Palm Oil Trees Plantation Ecological Benefits

Sumatra is one of the most famous regions for its palm tree plantation in Indonesia. It is known as one of the largest palm tree plantations, by harvesting as large as a million square meters of plantation area. Despite having millions of square meters of harvesting palm oil trees, Sumatera is also famous for its consistent forest fire in its forest. 

Oil palm plantations have been consistently being the culprit of these forest fires where data shown that fires burnt outside of the concession. Also, a lot of these individuals who set the fires were not intended to grow oil palm, but for their agricultural activities other than oil palm. However, many of these fires then swept into oil palm plantations and it is shown as they set the fires. Oil palm plantations required huge investment, up to 100 million per hectare. It is not logical if owner of these plantations set fires to their plantations.

This image and reputation is clearly blaming the Indonesian palm oil industry, as it needs to be repaired. Despite the fact that forest fires have become a major issue regularly for the country, it has to be known that there are many other ways that could also cause a fire in the forest, some might be caused by the long dry season that will very likely burn some dry leaves and spread to a larger area as the wind constantly blows. 

Accusing the palm oil industry is certainly a wrongful thought that will certainly injure the image and reputation of the Indonesian palm oil industry itself. The public needs to trust the industry, as our objective is to increase the utilization of biodiesel fuel every year, for a better environment, for the benefit of our next generations. Therefore, trust from the public is a must. While the real cause of the forest fire that burned our forest needs further investigation, we at APROBI are clearly against any activity that is related to forest burn.

We at APROBI always encourage companies that are incorporated to avoid anything that leads to an event that might cause a forest fire. APROBI is highly aware of the natural resources that need to be preserved, in order to fulfill our main objective, which is to create a better environment, especially in terms of air quality.

There are plenty of benefits that Indonesia may be able to take advantage of in the future. One fact about an oil palm plantation, it actually helps the land to be more fertile. Other than making the land more fertile, researchers believe there are more benefits to be found in the future from the oil palm plantation.

Aside from environmental benefits that have been mentioned previously, in terms of poverty alleviation, according to our record oil palm plantation has helped millions of families to raise their income and create a better life for their family. This fact is also confirmed by the data of the Ministry of Agriculture, as in 2018 as many as 5.81 million hectare is owned by the local residents who have been living in the area from generations to generations. Therefore, supporting the oil palm plantation is not only about saving our environment, but it is clearly saving other families from poverty, for a better life and a better future.

 

Sources:

–https://www.infosawit.com/news/9434/manfaat-sisi-ekologis-kelapa-sawit–selain-sisi-ekonominya

–https://m.bisnis.com/amp/read/20160201/99/514863/potensi-ekologis-kelapa-sawit