Aceh boosts CPO production

JAKARTA (JP): The province of Aceh expects to become one of the country's major crude palm oil (CPO) producers within the next few years, given the sharp increase in the size of its oil palm plantations.

Head of the local plantation office Zainoeddin Andib said the provincial government had allowed the use of 139,473 hectares for oil palm plantations this year to further raise the province's CPO output.

At present, Aceh produces about 400,000 tons of CPO a year, mostly from 16 palm oil refinery plants in the province.

Zainoeddin said the refinery plants were operating on plantation estates totaling 175,975 hectares. (bkm)