Berita Arkib

NEW DELHI, Dec 20 - PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’sproposal that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and India beexpedited to boost trade and economic ties was given the "thumbs up" bytop Indian businessmen at a high level forum here yesterday.

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The 47-year-old Malaysia-India relationswill be given a fresh impetus with Prime Minister Datuk Seri AbdullahAhmad Badawi's visit here Sunday, which is expected to further deepeneconomic partnerships between both sides.

Sunday December 19, 2004 KUALA LUMPUR: Ecofuture Bhd, an oil palm biomasstechnologist firm, is expected to invest RM30mil to set up a pulpproduction facility using oil palm biomass in Segamat, Johor.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Local industries processing fibre fromempty fruit bunches (EFBs) of oil palms should not only produce Ecomat, abio-degradable mulching and soil erosion geotextile mat, but also otherproducts, said the Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, DatukSeri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, Friday.

New Delhi, Dec 19 : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrivedin New Delhi today for a five-day visit.

Friday December 17, 12:00 PM KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Foreign exchangerates and crude oil prices, issues not normally associated with palm oil,may emerge as major influences on a market that otherwise appears set fora bearish year in 2005.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The ministry of plantation industriesand commodities is due to submit a report on the possible use ofbio-diesel as an alternative fuel source, its minister Datuk Peter ChinFah Kui said.

MUKAH, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- The Kenyana river here will be designated as abreeding ground for the highly prized Arowana fish, state Minister ofEnvironment and Public Health Datuk Michael Manyin said.

Saturday December 18, 2004By Mayban ResearchCPO production declined 7.5% from 1.36 million tonnes in October 2004 to1.26 million tonnes in November 2004. Nevertheless, stockpile of CPO (+4%)and palm kernel (+13.6%) increased due to the seasonally lower exports(-6.1% during the month). Palm oil production headed for a seasonaldecline in October after production peaked in the month of September.

Wednesday December 15, 2004 - AN EFFECTIVE way to discourage Indonesiansfrom looking for work overseas is for the republic to provide them withmore job opportunities. On its own, it does not have the means to do so.

16/12/04 SAO PAULO (Dow Jones)--Brazil's 2004-05 soybean crop(October-September) will total 63.24 million metric tons, 28.5% higherthan the 49.20 million tons produced last year, the Brazilian CensusBureau, or IBGE, said Thursday.The second estimate for the current crop was slightly higher than the63.09 million tons forecast in November. The figure is lower than the 61.4million tons estimated by the Agriculture Ministry Tuesday, but lower thanthe U.S. Department of Agriculture figure of 64.5 million tons.Despite low prices and rising production costs, the bureau detected a6% increase in planted area to 22.8 million hectares.Area is growing because of the lack of other options, IBGE said in itsmonthly report. The main alternative crop, corn, has similarly low pricesand high costs but isn't as easy to sell.Summer corn production is expected to rise just 3.3% to 32.11 milliontons from 31.07 million tons last year.Summer-crop corn planted area is actually seen falling 1.2% to 8.96million hectares this year, but average yields are seen rising 4.5% to2,779 kg per hectare as corn recovers from a drought-affected 2004 crop.Brazil's grain, oilseed and cereal crop is expected to total 134.0million tons this season, up from 119.2 million tons last year.

Friday December 17, 2004 - FUEL prices are not expected to rise this yearand the government is expecting two sub-committees to submit theirrecommendations on the use of natural gas vehicles and palm diesel earlynext year.