PONTIAN: The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) intends to make the state a high-quality cloned produce hub in the country.
Johor Mardi director Dr Johari Sarip said among the quality cloned products to be commercialised were the “Mutiara Merah” and “Mutiara Wangi” rambutan variants, “Bintang Mas” star fruit, and Durian MDUR 88.
“We are trying to commercialise these four products in an effort to promote Johor as a high-quality cloned crop producer.
“We want to focus on the plantation of ‘Mutiara Wangi’ rambutan, and we have acquired six acres of land in Johor so that it is not scattered and easy to identify,“ he told Bernama after attending a Mardi Opening ceremony with the Pekan Nenas community, here, yesterday.
Also present was Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub who officiated the event, and Mardi director-general Datuk Dr Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor.
Mohamad Roff said the Mardi Day initiative with the Pekan Nenas community was the result of Mardi Johor’s efforts of introducing the government body’s functions and objectives in the country.
“We develop the technology and our function is to provide this technology in the form of advisory services and so on to our target groups, such as farmers, through the assistance of other agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama).
“We have a station in Pekan Nenas to conduct research on growing fruits on peatland, but it’s more towards growing pineapples,“ he added.
He said a new RM4 million complex in Pontian which would be completed by next year, would focus on non-seasonal fruits. — Bernama
