InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA — The Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS) has urged the Palm Oil Fund Management Agency (BPDP) to immediately allocate palm oil levy funds to assist smallholder farmers affected by severe flooding in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

SPKS Chairman Sabarudin said the scale of the disaster was “extraordinary,” with at least one million palm oil farmers losing access to their plantations and experiencing significant income disruptions.

“When one million farmers are affected, this is no longer an ordinary disaster. This situation requires a fast, targeted response that sides with farmers,” Sabarudin told InfoSAWIT in Jakarta.

He emphasized that the palm oil fund managed by BPDP originates from export levies collected from farmers and domestic industry players, amounting to approximately Rp30–50 trillion annually. Therefore, he said, it is only appropriate that the funds be used to support farmers during times of hardship.

“This is about the livelihoods of millions of palm oil farming families,” he stressed.

According to Sabarudin, the massive floods have cut off road access to plantations, damaged crops, and disrupted local economic activity at the farm level. Allocating palm oil funds as emergency assistance, he added, would demonstrate the state’s presence in restoring farmers’ livelihoods.

He also pointed out that more than 90 percent of palm oil funds have so far been allocated to support the biodiesel program, which largely benefits large corporations. In emergency conditions such as the current floods, SPKS believes it is time to expand fund utilization to prioritize farmers’ interests.

“Farmers should not be left to bear this burden alone,” Sabarudin said.

He concluded by urging that aid distribution be carried out swiftly, transparently, and with the involvement of farmer organizations to ensure assistance reaches those who need it most. (T2)