Get MPOB licence, entrepreneurs told

SIBU: Towards making Sarawak as the country’s top producer for quality oil palm seedlings and the hub for palm oil production, the federal government has encouraged more of the existing local seedling entrepreneurs to apply for Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) licence.

TOKEN OF APPRECIATION: Adzmy (right) presenting a memento to Awang Bemee as (from left) Hamdan and Mohammad look on.

Nangka assemblyman Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah said at the moment only seven out of the 130 such entrepreneurs in the state had MPOB licence for seedlings.

He said now was a high time for them to do so as there was great demand for oil palm seedlings from small-holders, mini estates and new plantations while the state government was also targeting one million hectares to be planted with oil palm this year.

This, he said, was proven by statistics from 2005 to 2009 which showed a 90 per cent increase of oil palm seedlings production.

“In 2005, a total of 7,343,800 seedlings were produced while in 2009, the number shot up to 16,433,021.

“Palm oil is the country’s main commodity and this is a factor that contributes to the increase in number of oil palm entrepreneurs.

“With the licence, it would be much easier for the oil palm entrepreneurs to apply for government agriculture assistance,” he said, adding that 700,000 hectares in the state were presently planted with oil palm.

Representing Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development) Mohd Naroden Majais, said this when officiating at a course for oil palm seedling entrepreneurs yesterday.

The event, held at the Public Library in Keranji Road, was jointly organised by Bumiputera Entre-preneurs Development Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department and MPOB.

Bumiputera Entre-preneurs Development Unit advisor Datuk Adzmy Abdullah and MPOB Bangi head of training Hamdan Abu Bakar and deputy Sibu Resident Mohammad Said Atoi were among those attended.

The market price for crude palm oil (CPO) saw a sharp increase recently owing to great demand from India, China and America, said Bemee.

“The CPO price is expected to stay at RM4,000 per tonne while in fact it could reach RM4,500 per tonne for a period until June this year,” he said.

He said the State government hoped MPOB would continue to assist seedling entrepreneurs in whatever ways to help improve the seedlings quality apart from giving technical assistance.

He also urged the entrepreneurs to take every opportunity from such courses which also paved the way for them to obtain the MPOB licence.

A similar course had been conducted in Bintulu.

One is coming up soon in Bau.