers included members of the ISPO Team from the Directorate General of Plantations of the agriculture ministry and representatives from certification boards.
In his opening speech, Acting Head of the West Kalimantan Province Plantation and Livestock Agency, Rino Anteno Tengo, S.STP., M.Si, emphasized the importance of the ISPO Dissemination and Clinic session in accelerating the certification process and strengthening sustainable palm oil development in West Kalimantan.
According to Rino, West Kalimantan is one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil-producing provinces. As of 2025, the total palm oil plantation area in West Kalimantan reached 2,305,536.57 hectares, with Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Palm Kernel (PK) production totaling 7,989,462.31 tons.
This significant potential must be matched by improved governance and the implementation of sustainability principles so that West Kalimantan’s palm oil products can better meet global market demands.
The government has also strengthened ISPO certification policies through Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2025 concerning the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification System and Minister of Agriculture Regulation Number 33 of 2025 concerning the Implementation of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Plantation Certification.
These regulations expand the scope of ISPO beyond plantation operations to include downstream industries and palm oil-based bioenergy businesses.
The West Kalimantan Provincial Government hopes this event will enhance the understanding of companies and planters regarding the latest regulations and encourage the alignment of business operations with ISPO principles and criteria.
https://gapki.id/en/news/2026/09/02/gapki-targets-100-sustainability-certification-of-all-members/
Indonesia's global commodities price-setting ambition risks backfiring
Summary
- Prabowo says exchange should launch by start of next year
- Analysts say forcing price-setting could deter investors, push buyers to diversify
- Malaysia's benchmark holds advantage with deep liquidity, transparency, foreign participation
- Prabowo's falling approval fuels criticism plan is political theatre: former presidential aide
JAKARTA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia's bid to exert control over global prices for its vast natural resources by setting up a new commodities exchange will struggle to compete with established bourses and risks backfiring if participation is mandatory.
The exchange, scheduled for launch next year, is President Prabowo Subianto's latest initiative to expand state influence over natural resources in a country that is the biggest global supplier of palm oil, nickel and thermal coal and a major source of copper and bauxite.
In a fiery speech to parliament last month, Prabowo said that Indonesia would rather keep its commodities than sell them too cheaply.
Trading through the exchange will be mandatory, said Sarjito, who was appointed chief supervisor of commodity trading and like many Indonesians uses one name. Prabowo's move comes as his approval rating has fallen 30 percentage points to 51% in eight months, and critics say the exchange plan is as much about political messaging as economic strategy.
Yanuar Nugroho, a former top aide to Prabowo's predecessor Joko Widodo, called it a nationalist narrative "good for campaign material", rather than sound policy. 'PROBABLY BACKFIRES'
Several industry veterans and analysts said price-setting was built on trust, and any move to force it risked deterring investors at a time when a depreciating rupiah, a poorly performing stock market and widespread concerns over economic management were already testing their patience. "Indonesia is a significant player in a number of commodities - enough to create serious market distortions - but trying to 'set global commodity prices' probably backfires," said Ian Hiscock, a Singapore-based principal at the Energy Shift Institute, an energy finance think tank.
The move risked pushing rule-abiding investors out and leaving "more nefarious actors to square regulations with economic reality," reducing transparency rather than boosting it, he said. In the case of nickel, that could include accelerating substitution away from nickel-based battery chemistries and providing incentives to buyers to underwrite projects from more reliable suppliers, he said.
One industry insider, asking not to be named given the sensitivity of the matter, said even if the exchange was mandated for all transactions of relevant commodities, buyers would try to find alternative suppliers, or even alternative products, if the set price was much higher than on other exchanges. Simeng Deng, senior analyst at Rystad Energy, said buyers could simply walk away, noting that Indonesian coal exports - the world's largest by volume - were already under pressure as top buyers China and India diversified purchases towards Mongolia, Russia and South Africa.
The exchange risked becoming a domestic administrative layer rather than a genuine price-discovery mechanism, she said, which could push wary buyers to shift from Indonesia even faster, while raising compliance costs and giving investors reason to sit on capital until the rules settle. Prabowo's spokesperson and officials at the Financial Services Authority could not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sarjito declined to comment further.
