Karawang, July 10, 2026 – The Europe Today: President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday launched Indonesia’s Mandatory B50 Biodiesel Programme, saying the initiative would strengthen the country’s energy security while ensuring that palm oil farmers become the primary beneficiaries of the nation’s downstream industrial development.
Speaking at the launch ceremony held at the KM 57 Rest Area in Karawang, West Java, President Prabowo described the programme as a historic milestone in Indonesia’s efforts to expand value-added processing of palm oil and reduce reliance on imported diesel fuel.
He said the B50 programme, which requires diesel fuel to contain a 50 percent blend of palm-based biodiesel, would enhance national energy resilience while creating greater economic value from Indonesia’s abundant palm oil resources.
The President stressed that the government’s downstream industrial strategy is designed to improve the welfare of farmers by ensuring they receive the greatest share of the economic benefits generated by the country’s palm oil industry.
Prabowo said the success of the programme would ultimately be measured by improvements in the living standards of farmers and rural communities.
He noted that reports received from several provinces indicated a rise in farmers’ purchasing power, with increasing household incomes reflected in higher purchases of motorcycles and cars.
According to the President, more farmers are also now able to perform the Umrah pilgrimage and purchase livestock for Eid al-Adha sacrifices, which he said demonstrated improving prosperity among rural households.
Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia should not accept a situation in which its people remain poor despite the country’s abundant natural resources, stressing that national development policies must ensure that economic gains are shared broadly with the public.
He reiterated that all downstream industrial initiatives, including the expansion of palm oil-based biodiesel production, are intended to return greater value to the Indonesian people, particularly farmers.
The President also expressed appreciation to researchers, universities, state-owned energy company Pertamina, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development of Indonesia’s biodiesel industry.
Encouraging continued innovation, Prabowo urged scientists and industry experts to further advance biofuel technology beyond the current B50 mandate, expressing hope that Indonesia would eventually move towards the development and implementation of B60 biodiesel as part of its long-term energy transition strategy.
