REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANADO -- Investors from South Korea are considering investing in palm oil and fishery industries in the North Maluku province, Deputy Governor of North Maluku Sanny Parengkuan said here on Friday.

"The potential of fishery and palm oil industries in North Maluku is strong, but not yet developed to the maximum," Sanny added.

According to the deputy governor, several areas, such as Bitung city, will be perfect as a fishery industry base. Sanny also said Bitung city was the center of the fishery industry in the province. The area will be even more developed if the South Korean investors agree to invest there.

As for the potential location of the plantation industry, Sanny recommended the Bolaang Mongondouw district.

Meanwhile, North Maluku's Chairman of Plantation Office, Jenny Karouw, said there was enough land in the province to be made into palm oil plantations.

Indonesia is currently the world's largest producer of palm oil. Spokesman of the Indonesia Palm Oil Association Tofan Mahdi said Indonesia has been the world's largest palm oil producer for the last ten years, producing up to 27 tons and beating Malaysia, which had produced 18.9 tons.

Palm oil industry provides livelihood to millions of Indonesian farmers, 42 percent of 9.1 million hectares of oil palm plantations in the country are owned by smallholders.

With regard to environmental concern, the government claimed it had issued regulations to protect the environment, including the forests such as by the zero burning regulation in opening new plantations. The government has also extended a moratorium banning conversion of forests into new plantations.

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