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The demand for mutton in this country has increased from 9160 t in 1993 to 15 570 t in 2003. Unfortunately, the production is far short of demand, with self-sufficiency of only 7% in 1993 and 8.4% in 2003. Imports to make up the deficit were valued at close to RM 90 million in 2003. Most … Read more

Yellow sugar cane (Saccharum offi cinarum) (Figure 1) is the most common variety grown in Malaysia. The main product from it is the juice. The juice is squeezed from the stems and drink fresh, usually served cold. The juice is also canned and commonly sold in restaurants and retail outlets throughout the country. Yellow sugar cane … Read more

Hill paddy (Oryzea sativa L.) (Figure 1) can be grown on wide range of soils, especially on sandy clay loam to clay loam. In general, it is grown in rain-fed areas, either on flat or sloping land. Although grown on dry land, it requires high moisture (rainfall of 250–200 mm per month) during its fi rst … Read more

Soyabean (Glysine max) (Figure 1) is a major source of protein for human and livestock. The average import of soyabean (broken and not broken) in 2002 to 2005 was 693 968 t yr-1 worth RM 719 991 178, mostly for livestock feed. The major human food products from soyabean are bean curd, soyabean drink and tempe. … Read more

Machinery and labour are the two major inputs in agriculture. Machines can be developed to help labour improve its productivity. There are two factors in maximizing profit, viz., increasing productivity and reducing cost. One way is to mechanize to improve productivity by reducing the labour required which can result in substantial cost saving. The Malaysian Palm … Read more

For good oil palm growth and production, heavy fertilization is required especially with nitrogen (N). Based on the current area under oil palm, it is estimated that the N fertilizer requirement exceeds three million tonnes N a year. Currently, urea is mostly used in compound fertilizers for oil palm. Urea has the added advantage of high … Read more

Malaysian soils, like most tropical soils, are highly weathered, acidic and inherently low in phosphorus (P) but with high P-fi xing capacities. High rates of P fertilizers are required to overcome the P-fi xation, mainly due to high Al and Fe oxides and hydroxides in the clay fraction (Ng, 1986). P is one of the major … Read more

The MPOB agronomic research team critically analysed NPK fertilizer combinations, then verified them in trials conducted from 1990 on wards in order to formulate a fertilizer with optimum balanced nutrients ratio for maximum yield of oil palm (Tarmizi et al., 2003). Main Research: Ahmad Tarmizi Mohammed 

Peat (with a total national area of approximately 2.6 million hectares) is a problem soil (Mutalib et al., 1991). The inherent physical and chemical properties of peat make its development for oil palm cultivation diffi cult and costly. Low bulk density, high water table and subsidence are among the major physical properties of peat that need … Read more

Polyurethanes, or PU, constitute a group of polymers with highly versatile properties anda wide range of commercial applications. The material is used in almost every aspect of human life, in a multitude of applications in industries such as construction, automobile, refrigeration, furniture including mattresses, adhesives and sealants, footwear, ship building, transport, packaging, coating and paints. PU … Read more