Kotabaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Oil palm farmers in Kotabaru District, South Kalimantan, have a quite big opportunity to get funding for oil palm rejuvenation or replanting.
"One of the requirements is a recommendation from the regional head or regent," said a legislator, Hj Alfisah, as reported on Saturday.
The former chairman of Kotabaru General Election Commission (KPU) admitted that Commission II of the DPRD has coordinated with the Palm Oil Research Center (PPKS) regarding the replanting.
"It turns out that the opportunity for Kotabaru farmers to gain the program is very large, the government is not taking side, anyone can get the aid as long as it doesn't exceed the quota of two hectares per family (KK)," she pointed out.
In addition to requiring recommendation from the regional heads, the government team will also verify directly with oil palm farmers.
The Plantation Agency or related agency will collect data through cooperatives or farmer groups that have been approved by the relevant agency.
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Accordng to the former chairwoman of the Kotabaru DPRD for the 2014-2019 period, farmers who are interested in getting the program can immediately consult the relevant agency.
Previously, she continued, DPRD together with the related agencies in Kotabaru had held a coordination meeting to discuss the big opportunity for oil palm rejuvenation.
It is not specific to 25-year-old oil palm trees, even 5 year-olds can apply, because the seeds planted by farmers are not superior.
Meanwhile, based on information the Gajah Mada Village Unit Cooperative (KUD), which managed about 7,100 hectares of plasma oil palm plantation owned by it members has received replanting fund of IDR30 million per hectare from the government.
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