TUARAN, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Minister of Plantation Industries and
Commodities, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok has called on more cooperatives to be
established in Sabah to make a success of the programme to develop mini forest
rubber nurseries which in turn are expected to help counter the shortage of
rubber seedlings.
The demand for rubber seedlings is expected to go up with the opening of new
plantation areas as well as replanting under the forest plantation development
programme, he said.
Dompok said that based on the target to establish 25,000 hectares of forest
plantation every year, there would be a need for some 17 million seedlings every
year.
"The seedlings from existing nurseries nationwide will not be sufficient to
meet the demand," he said in his speech at the launch of the nursery programme
at the Kiulu Community Hall here today.
His speech text was read by the Chairman of the Malaysian Timber Industry
Board, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau.
Dompok also commended the initiative taken by Koperasi Pekebun Kecil Getah
Kiulu Bhd which has become the pioneering cooperative to make a success of the
programme in Sabah while raising the supply of high quality rubber seedlings.
For a start, the cooperative would be planting about 8,500 rubber trees.
He also expressed hoped that the cooperative would be able to expand its
nursery site which will indirectly increase the income of the farmers.
Dompok said the government had set aside RM50 million to implement the
forest rubber plantation development programme in the initial phase of the 10th
Malaysia Plan.
He also called on the Kiulu based cooperative to apply for loan to establish
a small sized forest plantation, and in the process become the first cooperative
to get a loan for the development of a small sized forest rubber planation in
the country.--BERNAMA
NT SD
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