KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- The digital platform, HerbaXpress, an innovation by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), has brought together more than 7,000 herbal industry players, making it the largest herbal directory in Malaysia.
According to FRIM, the industry players comprise various segments of the value chain, including plant material suppliers, growers, producers, manufacturers for other companies, wholesalers, retailers and service providers.
"HerbaXpress can be accessed via https://herbaxpress.frim.gov.my and functions as a one-stop digital ecosystem, not only for product promotion but also as a reference for industry data, geographical mapping of industry players, and a species-based market matching system,” the institute said in a statement today.
It said that according to Google Analytics, HerbaXpress is also accessed and used as a reference by overseas users, including the United States, China, India and Canada.
Apart from the website, HerbaXpress, a high-impact digital platform resulting from research that began in 2014, also has a mobile application and can be downloaded via Apple Store and Google Play.
As the first mobile application developed by FRIM using in-house expertise, it earned national recognition by receiving the MTE 2022 Public Service Innovation Award, a testament to FRIM's commitment to translating research outcomes into market-ready solutions through digital innovation.
FRIM Director-General Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan said HerbaXpress is the main outcome of FRIM's research project, titled "Herbal Industry Value Chain Study", which received funding under the NKEA EPP1 Special Grant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
“This project has triggered the development of an integrated database system for the herbal industry, which has subsequently been expanded to a decision support system and digital platform to support industry mapping and strengthen the marketing of local herbal products.
“HerbaXpress proves that FRIM is not only successful in the field of research, but also plays an important role in building a bridge between knowledge and the market,” he said.
According to FRIM, a commercialisation licensing agreement was signed in October 2024 with FRIM Incorporated Sdn Bhd and Digital Dagang Sdn Bhd, paving the way for the integration of the HerbaXpress database with the e-commerce platform, thus giving birth to Herba CartSini.
It said Herba CartSini is a digital marketplace for quality herbal products that have been screened and verified through FRIM's expertise, and the first e-commerce platform in Malaysia that emphasises quality assurance, transparency and compliance with regulatory standards.
"HerbaXpress and Herba CartSini are not just technology platforms, but symbols of the country's ability to build a sustainable and resilient biodiversity-based economic system.
"They support the country's bioeconomy policy and are proof of the success of public research in creating real impact on society and the economy," according to FRIM.
Herba CartSini can be accessed via https://go.cartsini.my/view/herbacartsini .
-- BERNAMA