PALM OIL: MALAYSIA VS INDONESIA Palm oil underlines the challenge of taking on an incumbent exchange.
Indonesia, by far the top producer and exporter of the edible oil, launched a palm oil bourse in 2023, but transactions remain light. Past efforts by regional and global exchanges to develop alternative palm oil futures have done little to dent the dominance of Malaysia, which launched its Crude Palm Oil (CPO) Futures contract in 1980, as the global price setter. Bursa Malaysia Derivatives recorded 19.62 million CPO futures contracts, equivalent to 490.43 million metric tons of CPO, traded in 2025, while Indonesia trade ministry data showed CPO futures trading over the same year at 30,341 lots, equivalent to just 151,705 tons.
"It is going to be very difficult to compete with Bursa," said Julian McGill, managing director of oil crop advisory firm Glenauk Economics, adding that being the largest producer conferred "surprisingly limited" advantage. Veteran palm oil trader M.R Chandran, chairman of agritech firm IRGA, expects a split market rather than a new benchmark: Jakarta's new bourse would probably serve as "an internal reference for export duties and domestic clearances," with Bursa Malaysia’s Crude Palm Oil Futures contract remaining the benchmark for global price discovery and risk management.
Malaysian Palm Oil Association CEO Roslin Azmy Hassan said Kuala Lumpur "shouldn't be complacent" but sees no "immediate threat". Liquidity, transparency and international participation, he said, take years to build. Concerns over transparency, legal certainty and exchange independence already discouraged trading on Indonesian exchanges, a Jakarta-based palm oil analyst with a global trading house said.
Even supporters of the new Indonesian exchange said building credibility takes time. "A successful exchange is not built overnight. A successful exchange is built over time," Yazid Kanca Surya, CEO at PT Jakarta Futures Exchange, told Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesias-global-commodities-price-setting-ambition-risks-backfiring-2026-09-03/
--------
Malaysia 'Understands' Why Indonesia Overhauls Its Exports
Jakarta. A senior government official from coal-importing and palm oil-investing Malaysia admitted Thursday that his country now understood the rationale behind Indonesia’s new export policies.
This excerpt is from an article published by Jakartaglobe.id under the headline "Malaysia 'Understands' Why Indonesia Overhauls Its Exports". Click the following link to read the full article: https://jakartaglobe.id/business/malaysia-understands-why-indonesia-overhauls-its-exports.
Author : Jayanty Nada Shofa
--------
GAPKI Targets 100% Sustainability Certification Of All Members
PONTIANAK – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) held an event titled “Accelerating ISPO 2026 Implementation: Socialization and Certification Clinic for Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO)” at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on 19 – 20 August 2026.
The event was attended by 110 participants, including representatives from GAPKI member companies, ISPO internal auditors, sustainability teams, legal and Occupational Health and Safety (SMK3) personnel, and related stakeholders, as well as participants from non-member companies. Speakers included members of the ISPO Team from the Directorate General of Plantations of the agriculture ministry and representatives from certification boards.
In his opening speech, Acting Head of the West Kalimantan Province Plantation and Livestock Agency, Rino Anteno Tengo, S.STP., M.Si, emphasized the importance of the ISPO Dissemination and Clinic session in accelerating the certification process and strengthening sustainable palm oil development in West Kalimantan.
According to Rino, West Kalimantan is one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil-producing provinces. As of 2025, the total palm oil plantation area in West Kalimantan reached 2,305,536.57 hectares, with Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Palm Kernel (PK) production totaling 7,989,462.31 tons.
This significant potential must be matched by improved governance and the implementation of sustainability principles so that West Kalimantan’s palm oil products can better meet global market demands.
The government has also strengthened ISPO certification policies through Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2025 concerning the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification System and Minister of Agriculture Regulation Number 33 of 2025 concerning the Implementation of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil Plantation Certification.
These regulations expand the scope of ISPO beyond plantation operations to include downstream industries and palm oil-based bioenergy businesses.
The West Kalimantan Provincial Government hopes this event will enhance the understanding of companies and planters regarding the latest regulations and encourage the alignment of business operations with ISPO principles and criteria.
https://gapki.id/en/news/2026/09/02/gapki-targets-100-sustainability-certification-of-all-members/
|
|
|
September 03, 2026
Indonesia assesses CPO supply for B60 biodiesel rollout in 2027
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is assessing crude palm oil supply and biodiesel capacity ahead of Indonesia’s planned B60 mandate in 2027, Deputy Minister Yuliot Tanjung said.
