Tropical Bioessence aims to be world’s largest lemongrass essential oil producer
23 Feb 2022
Tropical Bioessence Sdn Bhd aims to become the world’s largest lemongrass essential oil producer within the next two years and hence create many job and business opportunities for others.
Founder and managing director Mohd Khairil Said said the BioNexus-status company began operating 14 years ago producing various products under the Sutra brand such as pure essential oils and herbal oils, as well as plant-based personal care and aromatherapy products.
However, in December last year the company, a member of the Star Medik Group, introduced a new brand, Serai Malaya, for lemongrass-based products.
Mohd Khairil said the company had made an initial investment of RM2.5 million to set up a lemongrass processing and distillation plant in Masjid Tanah, Melaka, to ensure the continued growth of the Serai Malaya brand in line with the goal of becoming the biggest lemongrass essential oil producer in the world.
“Under Serai Malaya, we are producing pure essential oil for the purpose of producing, among others, personal care products, aromatherapy oils and air freshener sprays, as well as lemongrass flakes and powder for cooking,” he told Bernama here today.
Tropical Bioessence is one of the Malaysian companies participating in Expo 2020 Dubai.
According to Mohd Khairil, the Masjid Tanah plant is processing 15 tonnes of lemongrass daily, and this will be raised gradually to 75 tonnes a day.
He said this latest project would have a positive spillover effect on lemongrass growers not only around the Masjid Tanah area but also those as far as Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Perak and even Pahang.
“We require a planting area spanning about 971 hectares, but at present, we only have 48.5 hectares,” he said, adding that the company was buying lemongrass from farmers at RM2.50 per kilogramme, including leaves.
“We will provide opportunities to locals through the plant operation and create many agropreneurs. And obviously, we will offer opportunities to those interested in selling Serai Malaya products,” he said.
On the company’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, Mohd Khairil said it was seeking importers for its products and had received many enquiries from companies.
Tropical Bioessence is among the companies participating during the Sustainable Agriculture Week hosted at Malaysia Pavilion by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries and implementing agency Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation.
The Sustainable Agriculture Week, one of the 26 weekly trade and business programmes hosted by Malaysia Pavilion, ends on Friday.
Source: Bernama
