Malaysia looks to biotech for plantations growth

06 February 2007 09:22  [Source: ICIS news]

KUALA LUMPUR (ICIS news)--Malaysia is looking to exploit biotechnology as a way to develop its plantation commodities such as palm oil, rubber and cocoa, a government official said on Tuesday.

“The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities has identified biotechnology as a realm for future growth and diversification of plantation,” said Vijayaratnam Seevaratnam, the ministry’s parliament secretary.

He was speaking at the launch of the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre, a non-governmental organisation promoting biotech crops, more widely known as genetically-modified crops, in the country.

He added that plantation commodities have been an important source of revenue to Malaysia, with exports of commodities and commodity-based products amounting to more than ringgit (M$) 70bn ($20bn) in 2006.

The Malaysian government had launched a National Biotechnology Policy in 2005, after identifying the sector as a new engine of growth.

At the moment, government research agencies undertaking biotechnology research and development programmes are the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, the Malaysian Rubber Board and the Malaysian Cocoa Board.

The development of the first oil palm and rubber transgenic plants through genetic engineering, identification of the causal factors of latex allergy and harnessing of phenolics from palm oil waste, are just some of the achievements the agencies have chalked up to date, Vijayratnam said.

Malaysia aims to use biotechnology to increase its yield from palm oil without increasing the total land area of palm oil plantation in the face of environmental and wildlife conservation concerns, he said.

The country currently produces 18m tonnes/year of palm oil.

Over the next three to five years, it hoped to raise its oil extraction ratio from oil palm fruit to 25% from the current 18-20% achieved by big plantation estates, he said.

Malaysia is one of 51 countries which does not grow biotech crops but has granted regulatory approval of the import of such crops for food and feed use and for release into the environment.

($1 = M$3.5)

By: Jeanne Lim
+65 6780 4359

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