President Prabowo Subianto announced during the B50 launch that Indonesia would implement B60 next year, Tanjung said at the 12th IndoEBTKE ConEx 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The government must consolidate upstream CPO supplies, including assessing whether additional oil-palm planting or productivity measures are needed, Tanjung said.
Indonesia also needs to expand its fatty acid methyl ester industry, or FAME, the main biofuel component used in biodiesel blends.
The expanded FAME industry will support B60 implementation across both public-service-obligation and non-PSO fuel mandates, Tanjung said.
Eniya Listiani Dewi, the ministry’s director general for new, renewable energy and energy conservation, said FAME specifications for B60 also require further assessment.
Indonesia used the latest FAME type for B50, while authorities are considering whether to add 10 percent hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO, to the B60 blend.
HVO costs about 1.5 to two times as much as FAME, making testing of the proposed blend an early-stage process, Dewi said.
Dewi has asked the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency, known as BPDPKS, to study FAME requirements for B60, with results targeted by December 2026.
Dewi said researchers involved in developing the technology must determine the appropriate B60 blending ratio, as Indonesia is a pioneer in the field.
The government has not yet disclosed a specific B60 blending ratio, making the ongoing technical study important before the planned 2027 implementation.
Related news: Indonesia's B50 distribution reaches 80 percent nationwide
https://en.antaranews.com/news/429573/indonesia-assesses-cposupply-for-b60-biodieselrollout-in-2027
--------
Beyond data: Bursa Malaysia’s bid to connect the country’s sustainability ecosystem
Sustainability reporting began as a transparency exercise. Today, the focus is increasingly on decision-usefulness. Sustainability information must be consistent, comparable and reliable enough to inform capital allocation, financing decisions, procurement choices and risk assessments. Achieving that requires a trusted ecosystem built on common standards, reliable data and collaboration across the market.
For many public listed companies (PLCs), sustainability data on emissions, energy use, waste, employees and suppliers remains fragmented across departments and systems. This creates challenges not only for reporting, but also producing information that investors, lenders, customers and other stakeholders can use with confidence. As a result, sustainability teams often spend more time collecting and reconciling data than generating insights that support better business decisions.
Bursa Malaysia introduced the Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) Platform, developed with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in 2024, to help listed issuers improve supplier engagement and make sustainability data collection, particularly for Scope 3 emissions, more structured and efficient. As the market’s sustainability needs evolved, so did the platform. Today the CSI Platform has expanded into CSI Solution, bringing together technology, expertise and ecosystem partners to help companies advance their sustainability journey.
“When we first embarked on the CSI Platform with LSEG, the objective was relatively focused: helping listed issuers address Scope 3 emissions measurement and supplier engagement. However, as we worked more closely with listed companies, financial institutions, industry associations and solution providers, it became clear that the challenge was much broader than reporting,” says Wong Hui Yin, Bursa Malaysia’s Acting Director of Data and Digital Services.
That evolution reflects the growing complexity of the sustainability landscape.
Companies are navigating the National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF), the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards and a growing set of environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations from investors, customers and regulators.
Knowing what to report is only part of the challenge as companies must also determine the requirements to apply and the credible emissions methodologies to adopt, as well as train internal teams and gather data from suppliers at very different stages of sustainability readiness.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/content/advertise/beyond-data-bursa-malaysias-bid-to-connect-the-countrys-sustainability-ecosystem
--------
My Say: We’re rich in renewables, so don’t keep choosing coal
Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s ongoing dependence on coal as a primary source of power generation should be a concern. With coal still accounting for roughly 40% of our electricity demand, recent indications that this reliance may continue, although not formally confirmed, only deepen that concern.
The government’s National Energy Transition Roadmap sets out a target of 40% renewable energy by 2040 and a full coal phase-out by 2045. It is a solid foundation. But as long as coal continues to dominate the current mix, the reality tells a different story.
