An Interview with PS Global Controlled Release Fertilizer Technology as the Way Forward for Sustainable Oil Palm Cultivation

Mr. Jack Ng Kim Fui, CEO of PS Global Sdn Bhd

Ex-architect as a profession, Jack grew up with the inspiration of his father’s legacy being a pioneer in horticulture and hydroponics in Malaysia. Now he's an enthusiast with a decade of experience in the fertiliser industry with the dream to drive the palm oil industry to achieve higher potential goals using technology.

1. ‘Realising from extensive experience to innovate systems that deliver productivity, y, and sustainability,’ is PS Global’s mission. In what way does PS Global contribute to sustainability?

the expansion of the palm oil industry has been perceived to have negative impacts on the environment, ecosystems, and the well-being of people living within the palm oil environmental context. We recognize and are driven by the importance of sustainable agriculture in the oil palm plantation industry.

Sustainability comes with integrity and responsibility ; it is about protecting the needs of current generations without compromising future generations to come.

Our current technology product focus is patented based on the study of plant basic sur vival needs. We usually call it the Plantsafe sachet. It is a technology that aims to distribute nutrients at the right place and time to strategically allow optimum nutrient uptake. It is a product that sustains fertilizers from contaminating water systems needed by living communities of both people and animals

Plantsafe Controlled Released Sachet Fertilizer

2. What’s PLANTSAFE’s application technique for the highest effectiveness in controlled-released fertilizer (CRF)? How does it generate in terms of yield and growth?

Fertiliser is always a big line item for plantation operations so applying fertilizer correctly is crucial to cost management. We propose fertilizer application methods that feed precisely to every operation management and then allows the plantation to focus more on fruit har vesting.

3. As CRF doesn’t harm the environment, do explain the whole system and concept. How does it differ from other sustainable-based fertilizers?

Unpredictable rainfall is another challenge for plantations. leaching, in which most of these fertilizer salts tend to enter our environmental water systems and pollute the environment. CRF is the next best thing to hydroponics, as we know is the most nutrients to be available while the plant is absorbing moisture, in other words drinking water, for its ever yday sur vival. Hence placing them correctly is crucial to both the plant and the environment.

4. There are a few issues surrounding palm oil plantations for the past couple of years on humanity, workers shortage and planning, workers’ health, gender equality, and quality of life for workers. How does PS Global take accountability in this, such as in work done and management process?

Our product sachet for instance can be a tool to help improve the working and living conditions of the people who work in the industry weight standard of 50kg to promote better health conditions at work for the laborers. We understand the hardships us thoughtful of the environment and the people working and at the plantation premises themselves. Hence it is important to keep the water system within their living community clean so that the families and children will not consume anything contaminating within the water source.

Application is also done by just counting the number of sachets placed per palm tree which is also an improvement in the quality of work by increasing its application speed. All these advantages come from changing the design of the fertilizer into a sachet. We tend to design our products to be able to be applied by all our main packaging of woven bags is 25kg in size which is half

As for the management process, sachet technology allows sustainability and accountability. Fertilizers are a must-have for the palm oil industry as it is the main requirement to yield fruits, but it is also the highest operational cost of investment at 70%. With the sachet, you can measure how much is placed, how much is consumed and how much it is uptake by the plant. Accountability of fertilizer usage allows better management of resources years ahead in which you are allowed to plan. If you can measure the outcome, you can plan ahead of time with less wastage due to the uncertainty of loss of investment

5. Does PS Global have any plans in expanding CRF in other parts of Southeast Asia? And is this driven only toward the palm oil industry?

Yes. We have plans to expand by mechanization in manufacturing our product technolog y. Our technolog y can work with today’s use of fertilizers which are generally inorganic salt broadcasts. We have developed a mechanization method that can be attached to any fertilizer warehouse stockpiles to produce a new line of CRF products. Another plan of ours is more involved in combining biotechnolog y into fertilizers to act as a catalyst to reduce the heavy reliance on inorganic fertilizers industries.