18.12.2019 (The Star Online) - JOHOR BARU: Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to further expand its research in improving the quality of palm oil in the country.

Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad executive director Zulkifly Zakariah said the agreement with MPOB would allow it to identify quality oil palm breed in a shorter amount of time.

“The consultancy and training on DNA finger printing and molecular related technologies from MPOB will allow us to save up to five years of research.

“This is because the technology would allow us to identify breed of oil palm that is of high quality from the seed itself, ” he said after the MoA signing between the two parties at Kulim Agrotech Centre.

Zulkifly added that with the technology, researchers do not have to wait until the oil palm had matured to find out its potential to be replanted.

MPOB director Dr Arif Abd Manaf said the adaptation of the technology was timely as the government planned to further expand the oil palm industry.

“The government has expressed its interest to develop another 68.5 million ha of land for oil palm plantation.

“This initiative will allow us to help achieve the goal in a shorter amount of time while ensuring high quality yield, ” he said.

At the event, Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia Nuclear Agency for development in the research of pineapple planting.

Malaysia Nuclear Agency deputy director-general Dr Abdul Muin Abdul Rahman said the research will look into ways to produce a variety of pineapples immune to diseases.

“We will have further discussions to look into ways to help facilitate the research and share expertise, ” he said.