REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- In 2013, Indonesia's palm oil exports comprising crude, kernels, and their derivatives, reached 21.2 million tons, according to the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) here on Wednesday.
The exports reported in 2013 were higher than the recorded 18.2 million tons in 2012.
"India, China, and the European Union continue to be the main export markets for Indonesian palm oil," Gapki's secretary general, Joko Supriyono, stated during a presentation about the palm oil industry in 2013 and its prospects in 2014.
The production of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and its derivatives in 2013 were estimated at 26 million tons, down 1.9 percent from 26.5 million tons in 2012, he noted.
Joko remarked that Indonesia's exports of palm oil products to China in 2013 totaled 2.6 million tons, which was lesser than the recorded value in 2012. Also, the exports to the EU dropped from 4.1 million tons to 4 million tons.
However, the exports to India and Pakistan rose respectively, from 5.8 million tons to 6.1 million tons and to 900 thousand tons.
"The exports to the Middle Eastern and African markets also showed a significant rise. The exports to Africa showed a 13 percent increase and the exports to the Middle East increased by 33 percent," he added.
Regarding the value of exports of palm oil products and derivatives, he claimed that until December 2013, it was recorded at US$19.1 billion, which was lower than the recorded US$21.2 billion in 2012.
"In 2013, the value of the CPO exports and its derivatives dropped by 10 percent as compared to the previous year," he claimed.
He noted that the drop in the value of exports was due to the fall in the price of CPO in the world market. In 2013, the price of CPO fell from US$1,028 per ton to US$841 per ton, down 18 percent.
On the prospects of the palm oil industry in 2014, Joko stated that he was optimistic about it being quite bright and promising, following the government's policy to increase the consumption of bio-fuel and drive the domestic CPO production to 3.3 million tons in order to produce bio-fuel.
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