InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Controversy about palm oil industries in Indonesia re-raised again. This seriously raised concern from Santri Tani Nahdlatul Ulama (Santri Tani NU). The main focus is for the company in Indonesia, Korte Chocolate. It published its products with 'palm oil free' label. Established in Surabaya, East Java by Jeffry Lukito and Suhadi Nugraha in 2014, many focused on the company.

Chairman of Santri Tani NU, KH. T. Rusli Ahmad said, 'palm oil free' label in Korte Chocolate products would confuse the consumers and would be negative for smallholders. Information technology (IT) team of Santri Tani NU traced and found that the chocolate brand got hala label from Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH) Ministry of Religion.

"We would send official documents to Ministry of Religion to revoke halal label published by BPJPH," Rusli Ahmad said, as in the official statement to InfoSAWIT, Sunday (31/12/2023).

He also mentioned the company needs evaluation from domestic markets for being considered to make loss of economy and people’s buying capability.

“It is significant to avoid bad perspectives in palm oil industries because Indonesia is the biggest palm oil producer in the world and contributed almost 60% of the supplies globally,” he said.

For being care about smallholders that become the members of Santri Tani NU, Rusli Ahmad claimed, anyone that corners palm oil industries, Santri Tani NU would be the first institution to block him. “Deliver your statement scientifically. Do business without delivering losses for others particularly in negative campaigns,” Rusli said. (T2)