Palm Kernel Shell as Bio-fertilizer
What is bio-fertilizer and Palm Kernel Shell (PKS)?
Palm kernel shell (PKS) is the portion of the palm seed left behind once the nut is removed for oil production. Previously, before PKS was used as a recyclable source, the shells were merely buried into the soil or burned in order to dispose them. These activities cause pollution to the environment as well as loss to the producers.
How to produce fertilizer from PKS?
Bio-fertilizer from PKS is mainly produced via the pyrolysis process. During the process, the source is treated in reactors with very high temperatures with the absence of oxygen. The product is mainly in solid form. From the pyrolysis, biochar of PKS will be produced. The biochar is later treated with other biomass such as chicken manure to produce bio-fertilizer that can then be used to directly fertilize plants.
Advantages of using PKS for bio-fertilizer production:
The main use of PKS as discussed in this article is as fertilizer. Studies has shown that using bio-fertilizer produced from PKS has a positive effect on the growth of plants. Soil with high acidity benefits from the application of this bio-fertilizer by being able to provide more nutrients to the plants. Other than that, this bio-fertilizer also has the ability to promote water retention in the soil which aids in the growth and health of the plants.
Another advantage of the usage of PKS is the reduction of waste from palm oil mills. Since unrecycled PKS will only be burned and disposed, recycling the waste into a reusable source could benefit the mill by selling the PKS to companies that produce bio-fertilizer from this material. This, in return, could also reduce the pollution to the environment due to the burning and disposal of the waste.
The PKS charcoal that can be produced from PKS is a precursor for activated carbon. Currently, activated carbon is mostly prepared from coconut shells. This source of raw material is more costly than using PKS for the same product. Therefore, if PKS is recycled to produce activated carbon, the cost of processing could be reduced while increasing the outcome.
Experts Say Malaysia’s Palm Oil Industry Can Do Better
She said the industry needs to tackle the interlinked sustainability challenges, particularly relating to environmental, climate change and social issues.
“In order to do that, it will require leadership and I urge the Malaysian government, which has enormous muscle power, to get into this in a big way as it did when it chose palm oil (to be one of the income generators to the economy),” she said during the International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference 2020 (IPOSC 2020) virtual question and answer (Q&A) session today.
Among the challenges she highlighted is the European Union’s (EU) decision to phase out palm oil in transport fuels from 2030, the reduction in biodiversity and the threat of extinction of rare species.
Tsakok, who was one of the panellists during the two-hour Q&A session, noted that the industry should find solutions to increase fresh fruit bunches (FFB) production, despite the climate change that lowers the FFB and other agricultural yields, and address the alleged labour rights violation and land grabs from indigenous communities.
The crop, she noted, has been driving agricultural transformation, inclusive growth and poverty reduction in the country, and it is the most efficient way of satisfying the growing global demand for vegetable oil as it uses one-tenth of the land of its rival crops.
However, its very success makes it controversial, she said.
“Palm oil is new to me as I am from Mauritius and we grow coconut there… so it is fascinating to me to see how powerful palm oil is to Malaysia and how it has helped to eradicate poverty.
“However, as someone who is observing the industry from the outside, I also see that palm oil has ‘two faces’. On one hand, there are many wonderful things that you are doing, and you have, but on the other hand, there are a lot of ugly things too,” she said.
She noted that notable issues include the empowerment of the B40 group in the industry — namely the smallholders, issues of indigenous land, labour rights and deforestation.
Tsakok, who holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and a World Bank retiree, noted that despite the challenges, the industry can do better as palm oil is a versatile oil which has a lot to offer to the world.
Meanwhile, another panellist, IOI Corporation Bhd’s Head of Sustainability Dr Surina Ismail said that working with the Government is one of the best ways to manage the challenges faced by the industry.
“All along the supply chain, everybody must play their part in the upstream or the downstream sector.
“We must help and encourage the growers, especially the smallholders, to produce sustainably and get the recognition from big companies locally and abroad,” she said.
