{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1389760,
        "msgid": "two-provinces-closed-to-new-plantations-1447893297",
        "date": "1998-03-18 00:00:00",
        "title": "Two provinces closed to new plantations",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Two provinces closed to new plantations JAKARTA (JP): North Sumatra and Riau provinces have been closed off to new plantation developments to prevent a further decline in forest areas, it was announced yesterday. Minister of Forestry and Plantations Sumahadi said existing plantation companies in the two provinces have also been banned from expanding their land parcels.",
        "content": "<p>Two provinces closed to new plantations<\/p>\n<p>JAKARTA (JP): North Sumatra and Riau provinces have been<br>\nclosed off to new plantation developments to prevent a further<br>\ndecline in forest areas, it was announced yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>Minister of Forestry and Plantations Sumahadi said existing<br>\nplantation companies in the two provinces have also been banned<br>\nfrom expanding their land parcels.<\/p>\n<p>New investment in the plantation sector will be directed to<br>\nthe country's eastern provinces where land resources are still<br>\nabundant, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\"Forests areas in North Sumatra and Riau has almost been fully<br>\nutilized. It is better and commercially more viable for new<br>\ninvestors to open plantations in eastern Indonesia,\" the minister<br>\nsaid during his first news conference.<\/p>\n<p>The ministry and other related offices such as the Investment<br>\nCoordinating Board will soon issue directives for the closing off<br>\nof the two provinces to new plantation projects, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Sumahadi, the former director general of inventory and forest<br>\nland use, said several other provinces in Sumatra would be out of<br>\nbounds for new plantation projects.<\/p>\n<p>He said the ministry, which currently supervises the<br>\ndirectorate general of plantations -- formerly under the ministry<br>\nof agriculture -- would simplify the licensing procedures to open<br>\nup plantations in eastern Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p>\"But the licenses will be given only to investors who want to<br>\ndevelop idle land, not in areas close to protected forests and<br>\nnational park.\"<\/p>\n<p>Sumahadi said the government would also revoke licenses of<br>\nplantation companies, which have not started their projects<br>\nwithin two years of the issuing of the license.<\/p>\n<p>The ministry has converted 3.4 million hectares of forest into<br>\nplantation areas, 2.4 million of which have been developed into<br>\npalm oil estates, he said. The remaining one million hectares has<br>\nbeen neglected.<\/p>\n<p>He also said the ministry would issue related directives for<br>\nplantations and timber companies to develop agroforestry<br>\nprograms. (gis)<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-provinces-closed-to-new-plantations-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}