Agriculture Ministry Optimistic about Boosting CPO Production
21 May 2013 17:32 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The director general for plantations at the Agriculture Ministry, Gamal Nasir, says he is optimistic the production target for crude palm oil (CPO) can be achieved despite land expansion obstacles. Earlier this month, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono extended the moratorium on issuing new licenses for the use of primary forests and peat land until 2005.
Gamal stated that without acquiring new land, Indonesia could still increase its CPO production using the current available land. One of the ways to do this is by optimizing unused land.
Aside from taking advantage of unused land, Gamal added that the government would push for an increase in land productivity. In 2012, the government recorded CPO land productivity to be only 3.57 tons per hectare.
Previously, the ministry aimed for a CPO production of 9.1 million tons per hectare by 2025. In 2012, Indonesia produced 26.5 million tons with an export of 18.14 million tons of CPO and its derivatives. This year, CPO production is predicted to reach 28 tons.
BERNADETTE CHRISTINA
