In brief
Indonesia will revoke or limit land cultivation rights for 11 palm oil firms connected to Kalimantan fires, with three facing full revocation and others subject to partial measures. The move follows police recommendations and aims to curb illicit land use and future fires. The policy impacts plantations across South, West, and East Kalimantan, but key details on which companies fall under which category remain unclear.
Indonesia announced that it will revoke or restrict land cultivation rights for 11 plantation firms linked to repeated forest and land fires in Kalimantan, a decision made after recommendations from the national police’s criminal investigation department. The announcement was made by Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid on Monday.
According to the minister’s statement, three of the firms will lose their cultivation rights entirely because their concession areas suffered fires that affected more than half of their land. Those companies also lacked adequate fire‑prevention facilities and were found to have violated land‑use conditions set by authorities.
The remaining eight firms will face a range of measures: some will have only part of their cultivation rights revoked, others will be denied new rights, and a few are slated for further review. All affected firms are located across South, West, and East Kalimantan, reflecting the widespread nature of the fire crisis in the province.
In the same breath, several stakeholders highlighted ongoing environmental recovery efforts in the region. A palm oil company noted that through a riparian rehabilitation program in high‑conservation value areas of West Kalimantan, it has restored 320 hectares of buffer zone land since 2023. This restoration work is part of a broader strategy to reduce fire risk and improve ecological resilience.
The revocation plan reflects a growing trend of stricter oversight over the palm oil industry in Indonesia. Reports from local news outlets echo the minister’s announcement, stating that the government will take action against the 11 companies that have repeatedly contributed to forest and land fires. No additional details have been released regarding the identities of the firms beyond the categorization of impact and intended legal measures.
Uncertainties remain about the specific companies that will see full revocation versus partial revocation, the exact protocols for denial of new land rights, and the long‑term enforcement mechanisms that will be employed. The policy’s effectiveness in preventing future fires also hinges on how the measures are implemented across Kalimantan’s diverse landscapes.
