The current status and future prospects of harvestable sago palm in Sarawak [Malaysia]
1991
Tie, Y.L. | Lim, E.T.K. (Department of Agriculture, Sarawak (Malaysia))
The current status and prospects of harvestable sago (Metrosylon spp.) palms in Sarawak were studied by field surveys and enumeration studies. The main objective we was to collect some up-to-date inventory data which would be useful for planning the future development of the sago industry in Sarawak. The number of mature palms per hectare from 6 to 144, with a mean value of about 42 palms/ha. Another 77 palms/ha have trunks which are still growing but can be harvested within the next five years. The number of larger suckers which have reached the trunk formation stage is about 203 per hectare. Smaller suckers average about 1,887 per hectare. With the present sago acreage of 19,720 ha, it can be estimated that approximately 2.347 million sago palms can be harvested in the next five years and future production can be sustained by the growing suckers. Based on this estimate, an annual output of 469,000 palms, which can be processed into 67,000 tonnes of quality sago starch, can be sustained. The average production figure of about 24,350 tonnes per annum from 1983 to 1987 can easily be doubled. Further substantial increase is envisaged when the sago plantation near Mukah comes into production
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