Indonesian farmers protest against palm oil export ban: ‘Malaysian farmers are wearing full smiles, we suffer’
- Indonesia imposed the export ban on palm oil and some of its derivatives used in the making of cooking oil after a series of policies failed to control prices
- A farmer’s group said since the announcement of the export ban the price of palm fruit had dropped 70 per cent below the floor price set by regional authorities
Hundreds of Indonesian smallholder farmers on Tuesday staged a protest in the capital Jakarta and in other parts of the world’s fourth most populous country, demanding the government end a palm oil export ban that has slashed their income.
Marching alongside a truck filled with palm oil fruit, farmers held a rally outside the offices of the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is leading the government policy.
“Malaysian farmers are wearing full smiles, Indonesian farmers suffer,” one of the signs held up by protesters read. Malaysia is the second-largest producer of palm oil and has said it aims to supply markets left open by Indonesia’s export ban.
In a statement, the smallholder farmer’s group APKASINDO said since the announcement of the export ban the price of palm fruit had dropped 70 per cent below the floor price set by regional authorities.
Meanwhile, APKASINDO estimated that at least 25 per cent of palm oil mills has stopped buying palm fruit from independent farmers.
The protesters also planned to march to the presidential palace, the group said. Similar protests were also being held in 22 other provinces, it said.