200,000 hectares of Indonesian palm plantations to be forested

Around 200,000 hectares of palm plantations in areas designated as forests in Indonesia could be converted back to tree canopy, a government official has announced.

Ownership of the plantation lands, which cover an area roughly two-and-a-half times as big as New York City, is expected to be returned to the state.

The move follows legislation issued in 2020 aimed at clarifying the legal status of plantations operating in areas designated as forests.

Around 3.3 million of the country's 17 million hectares of palm plantation have so far been identified as illegally occupying land that should be tree canopy.

Plantation owners falling foul of the rules will face a fine and no longer be able to grow palm oil on the land.

Indonesia is the world's biggest producer of palm oil, which is used in products including cakes and biscuits, cosmetics, soaps and cleaning products.

"The ones in protected forests and conservation forests, the government wants to restore after they pay the fine," said forestry ministry secretary general Bambang Hendroyono.

As part of government efforts to mitigate climate change, an estimated 200,000 hectares of palm plantations found in forest areas will be returned, Bambang told reporters, but this total may increase.