FGV RAMPS UP CROP FARMING PLANTING MATERIALS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18  -- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) is ramping up the production of banana, bamboo, coconut and paddy planting materials this year to meet the increasing domestic demand for crop farming activities. 

Chief executive officer Datuk Haris Fadzilah Hassan said the increase in demand from customers showcases FGV’s ability to offer high-quality products through in-depth research in tissue culture, state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) infrastructure and over 50 years of experience in clonal research.

“Utilising the right planting material is one of the main factors that determine the success of commercial crop production,” he said in a statement today.

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He said FGV aims to increase the production of banana clonal varieties to two million this year to cater to the rising demand for the Berangan, Cavendish and Tanduk banana variants, and targets to increase Betong bamboo production from the current 200,000 to one million by 2022.

Haris Fadzilah said FGV is also increasing the production of Pandan coconut planting material to 70,000 this year, an increase of 20,000 from last year. 

Other than the Pandan variant, FGV is also targeting to produce 200,000 Matag coconut seedlings by 2025 upon the maturity of its 50-hectare coconut seed garden in Pusat Penyelidikan Pertanian Tun Razak, Jerantut, Pahang.

As for the paddy planting material, FGV said it has commenced planting 28-hectares of MRQ76 fragrant rice seed gardens last year in Sungai Leman, Selangor and Seberang Perak, Perak.

“The planted MRQ76 seeds which were harvested recently will be used to commence 350-hectares of FGV’s fortified field fragrant rice contract farming scheme under the Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) in Seberang Perak and IADA Barat Laut, Selangor in March 2021,” it said.

Meanwhile, Haris Fadzilah said FGV also offers contract cloning services to mass-produce other types of planting materials based on customers' needs.

“The planting materials that can be cloned include any plant that has commercial value and is suitable for in-vitro micropropagation. 

“The potential new materials that possess high market value include Vanilla and Guarana,” he added.

-- BERNAMA