17/10/05 SERDANG, (Bernama) -- Golden Hope Plantation Bhd hopes to get asizeable revenue from biodiesel in three to four years' time, withproduction starting in the next 12 to 15 months, said its group chiefexecutive Datuk Sabri Ahmad.

"It is too early to tell. It should be sizeable revenue," he said at thememorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Golden Hope andUniversiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Golden Hope was recently picked as one of the three joint venture partnersof the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)'s biodiesel plants. The plant issaid to be located in Banting.

"We will start operations next 12 to 15 months," he said, adding thatplans were underway to ensure smooth operations of the biodiesel plant.

Biodiesel is seen as the next big thing in reducing global pollutionlevel, as well as to counter the high price of conventional diesel andfuel due to rising crude oil prices.

Moreover, industrialised nations especially in Europe, are prepared to go"green" as they hurry to meet the Kyoto Protocol target, where they needto reduce the carbon dioxide emission to as low as the 1990 level.

"The market is ready and expanding," Sabri said, adding that cost-wise,palm oil was more competitive than its rival, rapeseed.

"We can market it as a speciality product, complete with the brand. Thiswould not only bring revenue to the industry, but the country in general,"he said.

Earlier, Sabri said the group would be hosting around 20 to 30 UPMstudents per intake at its Golden Hope Academy in Carey Island, tocomplete their agriculture diploma course with an option in plantationindustry.

Golden Hope has spent around RM15 million to set up the facilities, andwill spend around RM5,000 per student for their course there.

"It is a smart partnership between Golden Hope and UPM. We hope the newgeneration of graduates in plantation industries will bring new innovativeways of management to plantations," Sabri said.

He said undergraduates for the programme would be offered jobs with GoldenHope upon graduating, adding that more technologies and human capital wereneeded to increase plantation production.

-- BERNAMA