JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS— The Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, announced that the biofuel industry is ready to support the B50 program, a key initiative by President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

The B50 program in Indonesia refers to a biodiesel initiative where 50% of the diesel fuel is made up of biofuel derived from palm oil. The program aims to reduce Indonesia’s dependency on fossil fuels, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and support the domestic palm oil industry. This is part of Indonesia’s broader strategy to increase the use of renewable energy and support sustainable energy practices.

“Companies are now prepared. Following the directions of President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, we aim to achieve B50,” Amran stated in Jakarta

Amran explained that the Indonesian government has been preparing the biofuel industry to support the B50 program, which aims to increase the use of biofuel to 50% of total diesel consumption.

“This preparation has been ongoing, involving companies that will play a crucial role in meeting the B50 target set by President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto,” he added.

However, Amran did not specify the locations or areas of the industries set to support this program.

The B50 program aims to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on diesel imports by replacing it with biofuel derived from crude palm oil (CPO).

Currently, Indonesia produces 46 million tons of biofuel annually, with about 26 million tons exported globally. Meanwhile, the country imports around 5.3 million tons of diesel each year.

“Our current biofuel production is 46 million tons. We export 26 million. If we convert this because we import 5.3 million tons of diesel, what does it mean? It means that the world CPO price will rise, benefiting Indonesian farmers,” Amran stated.