Thousands of tiny bugs from Africa have been released at an Indonesian palm oil plantation in North Sumatra as the world’s biggest grower seeks to revive output growth after years of stalling production.
The release of about 7,000 African weevils at a plantation owned by state-run PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV on April 9 marks the first step of a broad plan to introduce around one million of the bugs across Indonesia.
The hope is they will help to improve pollination and fruit development, lifting production.
Indonesia’s output growth has stalled in recent years, primarily due to old trees that some growers are reluctant to replant due to the extended time it takes for them to fruit.
While the insect release does not address the underlying issue of ageing plants, a similar weevil programme on a smaller scale in the 1980s led to a significant improvement in production rates across the country.
Around 6,000 weevils were collected from Tanzania early in 2025 and sent to a scientific facility in North Sumatra for tests, including on how they interact with local insects, and to reproduce in vast numbers. Palm oil is native to Africa, making the Tanzanian bugs well suited for the role.
The first batch of weevils released at the 8,000ha plantation near the scientific facility are expected to have an impact on production within about 10 to 12 months, said Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute researcher Agus Eko Prasetyo, who is leading the programme.
More than two dozen other companies and smallholder groups that are involved in the initiative will be allocated weevils for their plantations in stages, with the next release expected next week, he added.
Some bigger producers that have their own laboratories are expected to reproduce the bugs, he said.
“This is just the beginning,” he said.
Indonesia is seeking to expand its biofuel programme, meaning more palm oil diverted to local supply rather than for export, and the initiative is gaining momentum after the war in the Middle East led to skyrocketing energy prices.
The production of fresh fruit-bunches is expected to increase by 10 to 15 per cent with the introduction of the weevils, said Mr Eddy Martono, chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association known as Gapki.
Still, improved pollination alone will not resolve all of Indonesia’s production challenges.
Fertiliser use, weather conditions and plantation management practices also play a critical role in determining yields, while replanting older trees remains essential for sustaining long-term growth. BLOOMBERG