FUTURE FOREST INKS MOU WITH SALUS TO VENTURE INTO HALAL HEMP PRODUCTION

From Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Future Forest International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Salus Bioceutical (Thailand) Co. Ltd. to facilitate the latest green technology to produce halal hemp products.

In a statement, Future Forest said the MoU was signed by its chief executive officer (CEO) Safina Yaakob and Salus director and CEO Tanadee Pantumkomon at the Asia International Hemp Expo 2022 here on Nov 30, 2022.

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Also present were the Trade Commissioner of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Bangkok, Mohamed Hafiz Md Shariff and Salus’s chairman and advisor Supakorn Sa-nguanchartsornkra.

Safina, who is a certified halal auditor by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, said Salus is eyeing to tap into the vast halal market and it has a high-capacity cannabis and hemp manufacturing and extraction laboratory.

“Salus is new in the halal industry and they appointed me as their advisor to produce halal hemp products.

“I am assisting them to produce halal and green products including halal hemp fibres,” she told Bernama.

Hemp fibres have been used to manufacture, among others, clothes, bags, shoes, ropes and cords, building materials and insulation purposes.

Safina said the mutual sharing of best practices and expertise in hemp and cannabis technology among the main entities is envisioned in their joint venture company that will be set up in Thailand to promote and market its Malay tea series with hemp/cannabis formulation (Canna Tea Series).

“The MoU will go beyond science and expertise as it will provide them with the impetus to inaugurate market needs by joining forces to explore the halal industry,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tanadee said the partnership would strengthen Salus’s ability to enter the halal market.

“We find that halal certification is one of the most important certificates that we must achieve and we hope the cooperation will guide us to comply with halal certification not only for our products but for cultivation, production and harvesting.

“We must ensure our products, ingredients and manufacturing processes are at the highest quality and following halal standards,” he said.

Future Forest is a sustainable forest and plantation management specialist, with a focus on medicinal plants, herbs and crops with purpose, R&D and project management solutions, which combines a wide range of high-level scientific services with economics in order to offer tailor-made solutions for clients and cooperation partners worldwide.

Salus is one of the first licensed CBD manufacturers from Thailand, after being granted a Hemp Extraction Licence to operate and extract hemp flower. 

It is one of the largest cannabis and hemp manufacturing plants in Thailand. The company focuses on operations with cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, analytical testing and marketing of cannabis and hemp products.

-- BERNAMA