Physic nut plants are found in arid and temperate zones in Myanmar. The plants are familiar with Myanma topography and weather since the time immemorial.

There are 168,930 acres of arable land in Kayah State, where most of the people earn their living by cultivation.

In our country Myanmar, people mention petroleum as black gold and rubber as white gold. Now, we can mention physic nut oil as green gold, because it will contribute as bio-diesel. So, we, the Tatmadaw are growing them with the concept that all the plants, we’ve grown must thrive.

That’s why, a physic nut nursery was built at Regional Control Command in Loikaw, Kayah State where 500,000 physic nut saplings have been grown systematically. At No (1) nursery, 75,000 saplings have been planted in bags. Among the conventional agricultural methods, they grow physic nut plants according to designated agricultural methods to increase growing rate and to increase high yield of nuts.

Altogether 68,000 of physic nut saplings at No (2) nursery and 100,000 saplings in No (3) nursery have been grown and these are thriving now.

Altogether 200,000 physic nut saplings, which can produce bio-diesel to solve challenges relating to fuel, have been nurtured at No (4) nursery at Regional Control Command in Loikaw.

Now, we arrived at No.4 physic nut nursery of the Regional Control Command in Loikaw, where we aim to grow 200,000 physic nut saplings. The next place approach to the nursery is 100 acres of physic nut sapling plantation. In this plantation, the plants were grown by grafting. In the past, this place was a vacant and virgin land. Due to careful growing of the plants, they are thriving now.

Millions of gallons of bio-diesel can be produced by nurturing physic nut plants extensively. It can save production cost and contribute not only to improve the socio-economic life of the people but also for economic development of the nation.

Physic nut plants can be grown in any kind of soil. If natural fertilizers and chemical fertilizers are applied in growing physic nut sapling, they will thrive more and increase the rate of nut yields per acre.

There are two kinds of physic nut cultivation methods, which are seedling and grafting. Direct seedling and nurturing methods are applied in growing the saplings. Direct grafting or nurturing in nursling bags are applied in grafting method.

At the plantation of Regional Control Command near Loikaw, physic nut plants are grown at the distance 6x6 inches each to be able to grow 1,200 physic nut plants per acre.

The Regional Control Command of Kayah State looked for and stockpiling the wild physic nut plants in the State, and these are transferred to nurseries where they are planted systematically.

To obtain high yield nuts, weeds around the plants are removed and natural fertilizers and chemical fertilizers are applied in growing the plants.

Physic nut plants grow in arid zones and temperate zones in Myanmar where yearly rainfall is 18 to 93 inches and although its most suitable temperature is 18° c to 25° c, it can well thrive in the region with high temperature. In the temperate zones such as Kayah State, which is near Equator, the physic nut plants can bear nuts all year round.

The plants can grow in plain region, as well as in hilly regions, 5,000 ft above sea level.

Moreover, the Government has been arranging to grow a plantation, which has 40,000 saplings in the compound of 100-bed Defence Services General hospital.

As the Government is implementing the task of growing physic nut plants to be able to use its oil as bio-diesel, 500,000 acres of physic nut plants will be grown within three years in each State and Division. In this way, respective Regiments and Units, take responsibilities not only in defence duty but also in regional development as well as fulfilling the needs of fuel.