InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Voting President and Vice President Candidate Number 3, Ganjar-Mahfud is believed to deliver answer every issue that palm oil industries, and smallholders face.
Senior palm oil figure, Maruli Gultom thought there are some reasons why he would vote candidate number 3, Ganjar-Mahfud. The first, it is believed the candidate would be able to solve palm oil issues. “I got the wisdom. Palm oil is for this country, just like a hen lays golden eggs but palm oil industries got many problems,” he said in Preskon Petani Sawit Rakyat Dukung Ganjar-Mahfud, that InfoSAWIT and Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) conducted, Thursday (1/2/224) di Jakarta.
Gultom also told palm oil industries, if they are not interfered, would be having developing issues by themselves. “Normally, in palm oil companies, we would do short analyzing. The policies published by the Government of Indonesia, should deliver opportunity, but the facts showed, the regulations would be the threat,” he said.
From palm oil, the government got profits in the form of tax. Palm oil sector implements palm oil moratorium, and there is no new permit still.
The second, Gultom continued, area composition in Indonesia that laid on 41 percent belongs and is cultivated by smallholders. That is why the fund in Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) (40 percent) is actually from the smallholders.
If the fund is used for palm oil, 40 percent should actually be distributed for smallholders, not only for big stakeholders. The question remains, how many smallholders did get fund from PFMA? “The fund should not be robbed by the richer. This would be a mass,” he said.
The third, smallholders should deal with area legal to be discipline. It means, what happens now should be maintained. If their areas are categorized as forest regions, it needs to change the status so that the smallholders’ plantations are legal.
Meanwhile, Expert Board of Tim Pemenangan Nasional (TPN) Ganjar-Mahfud, Danang Girindrawardana said that palm oil sectors in Indonesia play significant roles in the economy nationally, become the mainstay in crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivative exports. 40% from industrial composition are dominated and played by the smallholders. The rests are dominated by big private and government. Though the smallholders have big potential, palm oil plantation productivity in Indonesia tends to decrease and the smallholders’ plantation productivity is low in numbers. Some issues, for instance, palm cooking oil policy makes it more complicated.
Danang thought, plantation productivity and sustainability in palm oil industries would always be. There was no implementation to get whole solution. The smallholders and big companies’ rights are never fulfilled. The issues about forest regions and legal always raise and create tension with the government.
The solution about the issues should involve related ministries to cooperate and get the meeting points. It needs whole effort that involves not only the government but also the stakeholders including, the smallholders, big companies, and related parties.
Tax amnesty could be one effective solution if there is political will to do. The government which is open to deliver tax amnesty would deliver incentive for palm oil actors, both the smallholders, big companies, to get and do policy reformation.
“It is significant to involve the leaders that would be able to determine policy reformation in palm oil industries. This is important. The leaders, just like Ganjar-Mahfud would play key roles to formulate policy which would improve its credibility in this industry, but also would escalate smallholders’ welfare,” he said.
Danang continued, his party would reinforce Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) to be more credible, including to get system management namely in upstream and middle sector by having synergy with related ministries.
“Ganjar - Mahfud offered clear vision and intelligence in palm oil governance reformation. With the supports from stakeholders, the government, and the attention to law enforcement, Indonesia would improve palm oil situation. By having these ways, it is hoped Indonesia would maintain its dominant roles in palm oil industries in the globe and escalate the planters’ welfare in production supply chain,” he said.
As palm oil community member that cares about the future industries, Mansuetus Darto as the smallholders’ coordinator for Ganjar-Mahfud, would sincerely vote number 3, Ganjar-Mahfud. The decision was from the political condieration and their vision that would deliver positive changes in palm oil sectors in Indonesia.
First thing first, from political perspective, it is important to involve public participation. This is significant. Ganjar-Mahfud is thought to have open public space and capacity as relatively smart decision or policy maker. The visit tradition (to many regions) as the habits of Ganjar Pranowo, would be additional values. This confirms that a leader would always be connected with the people when modernization and technology keep developing.
In business perspective, more than 80 percent of Indonesian Legislators and Councils represented the businessmen or stakeholders. “That is why leadership that understands the low class – society, just like Ganjar-Mahfud, would be significant so that the policies would deliver profits not only for big groups but also low class – society, namely smallholders,” he said.
The second, the reference from the leadership of Ganjar showed the vision to develop Badan Usaha Milik Petani (BUMP). This, which has been implemented in Central Java Province, would be the real support to the people’s business in palm oil sector. By focusing on the upstream and downstream sectors, Ganjar – Mahfud could mobilize innovation and reinforce industrialization icon in the society level.
In the downstream sector, he continued, Ganjar-Mahfud should deliver new breakthrough to deliver profits for the whole society, not only for big groups. “In policy perspective by European Union about environmental issues, it needs clear basic in national level to maintain the balance of welfare between the rich and poor,” he said.
The third, Ganjar talked ideas about smallholders. He thought, accurate data about smallholders would be the key to deliver solution. Ganjar-Mahfud would be the power that is about to formulate policy in real data, not only political rhetoric only.
“The support for Ganjar-Mahfud would be not only political vote but also the trust that the candidate has potential to deliver positive changes in palm oil industries. By having inclusive leadership and sustainable vision, it is hoped that palm oil communities would see the positive progress and would escalate planters’ welfare in the industries,” he said. (T2)
