13/05/2013 (Jakarta Post) - The government says it will extend its moratorium on forestry conversions despite protests from firms that want access to forests and peatlands to produce palm oil.

“The Forestry Ministry has made it clear that the government should continue the moratorium, despite protests from some business players,” Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said on Saturday during the launch of a CPO land export lane in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan.

Bayu said that the government was preparing a regulation to replace the 2011 presidential instruction that established the moratorium that will expire this month.

The moratorium was issued following the approval of a bilateral agreement between Indonesia and Norway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.