29/01/07 (The Star)  -  FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn Bhd is set to push into new frontiers with its RM25mil biotechnology centre in Negri Sembilan, to be launched by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tomorrow. 

The 2.4ha centre is dedicated to research and development in oil palm tissue culture activities as well as other agriculture-related medicinal plants, herbs and fruits. 

Chief executive officer S. Palaniappan said: “Research areas that we would like to further embark on include oil palm cloning, and medicinal and herbal technology. Clones are poised to be one of the major planting materials of the future.” 

FAS started its first oil palm clones or ramets programme in 1981, with the assistance of French group Centre For International Agronomic Research and Development (CIRAD). By April, the entire biotechnology centre will move to the new 6,000 sq m premise, of which half will be the working area. 

“We began to fully commercialise the ramets only about four years ago after comprehensive evaluations. Currently, about 6,900ha has been planted mostly in Felda,” Palaniappan said.  

He added that FAS would continue to actively collaborate with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, foreign experts and higher institutions of learning from local and abroad to improve the efficiency and quality of its ramet production and the cost structure. 

He said the centre would be looking at new tools in agricultural research like molecular markers technology for oil palm clones and metabolite technology for herbal products.  

“The molecular markers can be used as a tool to improve the cloning efficiency. This saves time and cost compared with the conventional approach,” he added. 

Within the next three to four years, FAS hopes to introduce the latest Felda Yangambis hybridisation planting materials dubbed as the three-way cross, involving Dura, Nigerian Prospectus Material and Yangambi. 

FAS also planned to capitalise on medical plants and herbs, apart from the core oil palm business, said Palaniappan. 

He said the centre was in search of new talents, such as biotechnologists and molecular scientists. 

“We expect our staff at the new centre will hit 200 from 120 currently,” he added.