The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) and the Indonesian and Malaysian private sectors contributed a total 102,000 oil palm germinated seed (GS) in response to the plight of the smallholders in Honduras to help them address the impacts of Eta and Iota hurricanes that devastated their country on 20th November 2020. The GS contribution is CPOPC small way of rendering assistance and facilitating the smallholders palm oil production in Honduras.
Honduras has completed its accession process and will be the 3rd country to be a full member of CPOPC in May 2023.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities of Malaysia and the Chairman of CPOPC, Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah Yusof, reiterated that the contribution signifies close cooperation among palm oil producing countries.
“CPOPC has proven its importance in the development of palm oil sectors globally. This contribution also signifies our recognition of Honduras as an important ally of CPOPC. It is only right for us to extend our assistance with the germinated seeds, and I hope this will help in fostering stronger ties between the members and observer countries moving forward,” said Dato’ Fadillah.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, AirlanggaHartarto, viewed the contribution as a humanitarian response which is expected to further strengthen the partnership between CPOPC and Honduras.
“I would like to reiterate the importance of a strengthened alliance among palm oil producing countries and for CPOPC to be visible and assume a more significant role in the near future. This germinated seed contribution should be seen as a first step towards a much more better cooperation between producing countries,” said Airlangga.
Minister of Agriculture of Honduras, Laura Suazo, virtually attended the ceremony and expressed her warmest thanks for the contribution of the oil palm seeds. “We hope that the acceptance of Honduras to CPOPC will be very beneficial to them as a new member country. We are together and we will stay together so that our palm growers always get the best out of this alliance,” said Laura responding to the congratulatory messages of the accession of Honduras.
The Secretary General of CPOPC, Rizal Affandi Lukman, conveyed that the GS contribution is expected to be distributed to 337 smallholders in Honduras that are in need and help them in the replanting of 510 hectares out of 4,988 hectares of oil palm plantation that had been extensively damaged by the hurricanes. The GS contribution comprised of 20,000 GS from CPOPC, 62,000 GS from seven representatives of Indonesian private sector, and 20,000 GS from a Malaysian private sector.
“This collaborative effort is an essential example of what can be accomplished when all stakeholders work join hands on the sustainability impacts of palm oil. This type of partnership is what the industry now requires addressing the challenges of not only the effects of natural disasters but also discriminative policies against palm oil,” said Rizal. The Shipment Ceremony takes place on the 20th March 2023 at the Soekarno Hatta Airport, Jakarta in hybrid mode and will be followed by a Hand-over Ceremony on the 28 th March 2023 at the San Pedro Sula, Honduras.