Meanwhile, commenting on the Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO), Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil strategic stakeholder relations director Salahudin Yaacob said the certification is necessary for big and small players, allowing them to enter more markets.
“Currently, CSPO’s production is low. The Government, consumers and industry stakeholders need to work together to increase awareness on the CSPO.
“We need to enforce the requirement to make sustainable palm oil renowned and this can be achieved by producing only CSPO,” he said.
Two EU representatives, Frans Claassen and Paivi Makkonen said there should be more constructive dialogues between palm oil-producing countries and the EU Government.
They also stressed that having good governance to promote a healthy supply chain in the industry is crucial, as well as ensuring that no human rights are violated.
Closing the discussion, Sime Darby Plantation sustainability head Rashyid Redza Anwarudin said there are still a lot of work that needs to be done to improve the industry.
“We need to ensure the work we do is as inclusive. We have to remember that it’s an important industry in this part of the world. It has contributed in a major way to the social economy and development of the region.
“It has, more importantly, touched the everyday lives of the people,” he said.
The IPOSC 2020 is the Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s biannual conference that highlights the sustainability challenges and opportunities in the Malaysian palm oil industry.
This year’s conference is being hosted on a virtual platform, comprising two modules, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Module 1 today featured presentations from sustainability experts from the agriculture, research and palm oil sectors who shared their views on the efforts by global agricultural commodities towards achieving sustainability and carbon neutrality.
Module 2, on renewable energy, climate change and food security will take place from Oct 12-20, 2020.
Source : The Edge Markets
Credit: MPOC
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a significant component of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the compound where plants use sunlight energy to produce sugar out of water and carbon dioxide. The process is called photosynthesis. A good source of nitrogen for plants can be from fertilizer, planting green manure crops such as peas or beans around your plant, or adding coffee grounds to the soil.
Plants do not get nitrogen from the air but the soil. Various microorganisms convert ammonia to other types of nitrogen compounds that are simple for plants to use. In other words, plants can get their nitrogen indirectly from the air but via microorganisms in the soil and via the plants’ roots.
Typically the earth atmosphere has 78% nitrogen gas or N2. Though there is nitrogen in the air, not much can be found in the earth’s crust. Some of the rare minerals that have nitrogen are the saltpeter, small living organisms on earth, plants, and animals.
Some of the found use of nitrogen other than agro is in the chemical industry such as nylon, nitric acid, dyes, medicines, and explosives.
What does NPK do to your plant?
Nitrogen (N)
- The leaf producer
- Construction of new cells & enzymes.
- Construction of green pigments.
- Accountable for leaf & stem growth.
- Assists plants with rapid growth.
PHOSPHORUS (P)
- The root maker/flower inducer
- Supports root growth and blooming
- A vital part of the development of photosynthesis.
- Involved in the creation of all oils, sugars, and starches.
- Helps with the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy.
POTASSIUM (K)
- The flower inducer/fruit maker
- Encourages uptake of water
- Critical in the growth of flowers and fruits.
- Adds plants to fight diseases.
- Support plants make better use of light and air.
Understanding the different benefits each of the NPK nutrients is important to your plants. Basically, all plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow. The growth and production of plant crops, fruits, flowers, or leaves will be affected if any of these nutrients are absent from its elements.
In a nutshell:
- Nitrogen (N) – is responsible for the growth of leaves.
- Phosphorus (P) – is responsible for the growth of root, flower, and fruit.
- Potassium (K) – is responsible for the overall functions of the plant perform correctly.
By understanding the NPK values in fertilizer, it can assist you to appropriately select the right values for the right type of plant that you are growing. For example, if you are concentrating on leafy vegetables, you might want to go for a higher N number to promote the leaf and its growth. You apply the same understanding to P and K.
We hope this article helps you to better understand the significant effect of nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Good Luck and Happy Planting!!!
Granule Borax compaction exercise and info
Granule Borax is one of the products that we carry under the Evermax brand.
In order to form the powdery borax into granular form, we need to add some binders and some fertilizer and nutrients into it.
