InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – According to the Laws Number 39 / 2014 about Plantations, as it was substituted by Laws Number 6 / 2023 that mandated plantations (including palm oil) should sustainably be cultivated by noticing social, economic, ecology, and cultural aspect, the regulation should be implemented by qualifying every sustainable principle and criteria which is proved by having certificates.

Palm oil plantation cultivation should be adjustable with available norms written on the laws. Norms/regulations in Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) implementation started ever since the publication of Regulation of Minister of Agriculture (RMA) Number 19 / 2011 about ISPO Guidelines as it was substituted by RMA Number 38 / 2020 about Indonesian Sustainabe Palm Oil Certification Implementation and be reinforced by President’s Regulation Number 44 / 2020 about ISPO Certification System.

In the circular published by General Directorate of Plantation Ministry of Agriculture on 23 March 2024, it was about ISPO certificate would be mandatory for every planter both the company and smallholder.

“For plantation companies, ISPO is the obligation since RMA Number 38 / 2020 was published and for smallholders it would be officially mandatory after five years since the same regulation was published,” the circular signed by General Director of Plantation, Andi Nur Alam Syah, mentioned.

It also suggested that every planter should notice the regulation that ISPO would be mandatory for them. “We urge you, sirs to get development nd supervision to the mandatory,” the circular noted, as InfoSAWIT recently got.

The goals and aims of the circular are as the guidelines for the governments, provinces, regencies, cities to develop, supervise ISPO certification implementation. The goal is about to get ISPO certification implemented as the available regulations.

ISPO certification should be proposed by every planter to ISPO certification boards, the planters consist of plantation companies or smallholders.

“Every plantation company that has no ISPO certificate would get administrative sanction in the form of written reprimand, temporary stop operating, or revoking business permits,” the circular noted.

Still from the Circular Number: 286/KB.410/E/03/2024 about ISPO Certification Obligation, it obliges every plantation company to implement and get ISPO certification and the smallholders should get ISPO certificate after 5 (five) years since RMA Number 38 / 2020 was published.

Then governor and regent/mayor should develop in the forms of delivering facilities for planters, monitor independently in the forms of socialization and workshops, get data about planters, and/or deliver help and capital for the planters, trainings and development for them to qualify ISPO principles and criteria.

“Governor and regent/mayor should monitor ISPO certification implementation,” the circular noted. (T2)