United States
US Customs Detains Palm Oil From Two Indonesian Plantations Over Forced-Labour Concerns
US Customs has ordered immediate detention of palm oil and derivative products made by Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation in Indonesia.
Dr Steven Brennan
2 min readAI-drafted, expert reviewed
US Palm Oil Forced-Labour Orders Take Immediate Effect
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued two Withhold Release Orders against goods produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP) in Indonesia. The agency announced the orders on 29 September 2026. They took immediate effect at every US port of entry.
The orders cover palm oil and derivative products produced by the two named plantations. They do not prohibit every palm-oil shipment from Indonesia and do not automatically cover unrelated producers. CBP says it identified nine International Labour Organization forced-labour indicators at MAR and seven at HIP. The release states no minimum content threshold or product exemption.
The legal basis is 19 U.S.C. section 1307, which prohibits the importation of merchandise mined, produced or manufactured wholly or in part through forced labour. A Withhold Release Order reflects information that reasonably indicates forced labour. It is not the same as a formal finding following a completed investigation.
Options For Detained Shipments
CBP says importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export the goods, or demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labour. These options are subject to the applicable customs procedures.
The agency reviewed interview transcripts, payroll slips, harvest quotas, photographs, government and non-governmental organisation reports, news reporting and academic research. It attributed nine International Labour Organization indicators to MAR and seven to HIP, including debt bondage, withheld wages, excessive overtime and abusive working or living conditions.
Questions about this change
Do the US palm-oil withhold release orders cover every Indonesian producer?
No. The US palm-oil orders cover goods produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation. They do not automatically cover all Indonesian palm-oil producers.
How can importers seek release of palm oil detained under the US forced-labour orders?
Importers may submit evidence to US Customs and Border Protection that detained palm oil was not produced with forced labour. Export or destruction are alternative routes, subject to the applicable procedures.
Dr Steven Brennan
CEO and co-founder of Foresight, and a co-opted member of ECHA's Committee for Socio-economic Analysis. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering.
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