An article by Mariel Grazella, The Jakarta Post.

Being the world’s largest palm-oil producer, Indonesia has tried to convince global consumers that its agricultural products are grown and cultivated through sustainable processes.

To demonstrate its sustainability-approach commitment, in 2011 the government introduced the Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification to be granted to plantation companies that have followed the procedures accordingly.

So far, the Agriculture Ministry has granted 40 oil-palm plantations the “green” certificates and expects to see more companies obtain the certification.

“We have issued 40 certificates so far and are in the midst of auditing 73 other plantations,” Agriculture Minister, Suswono, said.

“This means that there are more plantations that have yet to obtain the certificates,” he added.

The ISPO outlines sustainable production practices which oil-palm plantations have to adhere to.

The government has made it mandatory for all oil-palm plantations to obtain the certificate by the end of this year.

The ISPO is the government’s solution to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification which similarly promotes sustainable practices. However, participation by oil-palm plantations in that program is voluntary.

Suswono warned that given the compulsory nature all oil palm plantations must get certification this year.

“We must make this plan happen,” he said on the sidelines of the International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment (ICOPE 2014) in Bali.

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