Jakarta, April 16 -- Indonesia's palm oil industry could unlock higher-value products and strengthen competitiveness by adopting a circular economy model across upstream and downstream operations, according to a researcher at IPB University.

Siti Nikmatin from IPB's Palm Oil Study Center said the approach enables waste conversion into marketable products, though implementation requires scientific expertise and technological development.

"The circular economy model can and should be applied in the palm oil industry, but it depends on knowledge and technology to implement effectively," she said Thursday.

Palm oil is considered a zero-waste crop, she said, as nearly all parts of the plant - from fruit and kernels to fronds, empty bunches ...