Forest conversion agreed

JAKARTA (JP): The government has so far allowed nine million hectares of forest to be converted into plantations, the forestry ministry's director general of inventory and forest management, Sumahadi, said Tuesday.

"Most of the forest is in Sumatra and Kalimantan," he was quoted by Antara. as saying.

He said the government had agreed to convert about 16 million hectares of nonforest area into plantations.

About 30 million hectares of forested area can be converted without government permission.

He said the converted forests were also used for transmigration programs. (bnt)