Indonesia, Ghana Cooperation vs. Negative Campaign on Palm Oil

The governments of Indonesia and Ghana have agreed to cooperate against the negative campaign on palm oil commodity, the Antara News reported on April 11 from Bali. “I have met the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Food of Ghana. We discussed about a lot of negative campaigns against oil palm. The palm oil-producing countries should unite against the negative campaigns,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said. The two officials met at the bilateral meeting that was held on the sidelines of the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) at Nusa Dua Bali Convention Center.

Indonesia and Ghana discussed extensively about the palm oil industry as they are among the countries that produce the commodity. Marsudi added that the Ghana government has expressed willingness to jointly face the challenges of the negative campaign. Additionally, Indonesia has also invited Ghana to join the association of palm oil-producing countries, Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), which was established on the initiative of Indonesia.

Some negative campaigns against palm oil have occurred in EU countries, where a resolution entitled “Palm Oil and Deforestation of the Rain Forest” was proposed by the European Parliament on the basis that the development of the palm oil industry has become the major cause of deforestation and weather changes. The action is considered contrary to the stance of the EU that embraces the principle of fair trade.