Kuala Lumpur, 26 June 2013 - Sime Darby Plantation has provided satellite data of hotspots, matched against its own concession area map to relevant authorities. The data confirms that there are no fires on Sime Darby Plantation’s operating areas in Indonesia.

Sime Darby Plantation reviewed hotspot data from the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) satellite for the period 25 May - 25 June 2013, and overlaid the company’s own global positioning system map of the concession areas under PT Tunggal Mitra Plantation (TMP) and PT Bhumireksa Nusa Sejati (PT BNS) in Riau.

The matching of the hotspot data and the maps of the concession areas showed that all hotspots were outside of PT TMP’s concession. There were three hotspots within PT BNS’ concession area. However, they are located outside of the company’s operating area. As explained previously, local communities occupy and plant both cash crops such as corn, sugarcane and pineapple as well as perennial crops such as coconut and areca nuts on these lands.

Sime Darby Plantation would also like to point out that the NASA satellite had outdated information on our land concession areas. The concession areas had been reduced after the final land licensing process was concluded. The NASA satellite showed PT BNS’ concession area as 180,392 hectares when it is in fact only 25,662 hectares. Of this, 18,688 hectares are the actual planted area, 1,530 hectares, the company’s residential and development areas. The remaining land is now mostly occupied by local communities.

There were also discrepancies with regard to PT TMP’s concession area. Data from the NASA satellite states the size of the company’s concession area as 38,473 hectares. The actual concession area is only 13,836 hectares, out of which 2,474 hectares is occupied by local communities.

Sime Darby Plantation will publish and submit these findings to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil as requested. Sime Darby Plantation and its companies will continue to cooperate with local authorities to manage any hotspots and fires in the interest of its workers, the general public and the environment.

Sime Darby Plantation would like to reiterate its commitment to the zero burning policy throughout all its operations worldwide. This practice has been a strict policy for Sime Darby Plantation since 1985.