IPOC 2025, Bali

The 21st Indonesian Palm Oil Conference (IPOC), held in Bali, once again proved to be one of the most influential global platforms for the palm oil sector. With 1,700 participants from across the world, the 2025 edition brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to examine how the sector is navigating rapid regulatory, technological, and market changes.

This year’s discussions highlighted a central theme: the future of palm oil will be defined not only by compliance and productivity but by trust, culture, and global leadership.

Pietro Paganini participated in the session “Palm Oil in a Shifting World: Regional Perspectives”, contributing to the discussion alongside Atul Chaturvedi (Asian Palm Oil Alliance), Abdul Rasheed Jan Mohammad (Westbury Group), Kian Pang Tan (LSED Singapore), and Alvin Tai (Bloomberg). The session was moderated by Agam Fatcurrochman (GAPKI).

Palm Oil in a Shifting World   

The discussion highlighted how producing and consuming regions are adapting to a sector undergoing profound transformation. Reputation, consumer expectations, and emerging narratives around nutrition, saturated fats, and sustainability are increasingly shaping competitiveness.

It became clear that consumers – not just regulators – are defining global standards for traceability, due diligence, and zero deforestation. While the EUDR remains a key challenge, producing countries are demonstrating readiness to adapt, supported by technologies such as satellite monitoring, drones, blockchain, and artificial intelligence.

From compliance to leadership

Pietro Paganini emphasized the paradox of palm oil: the world’s most productive and inclusive crop, essential for millions of smallholders and for global food security, continues to face a challenging reputation. Bridging the gap between perception and reality has become one of the main barriers to competitiveness.

Emerging narratives around health – especially growing concerns over saturated fats and the spread of palm oil free claims – are influencing consumer choices, often more than scientific evidence. This underscores the need to move from defensive communication to strategies based on education, transparency, innovation, and cultural credibility.

Palm oil has the potential to follow a trajectory similar to olive oil: from commodity to culture, from ingredient to global icon. Achieving this requires leadership. Producers, governments, and companies must embrace a new narrative focused on transparency, innovation, smallholder inclusion, and pride.

Bali demonstrated that the sector is ready. The challenge now is to act with vision and turn potential into global leadership.

Discover the highlights from the 20th IPOC here>>