Melaka: Wastech Group Sdn Bhd is positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for advanced fertiliser technology through plans to establish a controlled-release fertiliser coating plant and expand its crop-specific blending capabilities. Its executive director, Nicholas Hii, said the initiative, undertaken through a strategic joint-venture with United States-based Pursell Agri-Tech, would bring premium fertiliser coating technology closer to growers in Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asian region.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the move comes as the agriculture industry faces increasing pressure from rising input costs, supply chain disruptions, and the need to improve productivity with limited resources. Hii emphasized that the current environment is accelerating a longer-term shift towards efficiency, technology adoption, and supply resilience in Malaysian agriculture.
Hii stated that while Malaysia will continue to rely on certain imported fertiliser raw materials, there is a strong case for building more local value-added capabilities. He explained that the planned Malaysia-based coating plant would not only support domestic demand but also strengthen the country's role in the regional agricultural supply chain.
The initiative will be further supported by Wastech's fertiliser blending facilities in Port Klang and a planned facility in Bintulu, Sarawak. These facilities aim to enable the company to develop customised fertiliser formulations tailored to specific crops, soil conditions, and regional requirements.
A Malaysia-based coating plant could help reduce reliance on imported finished specialty fertilisers, shorten supply chains, improve responsiveness to customer requirements, and create more customised solutions for different crops and soil conditions across Southeast Asia, Hii added.
Hii also noted the shift towards integrated solutions in agriculture, combining crop nutrition, irrigation, water management, and agronomy services. He emphasized that efficiency improvements could no longer rely solely on fertiliser innovation, as water management and precision agriculture are becoming equally important in improving farm productivity and sustainability. "We believe the future of agriculture will be driven by integrated solutions, not standalone products," he concluded.
Founded in 1984, Wastech is an integrated agritech, specialty fertiliser, and water engineering solutions provider. Its products include controlled-release fertilisers under the Multigreen brand, micronutrients, bio-stimulants, and precision agriculture solutions.