KUCHING, April 19 (Bernama) -- Improper management of oil palm plantationsin Sarawak had caused oil palm production in the state to be at anunsatisfactory level, said deputy chief minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabutoday.

Jabu, who is also the state minister of land and rural development, saidSarawak has potential in oil palm production but special management wasneeded for the state to achieve optimum results.

"Poor performance stems from inefficient management and the attitude ofland scheme participants who are not keen on large-scale planting," hetold reporters after attending a briefing at the Bratak oil palmplantation, which is managed by the Sarawak Land Consolidation andRehabilitation Authority (Salcra) at Bau, about 60 km from here.

Salcra has forecast that in the first quarter of this year, theopportunity loss from its production of palm oil touched RM2.07 millioncompared with a loss of RM6.59 million for the whole of last year.

Jabu said oil palm growing needed good and systematic planting managementso that the planting and harvesting processes could proceed smoothly.

"For example, when the oil palm fruits have ripened, they need 10-15 daysfor harvesting. But without proper management in getting harvesters andlorries for transportation, fresh fruit bunches that are left to rot mayaffect the quality of palm oil," he said.

Jabu said oil palm planting, which had been introduced to the Bidayuhcommunity in the area 10 years ago, needed specialised management amongthe planters so that their production levels could be increased.

"I am confident that oil palm planting in the next 10 years will givesatisfactory returns," he said.

Currently, 3,244 participants from 35 villages in five plantations in Bauare benefitting from SALCRA oil palm scheme which began in 1992. To date,Salcra has spent RM128.48 million to manage the oil palm scheme, includingland development and building a palm oil mill.