Jakarta. The recent 41st Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) was held in partnership with the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Agency (BPDP) at ICE BSD in Tangerang, Banten.

This trade fair, which ran from Oct. 14 to Oct. 18, amassed 1,873 companies and had set a goal to amass $17.5 billion in transactions. Buyers coming from 134 countries also came to this event. Trade Minister Budi Santoso said that these numbers reflected the mass global interest in Indonesia's products. Coordinating Minister for Downstream Industry Bahlil Lahadalia also laid out the government's strategy to add value to its commodities.

TEI 2026 also served as a platform for Indonesia’s energy and food security agendas. Plantation commodities like palm oil hold a strategic role, as their derivatives support the development of biodiesel, reduce reliance on diesel imports, and enhance the value-added of national exports.

BPDP serves as a strategic partner in this agenda. BPDP manages palm oil export levies to fund the Smallholder Oil Palm Replanting program, biodiesel development, research and innovation, human resource capacity building, the empowerment of MSMEs, and the strengthening of downstream processing and the competitiveness of the national palm oil industry.

Plantation commodities — specifically palm oil — serve as a vital link between exports, energy, and the welfare of farmers.

The value of Indonesia’s palm oil exports makes the sector one of the largest contributors to foreign exchange earnings, with a significant portion of these exports now consisting of downstream products such as food-grade CPO, oleochemicals, and biodiesel.

The presence of plantation products and their derivatives at TEI provides an opportunity for Indonesia to demonstrate that this sector has shifted from exporting raw materials toward high-value-added industrial production.

The strengthening of national green energy is increasingly aligned with TEI 2026 through the development of renewable energy and bioenergy.

Plantation waste — such as empty fruit bunches, shells, and palm fibers — has the potential to be utilized as biomass for solid fuel, electricity generation, and biofuels.

The TEI-BPDP synergy is expected to speed up the downstream development of green energy while creating new export opportunities for Indonesia.

Through its Food, Beverage, and Agricultural Products Zone, TEI also promotes food security by expanding markets for Indonesian processed food products and agricultural yields.

Strengthening export markets is expected to increase farmers' incomes, encourage product diversification, and bolster the national food value chain.

The promotion of nutritional food security can be supported by leveraging plantation commodities — for instance, through the development of red palm oil, which is rich in pro-vitamins A and E and holds significant market potential.

Empowering small businesses and agricultural cooperatives is key to increasing value-added, broadening market access, and ensuring that economic benefits reach the farmers themselves.

Business incubation on plantation commodities enable small enterprises to develop processed food products and other derivatives.

All in all, this collaboration seeks to strengthen exports, energy security, food security, and Indonesia’s standing in global economic diplomacy.

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