a guest lecturer lectured on the Prospects and Challenges of Palm Oil in collaboration with expert Prof. Zulkifli Alamsyah from Jambi University. Students’ enthusiasm for studying this topic can be seen from the active discussion and the presence of more than 200 participants via the zoom meeting platform. The initiation of this collaboration began with the active Agribusiness Study Program at IPSAGRI (Indonesian Agribusiness Study Program Association). This activity was opened directly by the Head of the Agribusiness Undergraduate Study Program, Ir. Kustopo Budiraharjo, M.P and also attended by lecturer colleagues who are members of IPSAGRI.
The topic of oil palm was raised in a guest lecturer’s lecture to increase students’ insight and knowledge directly from experts, especially those taking the Plantation Plant Cultivation course. Prof. Zulkilfli Alamsyah delivered from the history of palm oil plantations, the role of community plantations in national palm oil plantations, palm oil business prospects, to the problems faced in the palm oil business.
The prospects for the palm oil business are assessed from world consumption of vegetable oils which is growing at 0.8% per year and continues to increase. On average, the growth rate of world vegetable oil consumption increased by 2.9% per year. However, in the domestic downstream industry, the majority of Indonesian CPO production exports is only around 21%. With the potential share of Indonesia’s harvest area occupying the world’s highest value, namely 51.4%, the palm oil business has become very profitable. Apart from that, the prospects for this business are examined from the trend of increasing CPO prices and palm oil which is more efficient than other vegetable oils, making this palm oil topic very interesting to study.
Based on Indonesia’s various prospects and potential for palm oil commodities, there are several things that are still obstacles in our country, namely: [1] Low productivity of smallholder plantations and large variations in productivity, [2] Slow rejuvenation of oil palm and high production costs, [3] Low achievement of sustainable palm oil plantation certification; to problems from trade aspects such as [4] Negative campaigns against palm oil and its derivative products; and [5] Demands for the Sustainability of Palm Oil Plantations (RSPO). It is hoped that collaboration for the development of science can continue in the future.
