InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Amid global pressure on the palm oil industry, a serious threat comes from invisible factors such as microbes, pathogens, and disease-carrying insects. This has become a key concern for the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) in safeguarding the sustainability of this strategic sector.
Senior Plant Quarantine Analyst at Barantin, Antarjo Dikin, emphasized that protecting the national palm oil industry is not only about production and exports but also about biosecurity as the sector’s primary defense.
“Every biological agent or seed entering Indonesia must be ensured safe at the very gate,” he stated.
Strict Monitoring from Entry Points to the Field
Antarjo explained that all imports of seeds and organisms—such as pollinating insects from abroad, including Tanzania—must undergo strict and layered quarantine procedures.
“We must ensure that no plant pests or harmful microbes enter. Once they slip through, the impact on our palm oil plantations could be enormous,” he stressed.
He added that Indonesia’s quarantine system has evolved from being merely administrative into a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, covering inspections at entry points, field monitoring, and post-planting supervision.
Barantin is also developing technology-based monitoring systems, including the use of spatial data and satellite technology to strengthen biosecurity oversight.
“In countries like Australia and the Netherlands, monitoring is already based on spatial data. We are moving in that direction,” Antarjo explained.
Regional Collaboration and Monitoring of Biological Agents
To prevent cross-border pathogen entry, Barantin is strengthening regional cooperation with neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Brunei, particularly in border areas.
Monitoring is conducted not only on seed movement but also on living organisms such as pollinating insects that may act as disease vectors.
“We monitor the movement of pollinating insects, including biological agents introduced from abroad, such as from Tanzania,” he said.
Antarjo emphasized that the current quarantine system is equipped with certification mechanisms ensuring seed safety down to the field level.
“Every seed released from quarantine centers is certified and monitored. That means the state guarantees its safety,” he concluded. (T2)
