Tuesday December 21, 2004 - TDM Bhd, a Terengganu state owned company,hopes to be a major player in the palm oil industry in the next five toseven years with the addition of about 100,000ha to 120,000ha to itslandbank, executive director Datuk Alwi Said said.

"As far as we are concerned, our core activities are still in oil palmplantations, which contribute 80% of the group's revenue in the past," hetold Bernama in an interview here.

Alwi said besides oil palm cultivation, the group had also diversifiedinto the healthcare business, poultry rearing and tourism.

The group plans to acquire suitable land in Kelantan, Sarawak andIndonesia to expand its business.

He said TDM was also looking into ways to improve the management of itsplantations which had been lacking in the past to increase yield andreduce production cost.

"We believe that palm oil will be the major player in the economy in thefuture,' Alwi said.

TDM, through subsidiary TDM Plantation Sdn Bhd, has 40,000ha of land, withplanted acrea around 33,000ha. - Bernama