Once that is done, a compaction machine will mix it and turn it into granular form.
The powdery borax was from abroad and the process turning it into granular form is done in Malaysia.
Restocking of Fused Magnesium Phosphate Fertilizer
We are pleased to inform that we restock our Fused Magnesium Phosphate Fertilizer (FMP). We are sharing the look of the new packaging of the FMP.
Front Look of the Bag
Back look of the bag
Feel free to be in touch with us on the FMP at
Everchem Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd
25-1, 1 Mont Kiara, No 1 Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Or call us at P: +603 6201 7435 or email us at info@everchem.com.my
New FMP’s bag marking
We are pleased to present our new Fused Magnesium Phosphate (FMP) bag marking. Listed is the process of receiving our cargo from Vietnam to be placed in our warehouse before transferring them to our buyers in Bintulu, Tawau, and Sandakan.
Empty bag of the new front look of FMP
Empty bag of the new back view of FMP
Our new FMP front look packaging with contents
Our new FMP back view packaging with contents
The cargo had just arrived from Vietnam 
The process of emptying the container to be shipped to our warehouse begins here
Cargos are being emptied bit by bit
Until it is all transferred
We then transferred them to our warehouse
We then stacked the FMP neatly on the pallets before selling them to our buyers
Qualities of a good fertilizer
The most important mechanical quality of fertilizer is the ability to spread evenly, precise application, a low impact on the environment and promising a high return on investment. The first look of fertilizer can actually indicate the quality of the granules. Dust-like and crushed granules indicate fertilizer with low quality. On the other hand, granules that are smooth and inhomogeneous size indicate high quality and ability to spread evenly.
Taking into importance the well-being of the environment, fertilizers should be free of additives. Another important effect of fertilizer is the release of carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment by a certain activity, which in this case is agriculture. This leads to an increase in global temperature. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the fertilizer emits carbon footprint at its lowest both during production and application.
Next quality is the high return in investment. The fertilizer applied should be able to return the investment in fertilizing during harvesting. Some fertilizer types require more fertilizing with more quantity and more frequency. This type of fertilizer brings a lesser return on investment. Fertilizer that needs to be applied lesser times, but with the same harvest, promises a higher return of investment.
In short, a good quality fertilizer should have the following:
- Free-flowing (easily applied)
- Consistent in particle size with smooth and hard granules
- Easily spread – ensuring even distribution patterns
- Quickly dissolve when in contact with moist soil or water (avoid run-off)
- Free from contaminants and additives
Fertilizer and Water
As for humans, we might take supplements to keep ourselves healthy and away from diseases. For plants, fertilizer is equally important as supplements are to humans. In plants, being equally crucial, fertilizer and water play their important roles. Here is a guide to when to fertilizer your plants and to water them.
You should always keep in mind that fertilizer is absorbed by the roots of the plants. Since most fertilizer comes in the form of granules, it is important to water the plants according to your fertilizing schedule.
If you want to apply fertilizer to your plants, make sure they are not dried or browned up. Your plants should always be green or a little fresh at least when you apply fertilizer. Applying fertilizer to browned plants can cause them to dehydrate and die.
If you are applying fertilizer to the plants during dry seasons, water your plants thoroughly every day for at least three days before spreading fertilizer around the roots. This will ensure that the soil around the roots is moist enough for the nutrients from the fertilizer to travel through. Once you are done applying fertilizer, water your plants lightly once more to ensure that there is no fertilizer left on the leaves of your plants.
On the other hand, if you wish to apply fertilizer during the rainy season, be sure to predict the intensity of rain before applying the fertilizer. If it rains just enough to wet the soil till the roots, then the fertilizer will be efficiently absorbed. However, if you apply the fertilizer before a thunderstorm, it will end up being washed up before even reaching the roots.
Therefore, the moisture of the soil before and after applying fertilizer should be taken into count to enable maximum absorption of nutrients by the plants.
** Credit: Agus Andrianto/CIFOR @ Flickr for the featured image of a worker fertilizing on oil palm plantation in Papua, Indonesia