The government is serious in its program of replanting all oil palm plantations owned by individual farmers in 2018, Plantation Director General Bambang MM said here on Monday.
Bambang was speaking when attending a ceremony to socialize replanting program of smallholder oil palm plantations in this municipal city of the Konawe Utara district around 145 kilometer north of Kendari.
"The replanting target for oil palm plantations this year was set at 185,000 hectares , the largest ever in a year. In previous years replanting covered only not more than 14,000 hectares a year," he said.
Replanting of smallholder oil palm plantations will take place in 20 provinces mainly in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara.
Bambang said with the program , the productivity of farmers oil palm plantations is expected to more than double - from 2-4 tons of fresh fruit bunches per hectare a year to 6 - 8 tons even up to 10 tons per hectare.
Southeast Sulawesi is not included in the 20 provinces listed in the replanting program but the provincial administration and the Agriculture Ministry will cooperate with a replanting target of 2,500 hectares of smallholder oil palm plantations, he said.
"Southeast Sulawesi is given a special replanting target of 2,500 hectares this year," he said.
Under the program, the farmers are entitled to Rp25 million-Rp35 million in replanting assistance per hectare from the government. The assistance is given for not more than 4 hectares of plantations of a farmer.
Bambang said the program , which might take a long time for completion, is expected to improve the welfare of the farmers. The program will include provision of high yield seed varieties.
Palm oil is one of the country`s largest export commodities. Indonesia is the world`s largest producer and exporter of palm oil mainly in crude palm oil (CPO).
Reporting by Abdul Azis Senong
Editing by Albert Saragih, Otniel Tamindael
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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