Professor of the Faculty of Forestry of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Yanto Santosa, reiterated his view that oil palm plantations are not the cause of deforestation in Indonesia since they were not derived from forest area. Yanto\'s statement came as he spoke at the International Green Week Berlin 2019 in Berlin, Germany (22/1/2019).

A group of Indonesian palm oil researchers have signed a statement publicly expressing their skepticism about a study that likens palm oil with tobacco and alcohol industries.

A world leader in peatlands management with Germany\'s University of Greifswald Hans Joosten praised Indonesia for peatlands restoration.

Indonesian delegation at International Green Week Berlin 2019 held a palm oil stakeholders meeting to share knowledge of palm oil with international community. The Palm Oil Stakeholder Forum was held at the International Green Week Berlin 2019 in Berlin, Germany, 22 January 2019.

Foreign Ministry held a brief session for Indonesian ambassador and consul general candidates on leading strategic commodities, including palm oil, to give a broader view of the commodities.

The Indonesian Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) collaborated with Indonesian palm oil businesses took part in the 4th Pakistan Edible Oil Conference (PEOC) and Price Outlook 2019 in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday (19/1/2019), to promote Indonesian palm oil products. At the conference attended by global edible oil businesspeople, BPDPKS had a stand to provide information about Indonesian sustainable palm oil, included information about palm oil products and its derivatives. Indonesian delegation at the conference included Indonesian Ambassador to Pakistan Iwan Suyudhie Amri and representatives of Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI).

THE government is planning to enact Presidential Regulation (Perpres) in trying to strengthen implementation of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).

CONGRATULATIONS are probably due more to PT Pertamina (Persero) that has succeeded tested co-processing to convert palm oil into green gasoline.

MINISTRY of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has announced biofuel Market Price Index (MPI), included biodiesel and bioethanol, for period of January 2019. The announcement is stated on letter issued by Directorate General of New Energy, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation at MEMR number 5966/12/DJE/2018 dated 18 December 2018. Biodiesel MPI for January 2019 is set at Rp6,371 per liter, lower than price for December at Rp6.589.

INDIA\'S plan to cut import tariff of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) from Indonesia and Malaysia has given positive sentiment to CPO future trade on optimism that India, the world\'s biggest buyer of the commodity, will increase imports. CNBC Indonesia reported, CPO futures prices for March 2019 contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, Friday (28/12/2018) climbed 0.67% to MYR 2.119 at afternoon trade.