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The Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (Gapki) has called on the government to exercise caution when determining service costs or fees for the export of strategic natural resources through PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI).
The association expressed concerns that excessive fees could add a significant burden to the palm oil industry, ultimately harming smallholder farmers. Gapki Chairman Eddy Martono emphasized that palm oil business actors are already navigating a complex landscape of financial obligations, including export levies (PE), exit fees, and the domestic market obligation (DMO).
According to Martono, the proposed one-stop export mechanism managed by DSI has the potential to introduce new overheads for exporters. While the specific fee amounts remain under government discussion, Martono warned that high costs could exert downward pressure on domestic crude palm oil (CPO) prices. While Gapki has not proposed a specific figure, it has formally advised the government that any service fees must not become a deterrent for business actors.
Beyond fiscal concerns, Gapki highlighted the critical need for logistical efficiency in the export process via DSI. Martono pointed out that CPO is a perishable commodity with specific storage requirements, including continuous heating. Prolonged storage or delays in the export pipeline could lead to a decline in the quality of the oil, impacting its market value. Consequently, the association hopes that the new mechanism will not create additional bottlenecks for the industry.
In response to these concerns, Dony Oskaria, Chief Operating Officer of Danantara, clarified that DSI is not acting as a trading intermediary or broker seeking to profit from margins. Instead, the entity will charge a service fee for essential services such as export inspections and verifications. Oskaria maintained that this system would provide greater legal certainty for exporters, ensuring that the volume and pricing of commodities sent abroad are fully verified and compliant.
Source: VOI.ID