What is missing, then, is not ambition but balance. The transition cannot be measured by targets alone, but by how effectively we align those targets with the realities of our resource base. Malaysia is not short of renewable potential. As the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, we already generate significant energy streams within our existing value chains. The real challenge is whether we are fully leveraging these for reliable, continuous power. This is where the conversation needs to shift.
An untapped asset hiding in plain sight
Malaysia is not new to biogas power generation. It already contributes close to one-fifth of renewable energy capacity under the feed-in tariff (FiT) mechanism, with palm oil mill effluent (POME) as the primary fuel source.
Yet the scale of what we are leaving on the table is striking. Every tonne of POME sitting in open lagoons releases methane, a greenhouse gas roughly 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Estimates suggest that Malaysia’s POME streams carry a powergeneration potential of around 400MW to 500MW. Yet, installed biogas capacity stood at only about 165MW in 2024, a small fraction of what is technically achievable.
The barriers are not difficult to identify. Many mills are located in remote areas, far from grid connection points. The cost of extending grid infrastructure, combined with long payback periods, has discouraged investment.
A similar story can be seen in biomass power. As of 2024, about 74MW of biomass capacity is in operation, representing only a small share of total renewable capacity under the FiT framework. Over the past decade, growth has been modest compared to other renewable sources.
Here, the core challenge lies in feedstock reliability. Biomass power plants require a steady and predictable supply of fuel. In Malaysia, supply chains for palm-based residues remain fragmented, seasonal and logistically complex. When fuel supply is uncertain, electricity output becomes inconsistent and investor confidence quickly erodes.
Others started from nothing, we have no excuse
Consider what Germany has achieved with biogas. Supported by long-term policy frameworks and FiT, the country developed one of the world’s most mature biogas industries. From a modest base in the early 2000s, Germany now operates more than 9,000 biogas plants, supplying several gigawatts of dispatchable power to the grid. These are not pilot projects. They are embedded within the national energy system, providing stable, on-demand electricity alongside intermittent renewables. Germany did this despite higher land and feedstock costs.
Japan offers another striking example. Prior to 2012, it had a negligible biomass power industry. Following the Fukushima disaster, the government introduced a long-term FiT
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/816417
Indonesia assesses CPO supply for B60 biodiesel rollout in 2027
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is assessing crude palm oil supply and biodiesel capacity ahead of Indonesia’s planned B60 mandate in 2027, Deputy Minister Yuliot Tanjung said.
President Prabowo Subianto announced during the B50 launch that Indonesia would implement B60 next year, Tanjung said at the 12th IndoEBTKE ConEx 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The government must consolidate upstream CPO supplies, including assessing whether additional oil-palm planting or productivity measures are needed, Tanjung said.
Indonesia also needs to expand its fatty acid methyl ester industry, or FAME, the main biofuel component used in biodiesel blends.
The expanded FAME industry will support B60 implementation across both public-service-obligation and non-PSO fuel mandates, Tanjung said.
Eniya Listiani Dewi, the ministry’s director general for new, renewable energy and energy conservation, said FAME specifications for B60 also require further assessment.
Indonesia used the latest FAME type for B50, while authorities are considering whether to add 10 percent hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO, to the B60 blend.
HVO costs about 1.5 to two times as much as FAME, making testing of the proposed blend an early-stage process, Dewi said.
Dewi has asked the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency, known as BPDPKS, to study FAME requirements for B60, with results targeted by December 2026.
Dewi said researchers involved in developing the technology must determine the appropriate B60 blending ratio, as Indonesia is a pioneer in the field.
The government has not yet disclosed a specific B60 blending ratio, making the ongoing technical study important before the planned 2027 implementation.
Related news: Indonesia's B50 distribution reaches 80 percent nationwide
https://en.antaranews.com/news/429573/indonesia-assesses-cposupply-for-b60-biodieselrollout-in-2027
--------
Beyond data: Bursa Malaysia’s bid to connect the country’s sustainability ecosystem
Sustainability reporting began as a transparency exercise. Today, the focus is increasingly on decision-usefulness. Sustainability information must be consistent, comparable and reliable enough to inform capital allocation, financing decisions, procurement choices and risk assessments. Achieving that requires a trusted ecosystem built on common standards, reliable data and collaboration across the market.
