| Felcra Aims To Venture European Market Following Success In Growing Safed Musli Herb |
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SUNGAI SIPUT, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Felcra Bhd will start the planting of a herbal plant, Safed Musli, on a 80 hectares oil palm replanting areas to both add value to the usage of land and bring side income for the participating farmers.
Chief executive officer of Felcra Datuk Mohd Nasir Baba said the move has been made following the successful venture to grow the plant, which originates from Hyderabad, India, in a 0.8 hectare plot of land in Melaka last year. The venture has produced very encouraging results.
"We have signed a memorandum of understanding with a company that widely markets this herbal plant in Europe. Safed Musli only requires nine months to bear fruits which have similar size to a tapioca plant," he told reporters after a Hari Raya gathering organised by Felcra Bhd Wilayah Perak, here, Tuesday.
He said Felcra was also ready to penetrate the European market in three years time with a product based on the plant which has similar properties like the Tongkat Ali and can be made into a food supplement.
The Safed Musli plant looks like onion leaves and sheds its leaves after three months and look "dead" but in reality continue to grow and produce its fruits, he said.
He said the study project initiated in Felda Nasaruddin was acknowledged by the Economic Planning Unit and that the long term plan was to make all plants grown in the 80-hectare area as seedlings.
"Taking into view the high cost of Safed Musli seedlings supplied by India, therefore we only grew the plant first and once we get the best new seedlings, we will market it overseas," he said.
He said Felcra was also planning to set up a processing plant for Safed Musli once the planting of the herbal plant exceeds 80 hectares.
-- BERNAMA
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