Pelalawan, March 22, 2025 – In line with its ongoing commitment to supporting local communities, Asian Agri organized its annual Affordable Premium Cooking Oil Bazaar across three of its operational areas: North Sumatra, Riau, and Jambi. The initiative, held from March 12 to 22, aimed to provide easier access to high-quality cooking oil at lower prices ahead of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
“This initiative reflects Asian Agri’s commitment to the 5Cs principle—Good for the Community, Good for the Country, Good for the Climate, Good for the Customer, and Good for the Company,” said The Head of Operations at Asian Agri, Omri Samosir,. “We continue to look for ways to bring tangible benefits to the communities around us. Through this bazaar, we hope to ease the burden on families preparing for the festive season by offering premium cooking oil at an affordable price.”
This year’s program allowed local residents to purchase VIP-brand premium cooking oil, limited to two liters per person to ensure fair distribution.
In Riau, Asian Agri distributed about 16,700 liters of cooking oil across 33 villages. “For us, business sustainability goes beyond economic value. It includes positive social and environmental impact as well,” said the Regional Head of Asian Agri for Riau, Pengarapen Gurusinga,. “By supporting food security and responsible business practices, we aim to strengthen our ties with local communities. We hope this initiative reaches those who need it most.”
One of the participating business units, PT Inti Indosawit Subur (PT IIS), held its bazaar on March 13 in Bukit Agung Village, Kerinci Kanan District, Siak Regency. The Plasma Estate Manager at PT IIS, Hendra Saragih emphasized the company’s role in price stability. “We support the government’s efforts to maintain stable prices, especially during the festive period. Our goal is to help the community access affordable, quality cooking oil,” he said.
The Village Head of Bukit Agung, Parlaungan Panjaitan expressed appreciation for the initiative. “We thank the company for caring about our community. As food prices rise during Ramadan, not everyone can afford basic necessities. This bazaar is very helpful. We hope the volume can be increased next year because the community response was overwhelming.”
Local resident Suparmi echoed the sentiment. “Thanks to PT IIS for organizing this cooking oil bazaar. It really helps us, especially with the rising costs before Eid. We hope this continues every year. Events like this make a big difference, especially for mothers trying to stretch their household budgets,” she said.
During the 2025 Ramadan season, Asian Agri distributed over 28,000 liters of affordable premium cooking oil across 99 villages in North Sumatra, Riau, and Jambi.
About Asian Agri
Founded in 1979, Asian Agri is one of Indonesia’s foremost companies in crude palm oil production, managing over 100,000 hectares of oil palm plantations and employing over 20,000 people.
As a pioneer of the Indonesian Government’s Smallholder Transmigration Core Plantation Programme (PIR-Trans), Asian Agri has partnered with 30,000 scheme smallholders in Riau and Jambi, who collectively manage 60,000 hectares of oil palm plantations. The company also fosters partnerships with independent smallholders to enhance their welfare and drive socio-economic growth.
Committed to sustainable practices, Asian Agri upholds a zero-burning policy and implements plantation best management practices to help smallholders boost productivity, increase crop yields, and improve supply chain traceability while supporting their journey towards certification. Asian Agri’s mills leveraged advanced technology and self-generated green energy to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
Asian Agri’s plantations, as along with their scheme smallholder plantations, are full Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified, underscoring the company’s commitment to responsible and sustainable palm oil production.
Please visit Asian Agri’s website for more information and media inquiries may be directed to:
Corporate Communication, Asian Agri
E-mail: communications@asianagri.com
