SABAH is poised to witness significant benefits from sustainably-produced ginger and seaweed based products in the State as a result of the rising acceptance and implementation of cutting-edge bio-based technologies among local industry players.
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, said innovative Malaysian bio-based companies like Rhodomaxx and Tamara play a key role in uplifting Sabah’s farmers through modernisation of farming methods.
“As the largest seaweed-producing state and third largest producer of ginger in Malaysia, Sabah plays a crucial role in contributing to the country’s agricultural sector and bio-economy.
“This enables development of economic opportunities for wealth creation, as well as solving global issues with local sustainable solutions,” he said.
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During the ceremony, Rhodomaxx Sdn Bhd, a Sabah bio-based company, launched AlgaGrow, a bio-based fertiliser product derived sustainably from Sabah seaweed.
Arthur believed that with further research and development, the East Coast with abundance of algae will be the first to benefit from cheaper fertilisers which market price has skyrocketed over the years.
The MoU exchange ceremony between bio-based accelerator company Tamara Nanoetech (M) Sdn Bhd (Tamara) and Koperasi Pembangunan Usaha Jaya Semporna Berhad (Kopujaya) marked their collaboration to set up a pilot farm for ginger cultivation in Tuaran, using ginger-specific nutrient input with modern farming techniques.
“By integrating advanced agricultural inputs and modernising ginger cultivating practices, this partnership seeks to bolster ginger production in Sabah, aligning with the nation’s goals of enhancing food security.
“Thanks to Bio-economy Corporation’s facilitation and support, Rhodomaxx and Tamara have capitalised on these abundant resources and leveraged them to drive innovation and sustainable growth,” he added.
Rhodomaxx invested RM1.5 million in research and product development, including for seaweed-based derivatives like bioplastics and feed additives, with plans to raise it to RM12 million in the next three years.
Tamara and Kopujaya’s collaboration on the pilot farm in Tuaran would involve at least 40 farmers from the ginger industry to eventual produce at least 150 metric tonnes (MT) of ginger.
Arthur said the innovative efforts align with the mission of National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 to unite and concentrate Malaysia’s bio-based resources and activities for the advancement of economic prosperity, societal well-being, and sustainability through agriculture.
Bio-economy Corporation CEO Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak highlighted that the bio-based initiatives undertaken by Rhodomaxx, Tamara and Kopujaya are rooted on sustainable practices that would add high value to Sabah’s agricultural and economic development.
“As a result of these initiatives, Sabah will benefit from sustainable agri-inputs, reduced dependency on imported fertiliser inputs, potential carbon sink opportunities, safer non-chemical inputs, diverse market channels for seaweed farmers, technology transfer for bio-based ginger cultivation, modernisation of ginger farmers and innovative seaweed and ginger-based product development.
“These initiatives are expected to complement the substantial revenues from seaweed as a highly valuable commodity, with an annual raw seaweed revenue in Malaysia ranging from RM50 million to RM60 million in the previous three years.
“Alongside the strong global market demand for ginger projected to reach USD10.3 billion by 2030 growing at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7 per cent during the forecast period of 2022-2030, Malaysia’s current self-sufficiency rate for ginger stands at 18.9 per cent which translates to an import volume of over 50,000 MT,” he added.
Founder and Director of Rhodomaxx, Chung Ngin Zhun, meanwhile, sees the future of seaweed in Sabah as a bright one.
“As Sabahans, we believe that local seaweed can solve the world’s sustainability issue ranging from plastic pollution and biochemical imbalances such as algal blooms.
“With the Malaysian Government’s support and guidance from Bio-economy Corporation, we aim to scale up our bioplastic, fertilisers and feed solutions to serve the global market,” he said.
Managing Director of Tamara, Syakur Mohd Suhaimi, believed that the collaboration would significantly propel the company’s expansion into Sabah’s thriving ginger market.
“By integrating advanced agricultural inputs and modernising ginger cultivating practices, this partnership seeks to bolster ginger production in Sabah, aligning with the nation’s goals of enhancing food security,” he said.
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