Central Bengkulu Regency Proposes 212 Hectares for Palm Oil Replanting Programme

The Central Bengkulu Regency Government, located in Bengkulu Province, has proposed a palm oil replanting programme covering 212 hectares to the central government for the year 2026.

“It is true that this year we have proposed a palm oil replanting programme with a total proposed area of 212 hectares, out of the total quota of 500 hectares provided by the Palm Oil Fund Management Agency (BPDP),” stated the Head of the Central Bengkulu Agriculture Office, Helmi Yuliandri, in Bengkulu on Saturday.

The proposed 212 hectares consist of 191 hectares from the Selupu Lama farmer group and 21 hectares from the Sumber Tani Makmur farmer group. He noted that the proposal was made because the palm oil plantations owned by farmers in Central Bengkulu have reached an old age, leading farmers to hope that the proposal will be realised.

On the other hand, farmers wishing to participate in the replanting programme must meet several requirements, such as owning palm oil plantation land, having plants at least seven years old, using non-certified seeds, and experiencing low productivity. Furthermore, the target land for the replanting programme must not be located within forest areas or Right to Cultivate (HGU) areas.

To this end, the Central Bengkulu Agriculture Office regularly conducts field visits to provide guidance and direction to farmer groups. “Our extension officers frequently provide coaching to farmers to ensure they understand how to meet the requirements to qualify for this replanting programme,” he said.

Helmi explained that for the 2026 replanting programme, the process of data collection and field verification is still ongoing. If the requirements are met, the process will proceed to the signing of a tripartite agreement between the distributing bank, the BPDPKS, and the farmer groups.

“After that, the BPDPKS, through the distributing bank, will transfer the replanting funds to the farmer groups’ accounts. These funds will subsequently be used for activities such as tree felling, terrace construction, and the purchase of seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides, and pest control,” he clarified.