Headline
MediaTitle
Date
Section
Page No
UniMAP HELPS TO BOOST MANGO PRODUCTION
New Straits Times
27 Sep 2014
Local News
24
UniMAP HELPS TO
BOOST MANGO
PRODUCTION
ILI SHAZWANI
WILL you pay RM25 for a kilo­ of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra the effect of extreme climates and
gramme of mangoes? It may Jamalullail adopted this innovation to threat of pests to the 20,000 mango
sound ridiculous,­ but that be tried on a half­acre model farm" trees housed in 100 greenhouses on a
price tag does not deter mango lovers equipped with modern infrastructure 20ha plot in UniMAP's Sungai Chuchuh
campus near Padang Besar.
from jumping into the annual rush for and facilities.
He adds that the system, which in­
sweet, aromatic Harumanis mangoes.
"Upscaling the project to commercial
Hence, it is not surprising that the size was quite an uphill task, partic­ volves using the Internet, automation
Japanese are willing to pay up to RM40 ularly the investments that cost a for­ and remote­sensing, will enable farm­
for each kilogramme of the premium tune, the training of tech­sawy farmers ers to control the microclimate and
plant growth to ensure that fruit pro­
mango, which is grown only in Perlis
duction can be controlled by demand.
because of the northern state's unique and marketing the product.
"This is where the idea of merging all
climate.
Besides increasing the plant density
Harumanis is only available for a lim­ stakeholders under the triple helix in­ by ten times and designing the canopy
ited period, from the middle of April till novation model of academia­govern­ to increase harvest index, the de­risk­
ing system will also help to increase the
the middle of June annually, making ment­industry came into the picture."
Kamarudin says UniMAP is planning potential harvest to greater than 70
the cultivar the most sought­after in
the country. Since making its debut as to hire and train its graduates to get per cent compared with 30 per cent
the first­ever fruit from Malaysia to involved in contract farming using through the conventional open­field
production system.
pass the Japanese authorities' stringent greenhouses.
Meanwhile, UniMAP Institute of Sus­
Pointing out that the current ex­
quality standards in 2010, Harumanis
perimental yield obtained was about
has also penetrated the market in Sin­ tainable Agrotechnology (Insat) direc­
tor Associate Professor Mahmad Nor
25kg per plant, he says the fruit pro­
gapore and Hong Kong.
The exclusivity of its availability has Jaafar says UniMAP played its part by duction is equivalent to 25 tonnes per
made Harumanis a precious commod­ providing the premises, continuous hectare per year.
Under the CHPS, each mature plant
ity, not only for the export market, but technology back­up and intellectual
capital while the NCIA, representing can yield at least 50 fruits of 500
to the local market as well.
Thanks to Universiti Malaysia Perlis the government, has arranged for in­ grammes each year. A conservative
(UniMAP), an all:year­round commer­ vestors to provide seed money and the gross return of RM0.5million/hectare
cial production of Harumanis mangoes development of guidelines and reg­ can be expected in using the system.
"If the demand for quality mangoes
will become a reality by 2016 using the ulations. JPB, on the other hand, he
greenhouse technology developed by says, is engaged in the production pro­ continues to be bullish, we can expect a
the university.
cess which includes marketing and re­ new landscape of mango industry in
Perlis in the years to come, changing it
The project, in collaboration with JPB training of farmers.
Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd (JPB) and the
The technology blueprint of Mango­ from a million to billion ringgit in­
Northern Corridor Implementation Au­ on­Demand comprises seven portfolio dustry," says Mahmad.
thority (NCIA), is set to revolutionise technologies achieved by converging
the technology of growing Harumanis. engineering, biotechnology, en­
UniMAP vice­chancellor Professor
trepreneurship and common sense into
Datuk Dr Kamarudin Hussin says the one package. This is known as the 7­in­
project, involving RM21 million in in­ 1 mango technology.
vestments, will also allow consumers to
"Designed for timely and optimum
get a constant supply through the ap­ production of premium mangoes, this
plication of the agronomic schedule
technology serves as a game­changer
production technology.
and helps to take the mango industry,
Kamarudin adds that the idea was
not only in Perlis but also the country,
initiated in 2008, and the proof of to the next level," says Mahmad.
concept by field experiment was ac­
Elaborating on the Greenhouse Pro­
complished in 2012 before field test­ duction System Technology (GHPS),
ing began in the same year.
Mahmad says the system can de­risk
"It was a major milestone when Raja
Headline
MediaTitle
Date
Section
Page No
UniMAP HELPS TO BOOST MANGO PRODUCTION
New Straits Times
27 Sep 2014
Local News
24
A UniMAP employee inspecting the
mangoes grown using the
university's Greenhouse
Production System Technology
(GHPS).
UniMAP Institute of Sustainable Agrotechnology (Insat) vocational training officer rnona Htsnamuaatn one
Mat walking among the Harumanis mango trees in a greenhouse. (Inset) Insat director Associate Professor
Mahmad Nor Jaafar says the GHPS is designed for timely and optimum production of premium mangoes.