Planned plantations may cause losses<\/p>\n
Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government's plan to establish the world's largest area of
\noil palm plantations, which would also serve as a buffer zone,
\nalong the border between Indonesia and Malaysia on Borneo island
\nwill in fact lead to economic losses, an environmentalist group
\nsays.<\/p>\n
\"If the government carries on with the plan to fell tropical
\nforests there and give the land over to plantations, it will
\nbadly affect the local economy,\" Greenomics Indonesia executive
\ndirector Elfian Effendi said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The non-governmental organization estimates that potential
\nlosses in the long run could reach Rp 27 trillion (US$2.7
\nbillion) annually due to environmental degradation.<\/p>\n
According to documents obtained from a consortium of state
\nplantation firms -- PT Perkebunan Nusantara No. I to XIV -- that
\nhave been obtained by Greenomics, there is a plan to convert 1.8
\nmillion hectares of land to oil palm plantations.<\/p>\n
The planting of one million hectares would be funded by
\nChinese investors and would be located in West Kalimantan, while
\nthe remaining 800,000 hectares would be located in East
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
The overall cost of the project would amount to some US$8
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
\"The planned plantation would decrease the quality of
\necological support and lead to economic losses in the
\nagricultural, trade, industry and transportation sectors,\" Elfian
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that communications would be badly affected as people
\nand industry in the area were highly dependent on river
\ntransportation. \"If rivers are degraded because of the plantation
\nscheme, people would have difficulties moving their goods.\"<\/p>\n
The problem would later affect trade and industry.<\/p>\n
\"The conversion of the land will also trigger natural
\ndisasters in the future. If this happens, the local budget that was
\noriginally allocated for the development will have to be
\nreallocated to repair the damage,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Of 2.3 million hectares of plantation in West Kalimantan, some
\n1.5 million hectares have been abandoned. Greenomics has
\nsuggested that the abandoned land be revitalized instead of
\nconverting conservation areas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/planned-plantations-may-cause-losses-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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