NILAI, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Felda will become the world's largest producer of oil palm seedling clones supplying three million seedling clones annually by 2010, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, here Tuesday.

This will supersede the country's current production of not more than two million seedling clones annually by tissue culture laboratories by plantation groups including Perlis Plantation Berhad, Guthrie and United Plantations.

Najib added it could be realised with the establishment of the Felda Biotechnology Centre. Felda currently produces 250,000 oil palm seedlings annually at its laboratory in Kuala Lumpur.

Opening the Felda Biotechnology Centre at Bandar Enstek near here, the Deputy Premier said with more than 15,000 square metres, the centre is home to the world's largest oil palm tissue laboratory.

"The cloning process at the laboratory is not only limited to that of oil palm but also for the production of other clones like persimmon, Tongkat Ali and others."

He added the Felda Biotechnology Centre will also be conducting research in the production of "secondary metabolites" with focus on the Tongkat Ali aimed at producing the active elements without having to plant the trees.

The centre will also make Felda a leader in the new area of agro-biotechnology not only locally but also globally.

To this end, a Felda biotechnology advisory committee comprising local scientists and from abroad will also be formed to advise the centre on its activities.

Najib said the oil palm seedling clones produced by Felda at its 5,000 hectare plantation can produce oil extract that is 26 percent more than the oil extract from other conventional crops.

He was confident that production of seedlings by the biotechnology method will help increase the income of Felda settlers adding 105 of the 317 schemes nationwide were producing more than 21 tonnes per hectare.

Najib added he was proud that Felda settlers appreciated what the government had done to improve their lot and was proven by the landslide win by the Barisan Nasional candidate at the Batu Talam by-election in Pahang recently.

-- BERNAMA