For many public listed companies (PLCs), sustainability data on emissions, energy use, waste, employees and suppliers remains fragmented across departments and systems. This creates challenges not only for reporting, but also producing information that investors, lenders, customers and other stakeholders can use with confidence. As a result, sustainability teams often spend more time collecting and reconciling data than generating insights that support better business decisions.
Bursa Malaysia introduced the Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) Platform, developed with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in 2024, to help listed issuers improve supplier engagement and make sustainability data collection, particularly for Scope 3 emissions, more structured and efficient. As the market’s sustainability needs evolved, so did the platform. Today the CSI Platform has expanded into CSI Solution, bringing together technology, expertise and ecosystem partners to help companies advance their sustainability journey.
“When we first embarked on the CSI Platform with LSEG, the objective was relatively focused: helping listed issuers address Scope 3 emissions measurement and supplier engagement. However, as we worked more closely with listed companies, financial institutions, industry associations and solution providers, it became clear that the challenge was much broader than reporting,” says Wong Hui Yin, Bursa Malaysia’s Acting Director of Data and Digital Services.
That evolution reflects the growing complexity of the sustainability landscape.
Companies are navigating the National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF), the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards and a growing set of environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations from investors, customers and regulators.
Knowing what to report is only part of the challenge as companies must also determine the requirements to apply and the credible emissions methodologies to adopt, as well as train internal teams and gather data from suppliers at very different stages of sustainability readiness.
https://theedgemalaysia.com/content/advertise/beyond-data-bursa-malaysias-bid-to-connect-the-countrys-sustainability-ecosystem
--------
My Say: We’re rich in renewables, so don’t keep choosing coal
Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s ongoing dependence on coal as a primary source of power generation should be a concern. With coal still accounting for roughly 40% of our electricity demand, recent indications that this reliance may continue, although not formally confirmed, only deepen that concern.
The government’s National Energy Transition Roadmap sets out a target of 40% renewable energy by 2040 and a full coal phase-out by 2045. It is a solid foundation. But as long as coal continues to dominate the current mix, the reality tells a different story.
What is missing, then, is not ambition but balance. The transition cannot be measured by targets alone, but by how effectively we align those targets with the realities of our resource base. Malaysia is not short of renewable potential. As the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, we already generate significant energy streams within our existing value chains. The real challenge is whether we are fully leveraging these for reliable, continuous power. This is where the conversation needs to shift.
An untapped asset hiding in plain sight
Malaysia is not new to biogas power generation. It already contributes close to one-fifth of renewable energy capacity under the feed-in tariff (FiT) mechanism, with palm oil mill effluent (POME) as the primary fuel source.
Yet the scale of what we are leaving on the table is striking. Every tonne of POME sitting in open lagoons releases methane, a greenhouse gas roughly 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Estimates suggest that Malaysia’s POME streams carry a powergeneration potential of around 400MW to 500MW. Yet, installed biogas capacity stood at only about 165MW in 2024, a small fraction of what is technically achievable.
The barriers are not difficult to identify. Many mills are located in remote areas, far from grid connection points. The cost of extending grid infrastructure, combined with long payback periods, has discouraged investment.
A similar story can be seen in biomass power. As of 2024, about 74MW of biomass capacity is in operation, representing only a small share of total renewable capacity under the FiT framework. Over the past decade, growth has been modest compared to other renewable sources.
Here, the core challenge lies in feedstock reliability. Biomass power plants require a steady and predictable supply of fuel. In Malaysia, supply chains for palm-based residues remain fragmented, seasonal and logistically complex. When fuel supply is uncertain, electricity output becomes inconsistent and investor confidence quickly erodes.
Others started from nothing, we have no excuse
Consider what Germany has achieved with biogas. Supported by long-term policy frameworks and FiT, the country developed one of the world’s most mature biogas industries. From a modest base in the early 2000s, Germany now operates more than 9,000 biogas plants, supplying several gigawatts of dispatchable power to the grid. These are not pilot projects. They are embedded within the national energy system, providing stable, on-demand electricity alongside intermittent renewables. Germany did this despite higher land and feedstock costs.
