Marubeni and MoBiol will begin their joint project with the opening of a demo plant in Indonesia
Image: Marubeni’s head office in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Photo: courtesy of J o / Wikimedia Commons.
Marubeni has entered into a strategic partnership with Singapore-based agri startup MoBiol Holdings to address two major environmental issues.
The partnership will focus on solving environmental issues, including emission of methane gas by palm oil mill effluent (POME) and aquaculture industry’s dependence on fishmeal.
POME is said to emit significant levels of methane, which may have more impact on climate change than carbon dioxide (CO²).
Marubeni and MoBiol will work on methane gas and fishmeal issues
Methane emission that results during the POME purification process is a major issue for the palm oil industry. Currently, there is no effective carbon-neutral solution for this issue.
The heavy dependence of the aquaculture industry on fishmeal is the second issue. The fishmeal is the primary feed consumed by aquacultured fish.
Fishmeal, a natural seafish powder, is a good source of protein, DHA and essential amino acids for fish.
Edible seafish may soon become extinct due to overfishing, specifically in the ASEA region, as per scientific research.
As part of the joint project, both companies will open a demo plant in Indonesia to confirm proof of concept for MoBiol’s unique technology.
The deal will help accelerate the application of MoBiol’s environmentally friendly technology to the POME purification issue.
Marubeni will continue to advance collaborative ventures with startup companies such as MoBiol, which are focusing on solving social issues.
Marubeni will establish businesses at each stage of the supply chain ranging from the provision of grain materials to the sale of food products.
Marubeni is one of the major trade and marketing companies in Japan, while MoBiol’s professors have expertise in microalgae technology.
Marubeni’s agri business division conducts various activities, including the sales of crop protection products, fertilisers and seeds.
The division also offers subcontracting services for fertilisation and crop protection products dispersion, as well as precision agriculture and other technical services.