Agriculture Minister Amran to Develop Palm Oil on Barren Land, Here is the Target
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Agriculture Minister/Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Amran Sulaiman is opening options for expanding palm oil land to drive national production, focusing on utilising barren or non-forested land.
Amran emphasised that palm oil development will not target forest areas or disrupt ecosystems, but will instead be directed towards marginal land that has been unproductive so far. “We prioritise barren land, land that is not forested. We prioritise that,” Amran said to reporters in his office, Jakarta, on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
According to him, this step can actually provide added value to the country, including from an economic perspective and land management that was previously unutilised. “So that it actually benefits forestry, right? We prioritise marginal land. Barren areas. That means it benefits the country, right?” he stated.
In addition, Amran assured that palm oil development will not disrupt existing food crop land such as rice fields, as it is regulated under applicable regulations. “There is regulation, there is protection. Hopefully this will be completed quickly, we target this. Hurry up,” he said.
He assessed that increasing palm oil production is also driven by improving global price prospects and exports, which are seen to boost farmers’ enthusiasm for planting. “As long as this (CPO price) keeps rising, exports rise, production rises, because farmers are motivated,” Amran explained.
Prabowo Pushes for Palm Oil, Sugarcane & Cassava Planting in Papua
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto wanted to accelerate energy self-sufficiency. Therefore, he instructed regional heads to plant commodities from palm oil to sugarcane in Papua for renewable vegetable fuel.
This directive was conveyed during the event of giving guidance to Regional Heads throughout Papua and the Executive Committee for Accelerating Special Autonomy Development in Papua, at the State Palace, on Tuesday (16/12/2025).
According to Prabowo, Papua has great potential for developing bioenergy raw materials that can produce fuel oil (BBM) or ethanol.
“We hope that in the Papua region, palm oil must also be planted so that it can produce BBM from palm oil. Also sugarcane to produce ethanol, cassava also to produce ethanol so that we plan that in five years all regions can stand on their own feet,” Prabowo said.
Thus, Indonesia will not only achieve food self-sufficiency. In addition, it will also be able to reduce the trillions of subsidy funds poured out every year. “In this way, we can cover hundreds of trillions for subsidies. Hundreds of trillions for importing BBM from abroad,” he stated.
“If we can plant palm oil, plant cassava, plant sugarcane using solar and water power, imagine how many hundreds of trillions we can save every year,” Prabowo added.