Indonesia provides biodiesel producers with $195M but leaves out smallholders

In Indonesia, MongaBay reports that environmental groups have railed against the Indonesian government’s decision to provide $195 million in subsidies for palm oil biodiesel producers while leaving farmers in the lurch. Farmers are currently earning just 5 cents per kilo of oil palm fruit compared to 9 cents they would normally get due to COVID-19 related impacts that have forced down the price of oil. Most of the companies who received bailout funds have their own plantations therefore the expectation is that the subsidies won’t eventually trickle down to farmers.