Govt Supports Farmers In Producing Palm Oil

London (Antara Bali) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister Suswono said the government supported farmers in cultivating oil palm plantation while stressing the importance of sustainability principle in increasing their palm oil production.

The minister made the remarks in his key note address in a roundtable discussion on Indonesian sustainable palm oil in Berlin organized by the Indonesian Embassy  and the Ministry of Agriculture, Councillor for Social and Cultural Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy n Berlin, Ayodhia GL Kalake told ANTARA in London on Sunday.

According to the minister, the government support is part of the national program in increasing palm oil productivity carried out without ignoring the environmental aspect.

This is important to be underlined as it is connected to the accusations from various sides that the Indonesian government ignored the protection aspect of the environment in opening of new lands.

He said that with such an extensive land it had-reaching eight million hectares- Indonesia's productivity was still lower than the other country which had land only half of Indonesia's.(IGT)