DYNAMIC DESIGN: Daitoku has created the proper formula as well as design to speed up the fermentation process by two to three weeks.
KUCHING: Daitoku Sdn Bhd (Daitoku), specialising in eco-friendly technology has over the years successfully introduced innovative and efficient solutions to convert empty fruit bunches (EFB) into compressed organic fertilisers.
Renowned for its enforcement in the low usage of carbon in environment, the company in collaboration with experts in the agricultural as well as technological fields have developed a unique machine that converts waste to fertilisers.
According to the chief executive officer of Daitoku, Alfred Ling, the technology did not only provide the producers a more efficient control of their wastages, but the organic fertilisers generated from the machine would yield an increase in overall productivity.
Daitoku, a joint venture with China-based Fujian Dade Investment and Development Co Ltd was established in 2009 with the aim of promoting, marketing and selling the newly developed technology of plant and machinery for palm oil producers.
“The specially designed machine has been formulated to cater to the needs of palm oil manufacturers as well as tackling the adversities experienced by manufacturers in the palm oil industry.
“Palm oil producers have over the years faced hardships like the disposal of wastes like EFB and palm oil mill effluent (POME). In addition to that, rising costs of fertiliser, labour shortages and a continuous contamination and pollution of the environment are amongst the challenges that never seize to affect the manufacturers of palm oil,” Ling pointed out.
Elaborating on the process, he highlighted that the EFB waste would first be shredded into fine fibre size particles which would then be mixed with a waste known as effluent. It would then be followed by the fermentation stage where the healthy bacteria would assist in the fermentation process..
Ling noted that, what made the technology cost affective and time efficient was its ploughing machine that helped to shorten the duration of the fermentation process to only two to three weeks.
“Our machine is designed to tackle heavy duty and high volume of materials and in a short time convert it into a value product. The normal fermentation process would take around three to six months, but we have created the proper formula as well as design to speed up the fermentation process to only two to three weeks. In addition to that, the machine also enhances the consistency of the process,” he said.
According to Ling, the organic fertilisers generated from the machine had a high concentration of organic substances and nutrients as well as a high fertility rate that would be beneficial to palm trees.
Presently, in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, most palm oil plantations make use of chemical fertilisers. A prolonged usage of these chemical fertilisers would damage the nature of the soil, thus making it less effective and more costly for producers in the long term.
Therefore, a combination of both chemical and organic fertilisers would far outweigh the sole use of either chemical or organic fertilisers. Usage of the organic fertilisers from the machine would reduce the overall costs and in the long run, improve and sustain the soil conditions for a longer term development of plantations.
On a further note, the organic fertilisers were also compressed into small blocks so as to prevent fertiliser wastage during heavy rainfalls.
Moving ahead, what made the technology stand out was its environmental friendly structure. The machine was developed in line not only with the government’s policy on Green Technology, but also with the company’s goal of maintaining a healthy environment.
“The machine operated with a low usage of electricity during the fermentation process. In addition to that, its processes are carried out indoors and within confined areas under close control and scrutiny of the firm,” he stated.
Ling further noted that apart from clearing up 100 per cent of the EFB, the technology would be able to save an estimated 15 per cent to 20 per cent of the cost of fertilisers and increase palm oil production by between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.
“Our main goal in the business is to produce a technology that helps the producers to clear their wastes, and at the same time save costs and increase productivity and we have succeeded in doing so,” Ling concluded.