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Indonesia's Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran Sulaiman, said Russia has expressed serious interest in importing crude palm oil (CPO) from Indonesia. He did not disclose the expected export volume, but confirmed it would be substantial.
Speaking to the South Sulawesi community in Jakarta on Sunday, 22 June 2025, Amran said:
"Notably, Russia has asked us to increase crude palm oil exports to its territory, and this is a major opportunity that will have a positive impact on our national palm oil industry and the welfare of our smallholder farmers."
He explained that cooperation with Russia forms part of Indonesia's strategy to expand its palm oil market beyond traditional destinations such as China and India, adding:
"The government is pushing to boost crude palm oil exports to Russia as part of efforts to diversify markets and strengthen Indonesia's position as the world's largest palm oil producer."
Amran noted that Russia had demonstrated its seriousness through a formal invitation from Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Nikolayevna Lut to hold a bilateral meeting in October 2025 to discuss concrete steps for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
"We received a special invitation from the Russian Agriculture Minister to attend a meeting in October this year, where we will discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation," he added.
The two agriculture ministers had earlier met in Saint Petersburg on 19 June, discussing five key areas: increasing investment in the sugar sector, boosting Indonesian palm oil exports to Russia, jointly developing the fertiliser industry, opening the way for Russian meat imports into Indonesia, and strengthening cooperation in agricultural research and technology.
The Indonesian government hopes this cooperation will help open new markets for palm oil in Russia and the surrounding region, while strengthening diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Source: Al Mal Forum