In Malaysia, farmers from the Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Pendang Selatan have agreed to supply 57,000 metric tons of rice straw from 12 estates to Free The Seed Sdn Bhd. FTS will then process it into biodegradable packaging via its enzyme technology.
“The project is estimated to be worth over RM7 million (US$1.65) annually, [generating products] for locals and exports to markets like the Netherlands, Germany and the UK,” Mosti Minister Datuk Seri
Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau tells The Edge. FTS can produce about 60 million units of packaging annually. “This innovation is a good example of science, technology, and innovation discovery that can be applied to the industry, subsequently generating income and jobs,” he added.
The project will be overseen by the Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corp.