Indonesia finds one-fifth of palm oil plantations are illegal

JAKARTA (Bloomberg): Indonesia is trying to clamp down on illegal palm oil plantations by first identifying the perpetrators.

A government investigation found that 3.1 million hectares, or about 19% of the country’s total oil palm plantations, are operating without permits in forest areas.

Authorities are in the process of identifying the owners of the unlicensed plantations and are seeking legal advice on how to deal with them, according to an official at Indonesia’s ministry of economic affairs.