President Jokowi Reviews Progress of Red Palm Cooking Oil Research

Jakarta: Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) visited the Palm Oil Research Center (PPKS) in Medan, North Sumatra, to monitor the progress of research on using red palm oil as cooking oil during a working visit to the province.
 
According to a statement received from the Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau here on Thursday, PPKS head Edwin Lubis said that red palm oil, as an innovation of palm oil products, had the potential to help reduce the prevalence of stunting among residents.
 
“The red palm cooking oil can not only be (used) to fry (foods), but can also be a supplement to help residents prevent stunting growth because the nutritional value of red (palm) cooking oil is greater than other cooking oils sold in markets,” Lubis added.

Red palm cooking oil has a higher level of provitamins A and E compared to other cooking oil products, and simple technology is used in the production process to maintain the oil’s nutritional value, he informed.
 
“The advantage of the red cooking oil is that the oil has higher vitamin A and E levels because the production process prioritizes (the preservation of) nutrients,” the research center head explained.
 
Red palm cooking oil has the potential to be developed as a micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) product because the investment needed for the product is much less compared to commercial cooking oil factories.
 
“We also hope (red palm cooking oil producers) can be developed in villages to ensure it remains affordable because the logistics expense can be made close to zero,” he said.
 
He then highlighted the need to educate residents about the benefits of red palm cooking oil and reduce public hesitancy due to the unusual red color of the cooking oil.
 
The research center head expressed the hope that all stakeholders would help promote the innovative product as an alternative to ensure residents’ daily nutritional intake.
 
“We hope stakeholders’ support in promoting the red palm cooking oil,” Lubis added.
 
Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo; Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Teten Masduki; Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno; Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono; and North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi accompanied the President to the research center.
 

(WAH)