Japan offers another striking example. Prior to 2012, it had a negligible biomass power industry. Following the Fukushima disaster, the government introduced a long-term FiT
https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/816417
|
|
|
September 02, 2026
Indonesia Makes More Money from Palm Oil Export, But Volume Dips
Jakarta. Indonesia made slightly more money in the first seven months of 2026 from selling palm oil, but saw a downtrend in export volume.
https://jakartaglobe.id/business/indonesia-makes-more-money-from-palm-oil-export-but-volume-dips
---------
Indonesian fires prompt haze alerts, disrupt palm harvests
Drier conditions will affect palm oil yields in the medium term, while disruptions to operations and workers' hours will also translate into reduced output, says trader.
JAKARTA: Acrid haze from Indonesian forest fires blanketed parts of Southeast Asia, with millions of residents warned to stay indoors and harvests disrupted across the region’s many palm plantations.
Air quality ranged from “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” across the island of Borneo and parts of the Philippines, according to Swiss monitor IQAir, as authorities stepped up their responses to a worsening cross-border crisis.
Some farm workers in Indonesia were being drafted into firefighting efforts, said Agam Fatchurrochman, a sustainability stakeholder-relations official at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/01/indonesian-fires-prompt-haze-alerts-disrupt-palm-harvests
---------
Agrobank to fully disburse RM200mil under oil palm smallholder scheme by October
SERDANG: Bank Pertanian Malaysia Bhd (Agrobank) aims to fully utilise RM200 million in financing for oil palm smallholders under the TSPKS 2.0 replanting scheme by October this year.
Agrobank has so far approved 4,380 applications worth RM190.99 million, group president and group chief executive officer Datuk Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin said.
"We are targeting RM200 million to be fully financed by October this year," he said after the launch of the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Financing Incentive Scheme (TSPKS) 2.0 system today.
The system, jointly developed by Agrobank and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), is designed to streamline applications and monitoring under the scheme.
It allows MPOB officers to upload information and supporting documents gathered during site visits, including photographs of plantations, for financing assessment.
The system was launched by Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition 2026.
https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2026/09/1523618/agrobank-fully-disburse-rm200mil-under-oil-palm-smallholder
Palm oil news. September 2026. CSPO Watch
Indonesia Makes More Money from Palm Oil Export, But Volume Dips
Jakarta. Indonesia made slightly more money in the first seven months of 2026 from selling palm oil, but saw a downtrend in export volume.
https://jakartaglobe.id/business/indonesia-makes-more-money-from-palm-oil-export-but-volume-dips
---------
Indonesian fires prompt haze alerts, disrupt palm harvests
Drier conditions will affect palm oil yields in the medium term, while disruptions to operations and workers' hours will also translate into reduced output, says trader.
JAKARTA: Acrid haze from Indonesian forest fires blanketed parts of Southeast Asia, with millions of residents warned to stay indoors and harvests disrupted across the region’s many palm plantations.
Air quality ranged from “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” across the island of Borneo and parts of the Philippines, according to Swiss monitor IQAir, as authorities stepped up their responses to a worsening cross-border crisis.
Some farm workers in Indonesia were being drafted into firefighting efforts, said Agam Fatchurrochman, a sustainability stakeholder-relations official at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/01/indonesian-fires-prompt-haze-alerts-disrupt-palm-harvests
---------
Agrobank to fully disburse RM200mil under oil palm smallholder scheme by October
SERDANG: Bank Pertanian Malaysia Bhd (Agrobank) aims to fully utilise RM200 million in financing for oil palm smallholders under the TSPKS 2.0 replanting scheme by October this year.
Agrobank has so far approved 4,380 applications worth RM190.99 million, group president and group chief executive officer Datuk Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin said.
"We are targeting RM200 million to be fully financed by October this year," he said after the launch of the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting Financing Incentive Scheme (TSPKS) 2.0 system today.
The system, jointly developed by Agrobank and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), is designed to streamline applications and monitoring under the scheme.
It allows MPOB officers to upload information and supporting documents gathered during site visits, including photographs of plantations, for financing assessment.
The system was launched by Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition 2026.
https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2026/09/1523618/agrobank-fully-disburse-rm200mil-under-oil-palm-smallholder
Palm oil news. September 2026. CSPO Watch
|
|
|