Indonesia reported that 200 thousand hectares of palm plantations will be converted into forests

About 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in Indonesia are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests, a government official said. Indonesia, the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil, issued rules in 2020 aimed at determining the legality of plantations operating in areas believed to be forests and aimed at streamlining governance in the sector. Officials said the measures were necessary because some companies have been tending the land for years, although green groups have attacked the government for forgiving past encroachments on forests. According to the rules, companies must submit documents and pay fines to obtain cultivation rights on their plantation by November 2, 2023. While 3.3 million hectares (8.1 million acres) of the country's nearly 17 million hectares of palm plantations were found in forests, only plantation owners totaling 1.67 million hectares were identified, ...