Browsing articles from "January, 2008"

AAR Moving into New Office Complex

AAR moving into new office complex (published in The Star dated 18 January 2008)

Strong Demand Boosts CPO Price

Strong demand boosts CPO price (published in Financial Daily dated 18 January 2008)

Cheap Oil Palm Replanting Loans for Smallholders

Cheap oil palm replanting loans for smallholders (published in New Straits Times dated 18 January 2008)

Official Opening of AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory

The official opening of AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory was successfully held on 17 January 2008. It was officiated by YB Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities. About 250 guests attended the opening ceremony. The following are some photos taken during the event.

Dr. Kee (Director of Research, AAR) giving a speech during the opening ceremony.
YB Datuk Peter Chin giving a speech during the opening ceremony.

Opening gambit. From left to right: Datuk Azzat Kamaluddin (Director, Boustead Holdings
Berhad), Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian (KLK Chairman), Mr. Chow Kok Choy (AAR Chairman),
Dr. Kee and YB Datuk Peter Chin.
Plaque signing. From left to right: Dr. Kee and YB Datuk Peter Chin.
Product Launch – AA Vitroa. From left to right: Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian, Datuk Azzat
Kamaluddin, YB Datuk Peter Chin, Dr. Kee and Mr. Chow Kok Choy.
Ribbon Cutting. From left to right: Mr. Chow Kok Choy, YB Datuk Peter Chin and Datuk Azzat Kamaluddin.
YB Datuk Peter Chin visiting AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory.
YB Datuk Peter Chin viewing AAR poster exhibition and briefied by Mr. Tan (Crop Improvement Section Head, AAR).
YB Datuk Peter Chin (third from left) looking at AA Hybrida together with
Madam Ho, Head of AAR Tissue Culture Lab. (second from left) and Mr. Tan
(fourth from left).
YB Datuk Peter Chin looking at the model of AAR proposed new office building.
Press conference. From left to right: Mr. Nagarajan (Secretary, Minister of Plantation Industries
and Commodities), Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian, Dr. Kee, YB Datuk Peter Chin, Mr. Chow and
YB Tuan Mohd Daud Haji Tarihep (ADUN Kuala Selangor).
Mr. Chow presenting a memento to YB Datuk Peter Chin.
VIP guests sitting in the front row. From right to left: Mr. Tan Seng Yeang (AAR Director),
Tn. Haji Sarudin Jaffar (AAR Director), Mr. Goh (Deputy Director of Research, AAR), Mr. Daniel
Ebinasen (Boustead Properties Director), Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohd Ali (KLK Director), Mr. Koo
Hock Fee (Boustead Trading Director) and R.M. Alias (KLK Director).
VIP guests from left to right: Mr. Nagarajan, Mr. Teh Sar Moh Nee (KLK Regional Director), Dato’ Mustafa Ali (Batu Kawan, Director), Mr. Hussin Abdul Jalil (AAR Director) and Mr. Yeoh Eng Khoon (KLK Director) .
Dr Kee welcoming the arrival of YB Datuk Peter Chin to AAR tissue culture laboratory.
YB Datuk Peter Chin signing the guest book in the waiting room.

Mr. Goh Kah Joo edited Mucuna Bracteata: A Cover Crop and Living Green Manure

Preface

“There has never been a cover crop like this before in our plantations” was the common comment that we heard at the Seminar and Field Tour on ” Mucuna bracteata , A Cover Crop and Living Green Manure” held at Sg. Tekam Plantation Resort on 29 November 2006. The contributions in this monograph, which were mainly re-written papers presented at the above seminar, may provide the testament to this enthusiastic statement.

Mucuna bracteata was first introduced to the oil palm plantations in Malaysia by a Malaysian Planter, Mr. Cheriachangel Mathews in 1991. His insight, foresight and perseverance have resulted in this remarkable cover crop being widely accepted and grown commercially in all the major oil palm growing countries in the world. This provides the impetus for the editors to bring together, in one accessible volume, most of what is currently known about Mucuna bracteata , reports on applied research and the practical aspects of its cultivation. The first five chapters attempt to bring a better understanding of the sciences and agronomy of Mucuna bracteata to the readers while the remaining chapters translate theory into large-scale practice. All the chapters are written by practitioners who are also specialists in various subjects of plantation crop management.

This monograph ends with a generalised policy to cultivate Mucuna bracteata successfully under the oil palm and areas for future research , and it also doubles as a take home message. However, we do recognise that in a developing subject such as Mucuna bracteata , it will never be perfect. Nevertheless, the generalised policy should serve as a good starting point for those interested to adopt and adapt it to their local environment, and management culture, missions and resources.

There are 102 coloured photographs in sixteen pages to illustrate the major points raised by the authors, and the establishment and growth ofMucuna bracteata under oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia. These invaluable photographs which were taken over a decade should guide the readers to a successful planting of Mucuna bracteata under the oil palm.

We hope that this monograph will assist all of those engaged in research and development work as well as planters to appreciate what has been done in their own area and in related fields which have an impact on their endeavour to derive the maximum benefits from Mucuna bracteata . This monograph may also serve as an introduction and inspiration for those who intend to take up work on Mucuna bracteata .

We would like to thank Dr. Chee Kheng Hoy and Dr. S. Paramananthan for their constant advice, guidance and assistance during the preparation of the Seminar and monograph. We are also grateful to FELDA Agricultural Services, Param Agricultural Soil Surveys and Malaysian Society of Soil Science for giving Agricultural Crop Trust (ACT) the right to publish the materials presented. Special thanks are also due to Dr. Tasren N. Mahamooth for his tireless effort to get this monograph published, Mdm. Gan Huang Huang for typesetting and designing the cover page and Mr. Heng Yong Choon for finalising the cover page. This monograph would not have materialised if FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn. Bhd. through its Chief Executive, Mr. S. Palaniappan has not kindly sponsored the publication, which we duly acknowledge. The photograph on the cover page was taken by Mr. Patrick Ng while the back cover by Mr. C. Mathews which we acknowledge with thanks.