Plantation: Demand Takes the Lead
**Phintraco Sekuritas Sector Update**
**Plantation Sector**
**Aditya Prayoga**
> The plantation sector's performance in 1Q26 showed a quarterly normalization following the strong performance recorded in 4Q25. Aggregate revenue grew 7.3% YoY to IDR 16.0 Trillion, but declined 3.8% QoQ as the peak production and harvesting season came to an end, resulting in lower sales volumes across most companies under our coverage. A similar trend was reflected in aggregate gross profit and net profit, which declined by 22.9% QoQ and 14.3% QoQ, respectively.
> STAA recorded the strongest growth within our coverage universe, with revenue rising 49.2% YoY to IDR 2.5 Trillion, driven by the contribution from its refinery business, which was not reflected in 1Q25. However, its quarterly performance also normalized, with revenue and net profit declining by 20.0% QoQ and 31.6% QoQ, respectively. In terms of profitability, SSMS remained the sector leader with a GPM of 36.0%, while AALI posted the lowest margins, with a GPM of 15.5% and an NPM of 5.0%.
>We expect Indonesia’s CPO production to remain relatively stagnant in FY26F at around 58 million tons (+0–1% YoY) While 2H26 production is likely to be slightly stronger than 1H26, supported by seasonal patterns where approximately 53% of annual output is generated in the second half, we believe the improvement will be largely seasonal in nature.
>Looking ahead, the potential emergence of El Niño in 2H26 remains a factor worth monitoring. Nevertheless, we believe the risk to FY26F production remains relatively limited, given that weather-related impacts on palm oil productivity typically materialize with a lag of 9–12 months. As a result, any stronger-than-expected El Niño event is more likely to affect the FY27F production outlook rather than FY26F.
> On the demand side, the implementation of the mandatory B50 biodiesel program, effective from 1 July 2026, is expected to significantly increase domestic CPO consumption. Based on the government’s simulation, CPO demand for biodiesel could rise to approximately 17.9 million tons (+33.4%), creating additional demand of around 4.35 million tons compared to the current B40 scheme. As domestic demand growth is expected to outpace supply growth, market balances could tighten further and support CPO prices.
> External demand is also expected to remain supportive. India's seasonal restocking cycle ahead of the Diwali festival is likely to strengthen imports during 2H26, while recent data suggest that China's palm oil imports are beginning to recover after several years of decline. We believe these factors should help absorb additional supply entering the market during the second half of the year.
>Downside risks to our view include: (1) volatility in CPO and other vegetable oil prices, (2) changes in biodiesel or export policies, and (3) higher-than-expected fertilizer and operating costs resulting from geopolitical tensions and global supply chain disruptions.
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By PHINTRACO SEKURITAS | Research
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