The objective of this study was to provide relevant information to the investors and policy-makers based on the analysis and comparative study on climate investment and economic feasibility of the industrial forest plantation and A/R CDM project in In...
The objective of this study was to provide relevant information to the investors and policy-makers based on the analysis and comparative study on climate investment and economic feasibility of the industrial forest plantation and A/R CDM project in Indonesia.
< Climate Investment >
The SWOT method was applied to the factors that affect overseas plantation investment, which was classified into political, legal, socioeconomic, cultural, and natural environmental factors. The main strengths of Indonesia in terms of climate investment included large potential sites for plantation (at least 5 million ha), high Mean Annual Increment (MAI) (25m3/ha/year), and various plantation of tree species. In addition, there were policies, legal and institutional schemes to encourage plantation investment, for instance, accrediting 100 percent of the foreign investment share, allowing maximum of 100 years for plantation license, five-million-ha plantation plan, and improvement of the plantation license scheme.
On the other hand, weaknesses included complexity and untransparent practice in issuing plantation license, high corruption rate (130th among 146 nations), unfavorable investment climate indicator (123rd among 175 countries), lack of related information and management system for planting and silviculture, and clear distinction between the dry and wet season that affect the labor productivity.
However, there were opportunity factors: an MoU was signed between Korea and Indonesia to promote cooperation on 0.5 million ha of plantation investment; timber price is expected to increase based on the potential increase in global demand of wood products; large number of Korean community (about 35,000 Koreans) and both governments of Korea and Indonesia are planning to expand bilateral assistance projects in the forestry field. The profitability is also expected to increase along with the introduction of high quality seedlings produced from plus trees. In terms of A/R CDM investment, this study showed that Indonesia has better opportunities in creating synergy effect with the REDD and other related fields, considering that Indonesia has the world's second highest deforestation rate (1.87 million ha annually).
Threat factors existed in the land use competition with the bioenergy farming industry such as palm oil, cassava, and jatropha. It could not be disregarded that conflicts are likely to occur with the residents in the areas adjacent to the potential plantation sites. Other risks might come from the external elements, such as the efforts of the international society and NGOs in tropical forest conservation, and natural elements such as flood, landslide, forest fire, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, and among others. In relation to the A/R CDM projects, inter-sectoral competition and lack of capacity and preparedness of the local governments could be considered as some of the threats.
<Economic Feasibility>
o Effects of the climate investment in economic feasibility
Climate investment factors that are likely to have greater impact on the economic feasibility were identified such as the cost of acquiring potential land (unofficial cost), profit distribution ratio for the local residents, superior quality seedlings, and increase in labor cost. This study analyzed how the changes in these factors affect the economic feasibility.
It could be observed from the analysis that if the unofficial cost in acquiring potential land exceeds USD 666/ha, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) could not even reach the LIBOR rate (5%), showing economic infeasibility in both the Net Present Value (NPV) and benefit-cost ratio (B/C ratio) at 5 percent discount rate.
The results also showed that MAI has a considerable impact in economic feasibility. If the MAI increases 25 percent to reach 30㎥/ha/year by introducing quality seedlings, the IRR will increase from 11.4 percent up to 14.8 percent.
On the other hand, the profit distribution rate of local residents in industrial forest plantation had little effect on economic feasibility. The IRR showed insignificant change from 9.9 percent to 11.4 percent even with a 30 percent increase in the profit distribution rate.
The labor cost greatly affected the economic feasibility. If the labor cost increases 40 percent, it will result to economic infeasibility, as in the case of increase in the unofficial cost.
o Results of the economic feasibility and sensitivity analysis
The plantation projects were classified into three types, namely, industrial forest plantation, A/R CDM, and combination plantation. The IRR, B/C Ratio, and NPV were calculated to evaluate the economic feasibility of each type of plantation project. The economic sensitivity on the changes in various benefit and cost coefficients were analyzed as well.
- Timber harvest and lCER
Industrial forest plantation and combination plantation types reached annual timber production of 300,000㎥ after 8 years. The growing stock after logging in the project site (1,500ha) was 200㎥/ha. After 6, 11 and 16 years, the A/R CDM plantation generated 639,180 lCER , 2,116,975 lCER, and 2,602,833 lCER, respectively.
- IRR, NPV, B/C ratio
IRR of the combination plantation was 13.8 percent, showing higher rate than the industrial forest plantation (11.4%). The NPV for the combination type was 7.78 billion won by applying 5 percent discount rate and timber price of USD 30/m3. It was higher than that of the industrial forest plantation (5.94 billion won). While the A/R CDM type resulted in an economic loss of -4.24 billion won. In the B/C ratio at 5 percent discount rate, the combination type yielded highest ratio of 1.16, followed by the industrial forest plantation with 1.12.
- Investment cost and break-even point
By summing up all investment cost including the interest on the investment capital, the combination type returned lowest cost of 13.32 billion won for 10 years. The industrial forest plantation required 13.56 billion won while A/R CDM required 23.97 billion won, having the highest cost. The break-even point for the combination plantation, where all the cost has been offset and the net profit is generated, was 11 years which was 2 years faster than that of the industrial forest plantation (13 years). As for the A/R CDM, it was not able to generate a net profit until the completion of the project.
- IRR sensitivity based on the CER price for the A/R CDM type
The study results showed that economic feasibility for the A/R CDM is extremely sensitive to the change in the CER price. If the CER price increases 11 percent from USD 9 to USD 10, the IRR increases 28 percent. If the CER price is USD 11, the IRR of the A/R CDM returns 12.2 percent, which is higher than that of the industrial forest plantation with 11.4 percent.
- NPV and B/C ratio sensitivity based on change in the discount rate
The NPV and the B/C ratio of both the industrial forest plantation and the combination plantation showed high sensitivity against change in the discount rate. The industrial forest plantation showed relatively higher sensitivity, as it did not have any early profits, whereas the combination plantation generated gains in 6 years through lCER market.
- Timber price sensitivity of the industrial forest plantation
The industrial forest plantation was notably sensitive to the timber price. The IRR increased 49 percent from 11.4 percent to 17 percent as the timber price increased 16.7 percent (USD 5/㎥) from USD 30/㎥ to USD 35/㎥. Both NPV and B/C ratio also obtained similar results. Therefore, better economic feasibility is expected from higher timber price.
- MAI sensitivity based on location
If the MAI of the combination plantation is 22.5㎥/ha/year, meaning 10 percent lower than that of a standard rate (25㎥/ha/year), its IRR (11.6%) becomes the same with the IRR of the industrial forest plantation which is 11.4 percent. Therefore, it can be assumed that if the MAI of the potential site for the combination plantation is 10 percent lower, then it is practical to adopt the industrial forest plantation. In addition, the MAI threshold for combination plantation was 16.75㎥/ha/yr.