The head of the Communication Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (Bakom RI), Muhammad Qodari, said that oil palm plantations operating without official permits in Indonesia cover around 6 million hectares. He made the statement during a working visit to Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, on Wednesday, 22 July 2026.
According to Kompas.com, Qodari cited the figure while visiting a Koperasi Desa Merah Putih (Red and White Village Cooperative, part of a national government village-cooperative programme) in Banyuwangi. He compared the area with other regions to illustrate its scale.
Qodari said 6 million hectares is roughly equivalent to half the area of Java. Compared with Bali, the unpermitted plantations would cover around 12 times the island's area.
He made the remarks in front of local government officials, hundreds of village heads and managers of the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih. Policy information and governance documents can be found on GIMNI's regulations page.
Sources monitored
- Kompas.com — "Pemerintah Temukan 6 Juta Hektare Lahan Sawit Ilegal, Luasnya 12 Kali Pulau Bali" (Government finds 6 million hectares of illegal oil palm land, 12 times the size of Bali) — source link (in Indonesian).
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Indonesian version: Pemerintah Sebut Luas Lahan Sawit Ilegal Capai 6 Juta Hektare
