KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 26 (Bernama) — Felda will focus on three main items, namely replanting of oil palms that are 25 years old and above, housing and community development in efforts to meet the needs and improve the living standards of Felda settlers beginning next year.

Its chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Yusof Noor said Felda would spend RM2.1 billion to replant oil palm trees aged 25 years and above on 92,000 hectares of land until 2012.

“The move to replant has already started and our target is that it would be completed by the end of 2012,” he told reporters during a Hari Raya celebration at the Felda Residence here, Saturday.

Yusof said the housing and community development projects were among the two items that would be focused on in order to meet the needs of Felda settlers.

He said the replanting of oil palm trees would bring in a return of about RM10 billion a year and a profit of RM1 billion a year for Felda.

Yusof said Felda needed RM750 million to realise the Gedung Makanan Negara (GMN) (national food warehouse) project which was one of Felda’s latest activities.

Yusof said the GMN project would be an important base in Felda’s management in increasing Felda’s income, besides oil palm.

“If Felda makes over RM1 billion in profit annually now, it is hoped that with the project the income will increase further,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Felda Deputy Director General of Plantation Development, Datuk Dzulkifli Abd Wahab, 54, was appointed the new Felda Director-General starting Sunday.

Yusof said Dzulkifli replaced Datuk Ahmad Termizi who has retired. Source : BERNAMA

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