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Palm oil plantation company PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk (AALI) consistently implements the palm oil replanting program (PSR). AALI said that the average replanting realization has reached 4,000 to 5,000 hectares (ha) every year since the program was released in 2016.
“We consistently replant every year in the range of 4,000-5,000 hectares per year,” said Vice President Investor Relations & Public Affairs, Astra Agro Lestari, Fenny Sofyan, when contacted by Kontan, on Sunday (12/5).
Fenny acknowledged the importance of fulfilling the obligation to replant oil palm to increase the resilience of the palm oil industry. The reason is, if oil palm is not in the prime production age phase. Then, it will affect the production of palm oil.
“Of course, the tree’s age greatly impacts its optimal productivity. The older the tree, the less productive it is,” said Fenny.
Furthermore, she said, there is no specific standard for replanting. But the ideal replanting is done on palm trees that are 25 years old. Because that is the productive age for palm trees
“There is no ideal age for replanting, but indeed, at 25 years old, the plants will be classified as old plants that must be considered for replanting,” he said.
But it does not rule out the possibility that the replanting process can be done above the age of 25. Of course, with consideration of the quantity of national production.
“But can it be more? Of course, it can. There are several replanting considerations related to business where replanting is good for the future (increasing production in the next 3-5 years), but it must also be considered if the quantity of national production is in the present,” he said.
For this reason, Astra Agro Lestari is committed to maintaining national productivity levels and optimizing factory utilization.
“So we are also a company that must maintain that national productivity remains stable and factory utilization remains optimal (because replanting means that plants cannot produce in 3-5 years, right),” he explained.
Previously, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the average realization of the PSR program has only reached 50,000 hectares (ha) each year since its release in 2016.
“And this is less than 30% of the target at that time set by the President of 180,000 ha per year,” Airlangga said at the National Coordination Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil Plantation Action Plan on Thursday (28/3).
Since the program was launched, the realization of the palm oil replanting program has only reached 331,007 ha. In fact, PSR has a target area of 180,000 ha each year in 21 central oil palm-producing provinces.
Source: Industri.kontan.co.id
