19/02/2013 (TEMPO Interactive) - Indonesia and fellow palm oil-producing countries Nigeria and the Ivory Coast signed an agreement to cooperate in the fight against rampant anti-palm oil campaigns in Asia and Africa. The agreement stated three main points, "Observing all anti-palm oil campaigns, providing information, and mutual coordination in the fight against anti-palm oil campaign," Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Board (DMSI), Derom Bangun, said on Monday, February 18.

Derom said the cooperation is essential in resisting Europe's and USA's import policies that are harming coconut palm businesses or exporters. He cited the proposed increase in crude palm oil import duty by 98 Euros to 300 Euros per year in France. "It's an effort to weaken the competitiveness of palm oil," he said.

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil producer, followed by Malaysia Congo, Burkina Faso, and The Ivory Coast.

Indonesian Palm Oil Association revealed that anti-palm oil campaigns are becoming more systematic, increasingly marginalizing the palm oil industry. Palm oil is considered as a major competitor of important plantation commodities in EU countries.