BANGKOK, Oct 17 (TNA) - The government plans to invest nearly a hundredmillion baht into convert ing deserted farmland in the South into palm oilplantations.

Under the scheme, palm oil trees will be grown on some 13,500 rai (2,160hectares) of land in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces in an effortto boost the incomes of local villagers, according to senior governmentofficials.

The government plans to develop the deserted farmland during the currentfiscal year, the director general of Agriculture and CooperativesMinistry's Land Development Department, Ard Somrang, told TNA.

Palm oil trees can produce fruit quickly and the prices for the produceare currently higher than several other agricultural crops that could begrown.

This should help growers earn a steady income and be able to support theirfamilies, Mr. Ard said.

The government had earlier developed a total of 6,000 rai (960 hectares)of farmland in the three provinces -- 2,100 rai (336 hectares) inNarathiwat, 2,400 rai (384 hectares) in Pattani and the rest in Yala –investing more than forty million baht.