GURUN, Jan 24 — Free The Seed Sdn Bhd, a manufacturer of biodegradable packaging made from rice husks and straws, has begun marketing its products to Europe.
Deputy Chairman Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said the company has secured a contract to export one container load of its environmental-friendly products to The Netherlands.
“We will be exporting 40 containers of biodegradable fruit tray products over a span of three years with a total contract value of RM25 million,” he said after a ceremony to mark the export of the first container of biodegradable fruit trays to The Netherlands here today.
Present were Joint Chairman, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali and President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman and Chairman of the Kedah Committee on Industry and Investment Domestic Trade, Consumer Affairs and Cooperatives Datuk Dr Ku Rahman Ku Ismail.
“We are confident that these non-toxic, soluble, biodegradable products will continue to grow as its usage will replace polystyrene and plastic containers,” said Salleh, adding that Germany and United Kingdom have also shown interest in their products.
On the local market, Salleh said the products were currently being used in Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and would be marketed to other states soon.
Free The Seed emerged national champion in the 2014 Global Cleantech Innovation Programme Competition organised by MIGHT.
Through innovative technology, it recycled rice residues into environment-friendly products which also benefitted the small farmers as they were able to generate some income through selling the rice husks and straws. — Bernama
