Price of mangrove seedlings up 100%
KEPALA BATAS: The demand for mangrove trees has pushed up the price of the seed and seedlings by almost 100% as the Government intensifies efforts to rehabilitate mangrove swamps.
The price of mangrove seeds is now 11 sen each, up from 5 sen previously, while seedlings went up by RM2 to RM4.
A mangrove nursery operator in the Kuala Muda fishing village, Jamil Din, 48, said he started the business about two weeks ago after people began asking for mangrove trees in his area.
“I bought the seeds in Sungai Petani, Kedah and Matang in Perak. I have planted 6,000 seeds and they are ready to be sold to buyers.
“I ventured into this business after friends told me the demand is rising since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi directed the rehabilitation of mangrove swamps,” he added.
Yesterday, a group of Sentral Technology Institute students planted mangrove seedlings in an activity organised by the Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (Pifwa).
Forestry Department deputy director-general Datuk Azahar Muda, who was present, said the Government was allocating a budget of RM100mil under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to replant mangroves after the Dec 26 tsunami disaster.
Pifwa adviser P. Balan said the association had planted 32,000 mangrove seedlings since 1997.
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