PUTRAJAYA: Local celebrity Azmi Hassan, better known as Amy from the 1990s rock band Ukays, claimed that he was unaware of a ban against guarana plants and seeds imported from Brazil.
In an exclusive interview with NST Online, Amy said he is in talks with the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry and is hopeful of getting the greenlight for the controversial project.
“The ministry has told me that they need a month to study the impact of guarana on the local rubber trees,” Amy said, adding that he was not aware of the ban.
Agriculture Department director-general Datuk Ahmad Zakaria Mohamed Sidek announced a ban on guarana plants and seeds that are directly imported from the South American continent in view of the South American Leaf Blight (SALB) disease threat, which can be transmitted easily by air.
The SALB fungus feed on rubber trees and can kill the Malaysian rubber industry, Zakaria said.
His team has already sealed a guarana nursery in Baling, Kedah, which is home to 30,000 young guarana plants from Brazil.
“We will observe the guarana plants for six months. We will conduct a series of tests and surveys to determine if they are free from SALB.”
Under the Plant Quarantine Regulations 1981, import of plants from Brazil and other South American countries with a high risk of SALB are prohibited – except for research purposes.
“Anyone who wishes to bring in guarana plant or seed from Brazil is only allowed to bring in 1kg of it,” Zakaria explained.
According to Amy, he is in the midst of starting a pilot project involving other local celebrities, including veteran artistes such as Datuk Dahlan Zainuddin, Yazid Ahmad from Search, and Tok Ki.
The artistes have planned to grow guarana on a commonly shared land bank, which will be called Ladang Guarana Rakyat in Tasik Gelugor, Penang.
“It’s a CSR programme for the veteran artistes, which I’m developing with a local plantation company,” Amy said.
“A lot of our veteran stars do not have a permanent source of income when they are old and sickly. Planting guarana could be a good source of income for them because of its high demand overseas,” Amy opined.
Inspired by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) concept, Amy said the Ladang Guarana Rakyat would assist the settlers on all matters and issues related to being an agropreneur.
He also said that land and bank loans will be given to qualified smallholders.