Palm oil production increases by 4.4%

Palm oil production increases by 4.4%

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah
said yesterday that Indonesian crude palm oil (CPO) production
increased by 4.4 percent in one year to 3.42 million tons in
1993.

According to the ministry's press release, the increase was
generated by a 10.4 percent expansion of palm plantations area to
1.61 million hectares last year.

The 1993 production fell below the target of 3.75 million
tons because of a delay in the completion of several plants in
West Kalimantan and Riau.

The minister projected that with the start-up of several new
mills, that oil production could increase to 4.09 million tons
this year.

About 60.2 percent of the national output last year was
produced in North Sumatra, 18.3 percent in Riau, 4.9 percent in
Aceh, 3.8 percent in South Sumatra and 3.5 percent in West
Sumatra.

He said that 42.9 percent of 1993 production was derived from
state-owned plantations, 40 percent from private plantations and
17 percent from smallholders.

He said the number of oil processing units increased from 49
with a milling capacity of 1,324 fresh fruit bunches per hour in
1983 to 109 units with a total capacity of 3,916 tons per hour in
1993. Of the total, 58 units are owned by state plantation
companies and 51 units by the private sector.

He said that by 1998, private plantation companies will own
more processing plants than the state firms as the former
companies will build 67 new mills.(03)