Sabah comes up with Noni products
KOTA KINABALU : A Sabah-based company achieved a new milestone in the natural dietary product product industry with the launch of two products made from Noni fruit or Mengkudu as it is commonly known.
KPS Sdn.Bhd, introduced the products – Mengkudu juice and Mengkudu capsule at a ceremony Thursday officiated by the Assistant Minister of Agriculture Development and Food Industry, Datuk Siringan Gubat on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture Development and Food Industry, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Lajim Haji Ukin.
KPS Sdn Bhd has bee licensed to process Mengkudu-related products in accordance with the technological expertise provided by Marditech Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Marditech Corporation Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of the Malaysian Agriculture Research Development Institute (Mardi) and provides technology commercialisation and consultancy services. KPS Sdn Bhd on the hand, is a joint venture between Sabah Institute for Small and Medium Enterprise (IPKS), Creative Business Services Sdn Bhd (CBS) which is a subsidiary of IDS, and a private group.
Mengkudu has been found to contain numerous active ingredients and health-related compounds such as protein, Vitamin A and C, Potassium, Calcium and Proxeronine. They can improve the digestive system, enhance blood pressure circulation, reduce high blood pressure and strengthen the body immune system.
The Mengkudu juice is available in five flavours: mango, pineapple, guava, orange, and natural taste.
In his speech, Lajim urged the people to adopt a positive attitude and be progressive in thinking by pioneering new industries particularly agro-based industries. He said they should take advantage of the opportunities available and is involved in new industries such as the cultivation and processing of herbs and dietary products.
"In the US, for example, sales of herbal products are estimated at US$4 billion (RM15.2 billion) annually. In this context, it is clear that Sabah has the unique advantage as it is rich in biodiversity," the minister said.
There are good potentials for the development of the abundant forest resources other than timber into new industries, he added. "Among the new industries that could be developed are nature-based cosmetic products, herbal and dietary fruit extracts such as Mengkudu."
He said our tropical rain forest are also rich in non-timber forest products which could be harnessed for the creation of new industries to cater to the needs of the global community. For example, he said scientists are currently studying the bintangor plant, which is found aplenty in tropical Borneo, for a possible cure of AIDS disease.
He noted that a scientist in Hawaii discovered that Mengkudu, which is grown in the wild in Sabah, has certain properties, which could improve the body’s digestive system and help prevent certain diseases such as high blood pressure and cancer.
"In fact, Mengkudu has been used as a condiment and an ingredient in traditional medicine in Sabah for ages although it is less well known in the local community especially among youths,"he said.
"It was not until several years ago that Mengkudu gained popularity when it was discovered that it contains active agents that promote health and prevent diseases."
Lajim commended IPKS, IDS and the KPS Sdn Bhd or pioneering Mengkudu as a new industry in Sabah, adding that Sabah’s climate and soil were suitable for growing Mengkudu on a large scale.
He hoped entrepreneurs in Sabah should gasp this opportunity and venture into this new industry. He also urged the bumiputera and the rural community; especially those who have idle land, to involve themselves in the processing and production of Mengkudu dietary products on a commercial basis.
Source: Daily Express, 10.3.2000