Jokowi To Inaugurate Farmers' Oil Palm Replanting in North Sumatra

Medan, N Sumatra, (Antara Sumbar) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will inaugurate the program of replanting oil palm plantations of farmers in North Sumatra to take place in Dolok Masihul, Serdang Bedagai District, on November 25.

"North Sumatra is the second province in the program of replanting farmers' oil palm plantations using the fund of Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Body (BPDPKS) in Indonesia," Plantation Director General Bambang said here on Monday.

The first program is implemented in Muba, South Sumatra, Bambang said.

Bambang said the lands which have been ready for cultivation is 1,214 hectares located in three districts -- Serdang Bedagai 54 hectares of 32 farmers.

In Serdang Bedagai the replanting program is to be carried out in partnership with PT Paya Pinang and the state-owned lender bank BNI.

In Langkat, there are 256.92 hectares with 114 farmers in partnership with PT Perusahaan Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN 2) and BRI. In the Labuhanbatu Selatan District, there are 558,76 hectares of 278 farmers in partnership with PT Nubika Jaya, Asian Agri and BRI.

Bambang said in 2017, proposal for replanting in North Sumatra total 8,083 hectares in 11 regencies including districts of Serdang Bedagai 1,100 hectares, Langkat 508 hectares, Labuhanbatu Selatan 556 hectares, Asahan 955 hectares, Labuhanbatu 343.98 hectares, Batubara 270.61 hectares, Simalungun 973 hectares and Labuhanbatu Utara 979.5 hectares, Padanglawas Utara 210.8 hectares, Padanglawas 1,190 hectares and Deliserdang 996 hectares.

However, not all proposals have been ready and approved for replanting as there are certain conditions to be met.

"Therefore, for 2017, there are only three districts with 1,214 hectares of plantations approved for replanting with the (BPDPKS) program," Bambang said.

Totally all over the country, replanting will cover 20,780 hectares in 8 palm oil producing provinces.

"Not all provinces have been ready. Inauguration will only involve those already ready for the program," he said.

He said support from the government will be determinant in the success of the replanting program.

"The presence of President Joko Widodo in the replanting program is expected to contribute to settling problem related to oil palm plantations in North Sumatra," he said, adding including problem over lands.

"Farmers who could not yet included in the program are expected to make themselves ready in 2018 as there is still such program," he said.

Regional administrations could propose their farmers to be included in the replanting program in 2018 when the program is estimated to cover 165,000 hectares. (*)

Editor: Vicha Faradika