Indonesia’s sugar association is seeking 500,000 hectares of land for new sugar cane plantations in a bid to make the country self-sufficient in sugar production, reports Tempo Interactive.
Suryo Alam, the Indonesian Refined Sugar Association (AGRI), said the land would be part of the 900,000 hectares the Ministry of Forestry recently set aside for conversion. The recently passed moratorium on new licenses for converting primary forests and peatlands includes an exemption for sugar cane.
AGRI is seeking land in Merauke is a regency in Papua Province in Indonesian New Guinea, Southeast Sulawesi and Sumbawa, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands.
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