PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — The Director of Oil Palm and Various Palmae Crops at the Directorate General of Plantations (Ditjenbun), Ministry of Agriculture, Baginda Siagian, has raised serious concerns over the widespread circulation of illegal and uncertified oil palm seeds across Indonesia.
Speaking at the Karantina Day 2025 talk show titled “From Quarantine for Sustainable Palm Oil: Supporting Indonesia’s Food and Energy Security” on Friday (October 24, 2025), Baginda revealed that between 40% and 70% of oil palm seeds used by farmers are unregistered or uncertified.
“Many farmers are still using uncertified seeds, which significantly affects productivity and long-term plantation sustainability. This must be a shared concern,” he stressed.
Also Read:
He also underlined the importance of monitoring seed distribution between regions, such as from Medan to Pekanbaru and other plantation centers. All seed distribution, he said, must comply with existing regulations to protect farmers from economic losses caused by fake or low-quality seeds.
“Our job is to ensure that seed circulation follows the rules. Fake seeds must not circulate freely, as they ultimately harm farmers,” Baginda added.
He called for stronger coordination between government agencies, research institutions like the Indonesian Oil Palm Research Center (IOPR/PPKS), and field supervision officers to curb the spread of illegal seeds. Baginda also encouraged open dialogue to find effective solutions in eradicating the circulation of uncertified seeds within Indonesia’s plantation sector. (P2)
