Sabah ideal for tea tree oil plantation

The other way of plantation that has potential for malaysia agriculture industrial. Yeah!

Updated 30 May, 2006 (Source: Daily Express)

Kota Kinabalu: A US agro-chemical company, which produces biocides for the protection of crops is keen to work with the Sabah Government to produce tea tree oil in the State.

President of Stockton Chemical Corporation, Peter Tirosh, conveyed the company's interest to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail during a courtesy call to the latter, here, Monday.

Stockton Chemical is a Florida-based company that produces herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, which are manufactured from natural plant extracts.

The company's products are supplied to more than 30 countries worldwide, mostly to South America, Central Europe and East Europe.

Tirosh said the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a versatile plant since the oil extracted from its leaves and twigs contains about 100 different ingredients.

He said the oil extract from tea tree is used as an ingredient to manufacture herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

"Plant-based biocides have many advantages over the conventional products in that they do not damage water or soil as well as harm beneficial insects, among others," he said.

According to Tirosh, Sabah's climate is ideal for the tea tree.

He said the plant thrived well in tropical climate, a combination of hot and humid including lots of rain, in which Sabah is well known for.

He added that due to the favourable climate in Sabah, tea tree grown here could achieve 40 per cent more yield than its native country, Australia.

"In terms of harvesting, too, I believe (in Sabah) it is possible to have three harvests in two years whereas in Australia, it takes 12 months to have one harvest," he said.

Tirosh said the world market for agro-chemical products was in the region of US$35 billion (RM126 billion) to US$50 billion (RM180 billion) a year.

Hence, he said the potential of tea tree oil, as an ingredient in the manufacture of agro-chemical products is really tremendous.

Abdul Rahim, meanwhile, said that such cooperation could be explored further.

He requested the Institute Development Studies (IDS) to study the scope for possible collaboration between the State Government and Stockton Chemical Corporation.

Tirosh was accompanied by two senior officials from Unifect International Pty Ltd of Australia, company's Managing Director, John S. Bax and Commercial and Technical Director, Jim Gobert.

Also present were Permanent Secretary to the Ministry, Datuk Gregory Joitol and IDS Executive Director, Datuk Dr Mohd Yaakub Johari.