GOLDEN CROP… The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Tuanku SyedPutra Jamalullail sniffing the aroma of oil palm fruit during his majesty’s visit to the Primary Industries Ministry in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday.Looking on are Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik(left) and Malaysian Palm Oil Board Director General Datuk Yusof Basiron(right).

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku SyedSirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail, visited the Primary Industries Ministryhere Thursday.Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik briefed the King on the Malaysiancommodities' performance in the international market and theircontribution to the country's exports, apart from the challenges andimportant issues facing ach sector of the commodities market.

Talking to Dr Lim after the briefing, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin called formore research and development to boost the exports of commodities.He suggested exploring different technologies to produce biodegradableplastics derived from fruit branches of the oil palm.Intensive effort for the commercialisation of alternative usage of palmoil should be also made, he said.Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also called on companies that have been successfulin oil palm plantation to share their knowledge and expertise.He asked about the progress of Malaysian rubber products in the US marketin view of the alleged protein allergy in latex rubber by several USinstitutions, including some prominent hospitals.Dr Lim replied that as latex rubber products made up a substantial portionof the total rubber products in the country last year, a ban or importquota on latex rubber products in the US would have a significant impacton exports earnings.The King recommended that more research be done to remove the protein inlatex products to make them more marketable in the US.Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin later visited exhibition booths at the ministrywhich displayed products from each commodity sector.-- BERNAMA