The agricultural sector is facing a pressing challenge with the widespread use of low-quality, artificial fertilisers that can degrade soil health and compromise long-term sustainability. These inferior products often result in diminished soil quality, lower crop yields, and increased environmental harm, highlighting a critical need for effective solutions.
In response to these issues, BusinessToday recently spoke with Group President of Taaveekun Group, Fadzilah Ariffin and Chairman of KPF Agro Properties Sdn. Bhd., Datuk Ramli Ismail about their plans to expand their collaboration. This enhanced partnership is set to focus on high-quality soil conditioners, aiming to address the pressing problems caused by substandard fertilisers.
Starting early next year, the spokerperson highlighted that the expanded initiative will target oil palm plantations in FELDA estates across Malaysia. The goal is to replace ineffective fertilsers with advanced soil conditioners designed to restore and improve soil health, thereby increasing crop productivity and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
Through this strategic collaboration, Taaveekun and KPF Agro Properties are committed to advancing agricultural standards and promoting environmental sustainability. This partnership underscores their dedication to providing effective solutions that meet the evolving needs of the agricultural sector, reflecting a broader effort to enhance both economic and ecological outcomes in farming.
Addressing Fertiliser Quality Concerns
This partnership seeks to mitigate the negative impact of substandard fertilisers that can deteriorate soil health and affect agricultural sustainability. By providing superior soil conditioners and agricultural equipment, Taaveekun and KPF Agro Properties aim to improve soil quality and boost crop yields.
Fadzilah emphasised the significance of the expanded collaboration, “Our goal is to enhance agricultural productivity and ensure better financial returns for FELDA settlers.
Addressing the problems caused by inferior fertilisers is a key focus of this partnership.”
The collaboration will leverage the expertise of Taaveekun’s subsidiary, Taaveekun Total Green Sdn. Bhd. (TTGSB), and involve joint formulation efforts with FGV Fertiliser Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of FGV Holdings Berhad.
This follows a previous contract where Taaveekun supplied over 70,000 metric tons of soil amendments to KPF Agro Properties, demonstrating improved oil extraction rates and crop yields in treated plantations.
Commitment to Sustainable Practices
Taaveekun’s production capabilities, with a facility in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, producing over 200,000 metric tons annually, will support this initiative.
Additionally, the company’s recent collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on Clean Agriculture Technology (CAT) reflects ongoing efforts to integrate scientific research into agricultural practices.
Meanwhile, Datuk Ramli Ismail said, his party became interested in the Taaveekun method starting in 2020, which has its own differences in addition to the positive results on the crops after making an experiment.
Therefore, he believes that cooperation with Taaveekun has benefited both parties because each has its own expertise.
He also admitted that KPF Agro Properties needs to move forward outside the box with plans to have its own logo fertiliser supplied by Taaveekun with the target of sales to oil palm settlers who come out of Felda.
“This strategy of targeting settlers who left Felda is better because they no longer have advisers.
“We need to have an initiative by discussing and calling them to use the correct and quality fertiliser products and look at the crops and send them back to Felda.
“What’s more, this soil conditioning fertiliser is so suitable in the Felda area because most of the soil has died and needs to be restored because it has been using chemical-based fertilisers for a long time,” he said.
