Latest news with #Archisen
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Resources, halal standards and JS-SEZ attracting investors
JOHOR BARU: Malaysia's abundant natural resources, halal certification standards and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) have made the state an attractive destination for investors in food-related industries. Johor investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han said food processing companies from Singapore and South Korea are actively exploring expansion under the JS-SEZ initiative. 'They are looking at Johor as an alternative or as a food production hub because of our natural resources and also because of Malaysia's halal certification standards,' he said in an interview. Lee said the recent launch of a RM40mil joint venture between digital agri-food company Farmbyte – a subsidiary of state-owned Johor Corporation – and Singapore agri-tech firm Archisen reflects strong investor confidence in Johor as a food production hub. 'The collaboration makes the project, located in Iskandar Puteri, one of the largest vertical farming plants in the country. 'The joint venture company is actively exploring other bigger sites for the near future. The first batch of produce from the farm in Iskandar Puteri will enter the market in September,' he said. Lee said the farm, which uses climate control technologies, would initially focus on high-value vegetables before expanding to other greens to reduce production costs and product prices. He said that Farmbyte and Archisen would offtake the vegetables produced by the joint venture for Malaysian and Singaporean markets, respectively. While there are no strict policies compelling foreign food companies investing in Johor to supply products to the local market to strengthen food security, Lee said that companies receiving government incentives would be subject to certain conditions to supply to the local market. Food security is one of the 11 key economic sectors outlined in the JS-SEZ initiative. The other sectors include logistics, manufacturing, financial services, business services, digital economy, tourism, education, health, energy and the green economy. According to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the JS-SEZ covers 3,588sq km, comprising nine flagship zones – Johor Baru, Iskandar Puteri, Tanjung Pelepas, Tanjung Langsat-Kong Kong, Senai-Skudai, Kulai-Sedenak, Desaru-Penawar, Forest City and Pengerang.
Barnama
07-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Johor Unveils Malaysia's Largest High-Tech Vertical Farm
REGION - SOUTHERN > NEWS ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 7 (Bernama) -- Johor has launched the country's largest high-tech vertical farming facility, spanning over 50,000 square feet, to cultivate leafy vegetables using advanced agrotechnology. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the RM40 million project is a strategic joint venture between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech company Archisen Pte Ltd. He said the facility, which grows produce such as ice plant salad, is located in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Construction began in 2023, and the farm is now fully operational at Nusajaya Industrial Park here. bootstrap slideshow 'This is a historic milestone for Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore. What began as a pioneering idea two years ago has now become a reality. 'This isn't just an agricultural project - it is a new ecosystem that strengthens regional food security,' he told reporters after the launch ceremony today. Also present were Archisen director Vincent Wei, JCorp chairman Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, and State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han. Onn Hafiz said the project has attracted interest from various agricultural industry players from both Malaysia and Singapore, who are exploring future collaborations. He noted that FarmByte and Archisen are in talks with several other companies to expand operations and build a robust regional ecosystem for vertical farming. 'They aim to scale up operations and establish a comprehensive farming network. We hope this will be realised soon, with strong support from all stakeholders,' he said.
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Johor launches Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farm
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor has officially opened Malaysia's largest high-tech vertical farming facility, covering 50,000 square feet, to grow leafy greens using advanced agricultural technology. The RM40 million project is a collaboration between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech firm Archisen Pte Ltd. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi described the facility as a strategic development within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Located at Nusajaya Industrial Park, the farm began construction in 2023 and is now fully operational, producing crops such as ice plant salad. 'This is a historic milestone for Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore. What began as a pioneering idea two years ago has now become a reality. This isn't just an agricultural project - it is a new ecosystem that strengthens regional food security,' Onn Hafiz said during the launch ceremony. The facility integrates large-scale infrastructure with smart farming systems, enabling year-round production of high-quality leafy greens. Using controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology, the farm operates without pesticides and is unaffected by weather conditions. With an estimated annual yield of 306,000 kilogrammes, the farm aligns with Malaysia's National Food Security Policy Action Plan and Singapore's '30 by 30' initiative, which aims to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. FarmByte and Archisen are in discussions with other companies to expand operations and develop a regional vertical farming network. 'They aim to scale up operations and establish a comprehensive farming network. We hope this will be realised soon, with strong support from all stakeholders,' Onn Hafiz added. Key figures present at the launch included Archisen director Vincent Wei, JCorp chairman Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, and State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han. – Bernama
New Straits Times
21-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
JS-SEZ a strategic buffer amid US-China trade fallout, says Singapore DPM Gan
JOHOR BARU: The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) offers a crucial lifeline for regional businesses to bolster supply chain resilience amid rising global trade tensions, said Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (MTI) Gan Kim Yong. Delivering his keynote address at the JS-SEZ joint business and investment forum in the Persada Johor Internation Convention Centre here today, Gan said the escalating tariff war between the United States and China had choked off trade between the world's two largest economies, with ripple effects on businesses across Southeast Asia. "The JS-SEZ presents an opportunity for businesses to strengthen supply chains so they can better respond to volatility and continue growing," he said, calling the initiative "important and timely" in the face of growing global protectionism. Gan warned that Washington's newly-announced "reciprocal tariffs" on imports — including a 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods and a 10 per cent tariff on Singapore's exports — had triggered retaliatory moves by Beijing and others, putting the multilateral trading order at risk. Malaysia, he said, is also affected, with a 24 per cent US tariff now imposed on its exports. "Unilateral trade actions threaten to destabilise the rules-based trading system. If countries trade only on their own terms, smaller economies will always be at the mercy of larger ones," he said. In contrast, the JS-SEZ, encompassing 3,571 sq km of southern Johor, aims to streamline cross-border investment, simplify customs processes, and improve people and goods movement. It targets high-impact sectors including advanced manufacturing, logistics, and digital economy. Gan cited examples of companies leveraging the zone's advantages, including. Singapore-based agritech firm Archisen, had partnered with Johor Corporation's FarmByte to build a smart indoor farm in Nusajaya producing 300 tonnes of leafy greens annually. Agrocorp, in collaboration with Japan's Megmilk Snow Brand, is setting up a plant-protein facility in Tanjung Langsat to manufacture 6,000 tonnes of sustainable protein from pulses. South Korea's SPC Group, has also split its operations between Johor (halal manufacturing plant) and Singapore (Research & development and headquarters). Singapore has set up a dedicated JS-SEZ project office via MTI, Enterprise Singapore, and Singapore economic Development board to assist its firms in tapping into the zone. This complements Malaysia's own Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre in Johor. Gan said the need for Malaysia and Singapore to "double down" on connectivity, regulatory streamlining, and workforce development to attract more investment, including from businesses not yet present in either country. Present at the forum were Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, his deputy Liew Chin Tong, and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. The event featured panels on regional wealth creation, investment attraction, and supply chain resilience in Asean.
