President Jokowi Rejuvenates Palm Oil Plantations in South Sumatra

President Jokowi while doing replanting in Panca Tunggal Village, Sungai Lilin District, Musi Banyuasin Regency, Friday (13/10) (Photo: BPMI)

To begin the second day of his working visit to South Sumatra Province, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday (13/10) did the first planting aimed at rejuvenating palm oil plantation (covering 4.400 hectares), in Panca Tunggal Village, Sungai Lilin District, Musi Banyuasin Regency, Friday (13/10).

According to the President, the cost of the rejuvenation will be covered by the Government, and it includes the seed for corn crops.

This year, the President added, the Government will provide  aids in the form of plantation commodity seeds amounting to 35.5 million stems, which include coffee (4.8 million stems), nutmeg (2.7 million stems), pepper (2 million stems) and rubber (5.7 million stems).

The President also pledged he would go back to the plantation a year later or in the beginning of 2019 to monitor the developments. “If you work with me, I will obviously check it. Have you made progress or not? I’ll check everything,” President Jokowi said.

Regarding plantation that is built in forest areas, President Jokowi said that he already instructed related ministries to remove them from forest areas and to certify them later on. “But this is special for palm oil plantations owned by the people. To those attending who already have the certificates please raise your certificates so we can see them. Later after this, there will be more who will have the certificates,” the President said.

President Jokowi went on to say that, after South Sumatra, the rejuvenation program will also be done in North Sumatra, Jambi, and Riau.

“This year, we will concentrate on Sumatra Island first. Afterwards, we will turn to Kalimantan. Indeed, we want to be focused on our works so it will be easy for checking and controlling,” the President said.

President Jokowi further said that the Government targeted that palm oil plantation owned by the people can produce up to 8 tons/hectare per year. Therefore, the President called on to take care of and nurture the seeds that are already provided. “If private sectors or companies can do this, farmers should also be able to do this,” President Jokowi said.

President Jokowi added that, after palm oil, rejuvenation program will also be implemented to rubber plantation, coffee plantation, cocoa plantation, and nutmeg plantation. “Once we have rejuvenated palm oil plantations, we will rejuvenate other plantations such as rubber plantation, coffee plantation, cocoa plantation, and nutmeg plantations because they have never been rejuvenated  since 15, 20, 25 years ago. We should not be left behind from Vietnam in terms of nutmeg plantation, or from Brazil or Columbia in terms of coffee plantations. Actually, our lands are fertile but, because they have never been rejuvenated and have been abandoned, the lands become unproductive for a long term,” the President said.

Also joining the President on that occasion were Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Governor of South Sumatra Alex Noerdin. (/BPMI Setpres/ES)