RISDA TO PRODUCE CLONED OIL PALM SEEDLINGS

KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia), Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) will soon produce high-quality cloned oil palm seedlings, upon completion of a tissue culture laboratory in Bangi, Selangor in April.

Risda chairman Rahim Thamby Chik said the RM5 million (US$1.49 million)
laboratory could produce 100,000 oil palm seedlings annually, in its early
stage.

"These cloned seedlings can double production as compared to previous
seedlings," he told reporters after the launch of the Terengganu Risda
Smallholders Entrepreneurs Club in Kuala Terengganu, the capital city of east
coast state of Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia Tuesday.

The club is the first of its kind in the country.

Rahim said the mother seedlings were selected from the best and most
productive oil palm trees, whereby smallholders would be given priority in the
distribution of the seedlings.

He added that Risda would also produce high-quality rubber tree seedlings
when initial research with University Science of Malaysia (USM) was completed.


-- BERNAMA