InfoSAWIT, KUBU RAYA – The atmosphere at the Q Hotel Resort in Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan, was special on Wednesday (9/23/2025). Approximately 800 palm oil smallholders from across Indonesia gathered for the opening of the 5th Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholder Conference (IPOSC). This annual event provides a space for smallholders to meet, discuss, and formulate strategic movements amid the constantly changing industry dynamics.
Representing the Governor of West Kalimantan, the Head of the West Kalimantan Livestock and Plantation Office, Heronimus Hero, emphasized the importance of the plantation sub-sector, especially palm oil, to the regional economy. Over 20% of West Kalimantan's regional GDP is contributed by the agricultural sector, with palm oil as the main pillar. "About one million farmers in West Kalimantan depend on palm oil for their livelihoods. Its contribution is real, both for the community and regional development," said Hero during the opening ceremony attended by InfoSAWIT.
Provincial government data shows that West Kalimantan now has 368 palm oil companies with a total plantation area of 3 million hectares, out of a potential of 3.9 million hectares. About 1.7 million hectares of this area are already productive, while 900,000 hectares are still open for new investment—with the condition that they comply with sustainability regulations.
Hero stressed that economic development must not disregard the rules. "We must avoid the spread of only negative information about palm oil. The fact is, palm oil contributes to 32% of West Kalimantan's GDP, including through the processing industry," he added.
However, behind the positive records, significant challenges await. Strict regulations from global markets, including the European Union, require Indonesia's palm oil industry to adapt to sustainability standards. For Hero, this conference is important to strengthen the position of smallholders so that they remain part of the global supply chain without being disadvantaged.
A similar sentiment was conveyed by the Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Smallholder Organizations Association (POPSI), Mansuetus Darto. He highlighted the need for a single platform that unites various palm oil smallholder organizations at the national level. Currently, there are at least 12 smallholder organizations, with various issues that often go unresolved at the regional level. "We need a national union that can collectively voice the interests of farmers," Darto emphasized.
The timing of the 5th IPOSC is made even more special as it coincides with National Farmers' Day, which has been commemorated every September 24 since it was established by President Soekarno through Presidential Decree No. 169 of 1963.
For Darto, the day is not just a symbolic commemoration but a reminder of the agrarian ideals that place land, water, and natural resources for the greatest possible prosperity of the people, as mandated by Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution.
"The struggle of farmers is far from over. Negotiations with the government must continue to be built so that policies do not harm palm oil smallholders, especially those in forest areas," he said.
With the support of various parties—from the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP), private companies, to the media—the conference is expected to be a meeting point. It not only aims to strengthen the smallholder movement but also to reaffirm palm oil as a vital part of sustainable national economic development. (T2)
