APKASINDO: Palm Oil Is Not a Greenhouse Gas Emission Contributor

INDUSTRY.co.id - Pekanbaru - Regional Leadership Council (DPW) of the Association of Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers (Apkasindo) of Riau Province dismissed negative connotations related to greenhouse gas emissions donated by palm as raised by a number of national and international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO = NGOs) .

"Whereas the greenhouse gas emissions contributed by the palm oil of 835 kilograms is less than the 1,387 kilogram soybean emissions, two times more palm oil is able to absorb CO2 than other crops, and the leaves are 10 times as efficient as canopy," he said Chairman of DPW Apkasindo Riau, Gulat Mendali Emas Manurung in Pekanbaru, Wednesday (13/12/2017)

Such opinion is mentioned as the main topic of discussion in a national seminar entitled "Sawit Goes to Campus which became the first time held in Sumatra, on December 16-17, 2017 in the auditorium of Post-Graduate Islamic University of Riau (UIR) in Pekanbaru.

According to him, the seminar entitled "Sawit between Myths and Facts" will be followed by a thousand more participants who dominant students will be given an understanding of oil palm by a number of sources.

He mentioned, resource persons who would convey his thoughts, among others, Director of BPB Fund Management Agency, DR.Dono Bustami, Economic Researcher of Oil Palm, DR. Bayu Krisnamurthi, Head of Marihat Research Center, Dr. Agus Susanto and Researcher of Downstream Industry of Palm Oil, DR. Donal Siahaan.

"The thinking of experts is needed because palm is Indonesia's natural wealth that is not owned by many countries in the world. It is recorded 10 important facts about the role of 11.2 million hectares of oil palm plantation in Indonesia, from palm oil to the source of life, being a plant that does not contribute great against the decline of tropical rainforests, to multi-benefit waste oil," he said.

He explained that the processed palm oil has become part of the daily life of the community such as cooking oil, soap, cosmetics, bio diesel and various other palm oil processing.

While the productivity of oil palm said Wrestling is higher than other vegetable oil commodities and more efficient about land use. For example, to produce 1 ton CPO of palm takes only 0.26 hectares of land. While for the same amount of production, soybean needs 2.2 hectares of land and 2 hectares of sunflower oil, he said.

For registration the participants are still open today and students will get the shirts, certificates and there is also doorprice at the end of the event for participant registration link at bit.ly/SawitGoesToCampus.

APKASINDORiau Secretary Rino Afrino explained that oil palm plantation is also one way to revitalize the forest that had been destroyed by logging or illegal logging.

"This is because palm oil stores a considerable amount of carbon, and oil palm plantations can also make the once desolate area of ​​the village, transformed into a developing city, for example Tapung in Kampar regency, economic growth in oil palm makes this area fast growing," he said.

Rino stressed that oil palm will have a negative impact if handled by companies or farmers who are not responsible. But if in the hands of companies and farmers in charge, the palm oil industry will emerge as a light and one indicator of economic progress of society, regional, and even national.

"By supporting palm oil, we are supporting the progress of the Indonesian economy," he said.

Related to why the palm is hostile to a number of NGOs, according to the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture UIR, Dr.Ir.UP Ismail M.Agr who is also Chairman of Palm Oil Goes to Campus said they ban palm oil in Indonesia because Indonesia is the last "buffer" for ozone and "global warming ".

For me, he said, this is a form of injustice; the economic times of other countries may progress and develop while Indonesia is not? It is different that the "authors" provided equal economic compensation and became a dual solution for society and national income.