ALOR GAJAH, July 5 — Young agropreneurs in the country should seize opportunities in the essential oil market which is seen to have great potential to grow, Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said.

He said the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) had been providing various assistance, including setting up an essential oil production facility at the Kuala Linggi Mardi Station to help entrepreneurs venture into the essential oil market.

He said demand for essential oils produced by this Mardi Station had been well received overseas including the Australian market, adding that various programmes are being organised by Mardi to help agropreneurs explore the industry.

"Malaysia has great potential in the herbal industry especially in essential oils. With technology, financial and other forms of assistance from the government through Mardi, I believe more Malaysian entrepreneurs would seek opportunities in this field or even export their essential oils overseas.

"The herbs can be processed to produce a variety of products such as soaps, lotions and so forth. As such, we hope more entrepreneurs would develop products based on Mardi research findings,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, Kiandee toured the essential oil production facility at the Kuala Linggi Mardi Station accompanied by Deputy Minister 1 Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah.

Meanwhile, according to a Mardi media statement, this year alone 79 entrepreneurs attended courses and trainings at the Mardi Essential Oil Incubator at the Kuala Linggi Station and from 2016 the station has produced 169 young agropreneurs.

The Mardi Essential Oil Incubator was launched in June 2009 to provide incubators for the processing of herbs and production of essential oils and to provide training to soap and essential oil entrepreneurs. — Bernama