LAUNCHING PROJECT: Aaron (seventh left) with longhouse residents before planting an oil palm seedling to launch the project.

03/10/2012 (Borneo Post) - Longhouse folk were recently reminded that their idle land when put to proper use might turn out to be ‘goldmines’.

Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, who gave the reminder, said the agriculture sector today offered good returns to planters.

“The government is supporting by providing assistance and incentives through its various agencies and departments.

“Rural people are encouraged to venture into the agriculture sector to generate more incomes,” he said when officiating at a groundbreaking ceremony of an oil palm plantation project in Mapai, Kanowit on Sunday.

He said oil palms and rubber were commodities of high export value in the world market.

Meanwhile, the project on 40 hectares belonging to the residents of Rumah Lika Francis is undertaken by a local land developer.

The residents rented their land to the developer.

It is the second such project in the area. The first project on 30 acres started in 2008 has yielded results.

For the second project, the developer has received 6,000 oil palm seedlings from Malaysian Palm Oil Board.