Remaining Forest Cover Area in Oil Palm Plantation Areas in 10 Provinces
As of 2018, forest cover within oil palm plantation areas in 10 provinces remained at 3.02 million hectares. Previously, forest cover reached 5.4 million hectares in 2001. The average annual decline in forest cover is 3 percent. This reduction in forest cover has resulted in an increase in oil palm plantations by 2.3 million hectares.
According to data compiled by Madani, Papua has the largest forest cover within oil palm plantations. Its forest cover reached 1.2 million hectares in 2018. West Papua came in second with 389,000 hectares. However, the greatest forest cover loss within oil palm concessions occurred in Riau province, with 366,000 hectares, or 9.3 percent of its 453,000 hectares in 2001.
Through the Presidential Instruction on the Palm Oil Moratorium issued in 2018, President Joko Widodo instructed the Minister of Environment and Forestry to identify oil palm plantations, particularly those indicated to be located within forest areas. Furthermore, he also instructed the re-designation of areas originating from forest areas in accordance with statutory provisions.
