Author: Hithaishi CB

The landmark project to attract up to RM500 million in investments strengthening Johor’s position as a leader in modern agriculture Southern Catalyst Sdn Bhd (SOCAT), a Ministry of Finance Inc. company, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singapore-founded agritech firm Archisen to establish a modern Agropolis in Ladang Air Manis, Sedenak, Johor. The 80.9-hectare development, located within SOCAT’s 1,189.8-hectare master-planned site in Sedenak, is expected to attract up to RM500 million in investments. SOCAT said the Agropolis will feature a comprehensive ecosystem aimed at drawing farm owners while unlocking new revenue streams across the farming value chain. It…

Preliminary agreements were reached to expand market access for agricultural products and strengthen trade cooperation. Taiwan and Indonesia recently concluded the 5th Taiwan-Indonesia Agricultural Cooperation Consultation Meeting in Taipei, reinforcing their agricultural partnership under the 2016 Taiwan-Indonesia Agricultural Cooperation Agreement. The meeting focused on agricultural policy, market access, and broader cooperation, with a particular emphasis on addressing food security challenges intensified by climate change. Both nations agreed to enhance agricultural resilience through technological collaboration and talent development, aiming to ensure stable food supplies. An Indonesian agricultural delegation toured food industry operations in Changhua and Yilan from August 29 to 30,…

Roland Vanhoegaerden, Operations Managing Director for Specialty Rice Ingredients at BENEO 1. How does Vietnam’s reliance on rice exports impact its economic stability and food security? What challenges does the industry face in terms of sustainability and environmental impact? Vietnam is one of the world’s largest rice exporters and relies heavily on rice cultivation for rural employment, food security, and foreign exchange earnings. However, intensive rice production practices—designed to meet global demand—have led to growing environmental challenges that directly threaten the sector’s long-term viability. These include inefficient water use, excessive fertiliser and pesticide application, and the widespread burning of rice…

New full-coverage sprinkler system complements Orbia Netafim’s extreme weather mitigation solutions to offer year-round crop defense from weather-related risks Orbia Advance Corporation’s S.A.B. de C.V. Precision Agriculture business Netafim, the global leader in precision irrigation solutions, is introducing Mega-PULSAR™, a unique full-coverage pulsing sprinkler technology developed to protect orchards from intensifying heatwaves and severe heat stress. This rollout marks the latest addition to Orbia Netafim’s portfolio of extreme weather mitigation solutions and is specifically tailored to help growers of high-value subtropical crops, such as avocado, mango, lychee and more by addressing the growing threat of extreme heatwaves and water scarcity. As…

Sigenergy Deploys Modular C&I Solar-Storage System in Hainan to expand to global markets Sigenergy, a leading energy innovator, successfully hosted the highly anticipated Sigenergy Day APAC in Hainan, where over 300 industry professionals, partners, clients, and media representatives gathered to explore the future of solar-storage integration. The event provided a platform for discussing emerging trends and opportunities in the renewable energy sector, with a special focus on Sigenergy’s cutting-edge C&I energy storage solution. A major highlight of the event was the tour of a pioneering seawater fish farming project, powered by Sigenergy’s C&I inverters and SigenStack energy storage system. This project…

Comprehensive discussions on Agro-product trade, Market access, Agri-biotechnology, Agri-machinery, Pilot Demonstration Zone, and Seed industry cooperation Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Maxim Markovich, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, co-chaired the 12th meeting of the China–Russia Agricultural Cooperation Subcommittee under the Committee for Regular Meetings Between the Chinese and Russian Heads of Government in Moscow on August 27. The meeting involved in-depth discussions on various topics, including agro-product and food trade, market access, agricultural science and technology, the establishment of the China–Russia Pilot Demonstration Zone for Agricultural Cooperation, and seed industry cooperation. Vice…

Acclym brings enterprise customers such as AB InBev, Nestle, General Mills, and McCain Foods to CropX’s agronomic farm management platform CropX Technologies, a global leader in digital agronomic solutions, has acqured Acclym (formerly Agritask), an enterprise-grade agricultural intelligence company known for enabling top food and beverage brands to deliver on their agricultural sustainability commitments. CropX will integrate Acclym’s capabilities into its agronomic farm management system, expanding its offerings to enterprise-level customers and unlocking high-impact new use cases in sustainability, regenerative agriculture, and climate-smart supply chains. Acclym’s technology powers agricultural decision-making at scale for Enterprise food and beverage leaders, relying on Acclym to monitor, verify, and…

Czech startup Skymaps has launched “Zoneye”, an AI model that detects crops and weeds from drone images, trains on local species, and helps farmers cut input costs by 50% while boosting yields 20% Czech startup Skymaps has launched Zoneye, an AI model that allows farmers to train the system to recognize weeds unique to their region. Trained to recognize 37 common weed species, Zoneye pinpoints their exact location in the field using drone images. Integrated into the company’s CultiWise prescription-map platform, the tool enables growers to cut input costs by up to 50% while boosting yields by up to 20%.…

The partnership aims to unlock Japan’s untapped geothermal potential and build a replicable model for sustainable energy development worldwide Combining a global investment portfolio with a community-rooted business model, this strategic partnership aims to scale clean, renewable energy respectfully, revitalizing local economies while honoring cultural heritage. Furusato Netsuden brings deep local roots, trust, and operational expertise to the partnership, while Baseload Capital contributes international investment, global reach and the power of committed owners such as Google and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Japan’s untapped geothermal power Japan has the third largest geothermal potential globally, with an estimated 23 GW, yet its current installed capacity is only…

GameChange Solar’s early engineering involvement, particularly the detailed cut and fill assessment, was a key differentiator in optimising site design and reducing overall project costs. GameChange Solar, a leading global supplier of solar tracker and fixed-tilt racking technology, announced that it has secured its first solar tracker project in New Zealand with Bright Fern Energy’s upcoming Dannevirke Solar Farm. The 23 MWp utility-scale project marks a key milestone in GameChange Solar’s footprint in Oceania, expanding its tracker presence into a new geography with locally adapted solutions. Bright Fern Energy is a cornerstone customer for GameChange Solar in the New Zealand market. The project will feature GameChange…