24/1/06 JAKARTA, (Asia Pulse) - The government defend its plan for massive project to build oil palm plantations along the frontier areas in Kalimantan bordering on Malaysia describing it as having good economic prospects.
Non governmental organizations have criticised the plan, saying that the damage to the environment is larger than gains from the project.

Government officials speaking at a seminar held by the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) said the project will create 3.5 million new jobs.

One million farm families will be involved in the project, with each to be allotted 2 hectares of the plantations.

The project if implemented is forecast to produce 2.7 million tons of fresh fruit bunches of oil palm a year in 2010.

(ANTARA)