PALMOILMAGAZINE, WEST SUMATRA – The government of Pasaman Barat, West Sumatra, is urging palm oil farmers to replant trees older than 25 years to maintain plantation productivity.
Afrizal, Secretary of the Pasaman Barat Plantation and Livestock Agency, explained that palm oil trees over 25 years old experience a significant decline in yield. “Once they reach this age, productivity is no longer optimal, and replanting is necessary,” he stated in Simpang Empat, as reported by Palmoilmagazine.com via Antara on Monday (24/2/2025).
Old palm trees generally produce less than 10 tons per hectare annually. To address this, the Pasaman Barat government has implemented a smallholder palm oil replanting program covering 2,009 hectares since 2018. In 2025, the target is to replant an additional 1,000 hectares.
Also Read: Bengkalis Plantation Office Conducts Socialization on Oil Palm Replanting Program
Farmers must meet several criteria to qualify for the program, including tree age over 25 years, productivity below 10 tons per hectare per year, use of non-superior seedlings, and a minimum plot size of 50 hectares within a 10-kilometer radius.
The program is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture through the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS). As of 2024, only 143 hectares have been replanted in Pasaman Barat. To streamline applications, the government has adopted an app-based system for verification at farmer, district, provincial, and central levels. Additionally, applicants must provide land status documents from the National Land Agency (BPN/ATR) confirming the area is outside corporate land concessions and a statement from the Forest Area Stabilization Agency (BPKH) Wilayah 1 Medan ensuring it is not part of a forest zone.
Afrizal highlighted that the replanting program has significantly benefited farmers by improving plantation productivity and crop diversity. “Through replanting, farmers’ livelihoods can gradually improve,” he added.
Pasaman Barat has a total palm oil plantation area of 189,508 hectares, comprising 62,574 hectares owned by large corporations and 126,934 hectares managed by smallholders. Of the smallholder plantations, 126,934 hectares are eligible for replanting.
“So far, only about 2% of the eligible smallholder plantations have been replanted. We hope this program continues annually to ensure sustainable palm oil productivity,” Afrizal concluded. (P2)
