Antara News·Indonesia·Monday, August 31, 2026 at 09:20 AM

Indonesia takes helm of global oil palm smallholders coalition

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Subagyo, Cindy Frishanti Octavia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is poised to strengthen the position of oil palm farmers, particularly smallholders in palm oil-producing countries worldwide, as the leader of the World Coalition of Oil Palm Smallholders (WCOPS).

WCOPS President Gulat ME Manurung stated that smallholders need to build mutually supportive relationships with corporations so that the palm oil industry generates benefits for all parties involved.

"Negative campaigns against palm oil, in particular, must be confronted collectively by all palm oil stakeholders," Manurung said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.

During the International Oil Palm Smallholders (IOPS) Forum 2026, held in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) on August 27, 2026, Manurung accepted the mandate as WCOPS President.

The mandate was conferred by 12 global oil palm smallholder associations representing seven countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nigeria, Ghana, Honduras, and Côte d'Ivoire.

"My appointment as WCOPS President serves as a momentum to unite oil palm smallholders globally by championing the concepts of equality and mutual support with palm oil corporations, rather than conflict," he said.

According to him, the establishment of WCOPS aims to strengthen the position of smallholders on palm oil issues, including sustainability, traceability, fair trade, fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices, productivity, and relations with corporations.

He hopes that WCOPS will make the palm oil industry more inclusive and beneficial for everyone, including smallholders and their families, companies, and the countries where oil palm plantations operate.

Representatives from the seven palm oil-producing countries in several continents expressed their hopes for Indonesia's leadership of WCOPS over the next five years.

Paul Kwabena Amaning, National President of the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG), expressed hope that Indonesia's leadership of WCOPS would help advocate for price equity for oil palm smallholders across various countries.

"We place great hope in Indonesia, as the largest palm oil-producing nation, to help support oil palm smallholders worldwide," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian oil palm farmers' leader Tuan Haji Adzmi expressed support for Indonesia's WCOPS presidency, noting that Indonesia has the world's largest oil palm plantation area, with smallholder farmers managing nearly half of the total acreage.

Delima Azhari, a representative of the Apkasindo Central Executive Board, believes that Manurung's election as WCOPS President aligns well with Indonesia's strategic palm oil programs, particularly those aimed at enhancing the benefits of the commodity for producing countries such as Indonesia.

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