Japan delays palm RSPO requirement for biomass - Indonesia

3/29/2019

JAKARTA, March 29 (Reuters) -

* Japan's trade and industry ministry has agreed to a two-year delay to its requirement for certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for palm products used in Japanese biomass power plants, Indonesia's trade ministry said in a statement on Friday

* Last year, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued guidelines for biomass power plants to require palm to be certified sustainable by the RSPO from March 31, 2019

* Indonesia's government said Japan agreed to a two-year delay during negotiations on a general review of the two country's economic partnership, the statement said

* Japan would also allow sustainability certification by bodies other than RSPO, including Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO), the statement added (Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy; editing by David Evans)