05/10/2017 (The Borneo Post) - LAWAS: The oil palm industry in Sarawak shows very encouraging trend as of August — recording 1.57 million hectares of planted areas.

Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur said the ministry, through Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), would continuously strive to increase the production of palm oil-based products in the country.

“As such, individual smallholders and other producers ought to work closely with MPOB so that they would know the new technologies and necessary information on how to produce high quality fruits,” he said when officiating at the Sustainable Oil Palm Planters Cooperative Weighing Centre Lawas District Berhad in Trusan near here on Tuesday.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Henry Sum Agong, director of MPOB Research and Development Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, Lawas District Officer Husaini Hakim and chairman of the cooperative Perry Bengging were also present.

Datu Nasrun added that several efforts and initiatives were being offered to palm oil producers at an interest rate fixed by the government through MPOB.

He thus urged producers in the state to work together with MPOB to increase the production of high quality products that could bring lucrative returns for them.

Meanwhile, Henry said the setting up of Malaysian Cooperative College (MKM) was vital to train cooperatives on effective management of their businesses.

He said MKM offered many courses from diploma up to PhD levels to young cooperative members, so that upon graduation they would be able to manage their respective cooperatives in a professional and efficient manner.

He said such courses and advisory services provided by MKM were important to ensure that all cooperatives in the country could increase the economic activities of their members.

“There are many success stories in Peninsular Malaysia where cooperatives are able to own shophouses, venture into low cost housing projects and many other economic activities that are able to change the landscape of the rural areas there,” he said.

Henry said in Sarawak, the cooperative in Serian owned by the Bidayuh community and the Malays could become examples for new cooperatives in the state so that they would succeed in their endeavours.

He added cooperatives played important roles in mobilising the transformationof rural areas into a more systematic and competitive setting.