SINGAPORE, Apr 30, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – DiMuto, a global agri-fintech trade solutions company that provides end-to-end supply chain visibility for global agrifood trade, has partnered with OPAL, a Major Payment Institution (MPI) licensed by Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), to provide payment services on the blockchain-powered DiMuto Platform.

The two companies are collaborating to bring together the strengths of both companies to innovate and transform the future of payments and financing in the agrifood trade space. Working together provides an exciting opportunity to leverage OPAL's expertise in international payment, multi-currency wallets, FX management and financing solutions alongside DiMuto's strong network of agrifood clientele, robust trade digitalization technology and capability to collect asset-based data.

DiMuto and OPAL will develop a new first-of-its-kind payment module that will allow DiMuto's agrifood customers to make payments directly tagged to the movement of goods on the DiMuto Platform, creating visibility of both the movement of goods and money for physical agrifood products tracked with DiMuto's existing trade digitalization technology.

The DiMuto Payment module taps on OPAL's expertise in servicing SMEs with payment and financing solutions. OPAL aims to be One Account for Payments and Loans (OPAL) for SMEs, by simplifying payment processes, lowering fees and providing easier access to financing. OPAL is able to facilitate safe and secure cross-border transactions in over 100 financial corridors with multi-currency accounts and competitive FX rates that are cheaper than conventional banking methods. With the new DiMuto Payment module, DiMuto's agrifood customers will be able to conduct transactions that are in full compliance with Singapore regulations and international AML/CFT standards.

"We are excited to bring our experience in the financial, payments and technology industry to the collaboration with DiMuto. The partnership gives OPAL an opportunity to reach more small and medium businesses globally, particularly in the agrifood and perishables trade, that have not been serviced by traditional banking institutions. We look forward to helping them accelerate their growth with complex payments made easy," said Lim Ming Wang, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of OPAL.

The digital payments collaboration establishes the first step to DiMuto's trade financing solution for the unbanked SMEs in the agri-perishables sector that have traditionally been unable to access financing from conventional banking institutions. Despite being the largest contributors to employment and economic development, SMEs have struggled to obtain formal financing, due to factors including creditworthiness, collateral requirements, short-term liquidity, and political or currency risks. Asian Development Bank (ADB) found that over 40% of trade finance applications by SMEs are rejected and the global trade finance gap is a staggering US$1.5 trillion in 2019 and is projected by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to increase to US$3.4 trillion due to Covid-19. The exponential trade finance gap impedes the effort to reduce poverty and minimize inequality, two of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

By capturing and developing primary trade data through trade digitalization, DiMuto effectively reduces the risks associated with trade financing. With both visibility of movement of physical goods and movement of money on the DiMuto Platform, DiMuto can now further develop data-driven agrifood asset financing.

"At DiMuto, our vision is to power global agrifood trade with visibility. We have built a powerful platform that combines IoT, cloud, blockchain, and AI technology in our journey to bring visibility to global trade," said Gary Loh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DiMuto. "By partnering OPAL to enable direct payments on our platform, we are moving closer to this goal as this creates a complete solution tying the movement of goods to the movement of money. With this, we can transform global trade by tackling the financing needs of the unbanked agrifood market."

The partnership between DiMuto and OPAL will enable trade that traditional trade finance cannot effectively support. DiMuto is implementing AI, machine learning capabilities and new predictive analytic algorithms for valuable insights into the trade health and credit score of agrifood companies to develop alternative financing and insurance services for the global agrifood market.

About OPAL

OPAL is a leading provider of end-to-end, regulated payment solutions based on a robust, proven platform and proprietary technology. Founded by a team of seasoned professionals with significant experience in financial solutions, banking, regulatory issues, cross-border payments and money management, OPAL offers a broad set of financial solutions to help clients meet their diverse needs in today's ever-changing financial and business environment. OPAL is licensed as a Major Payment Institution (MPI) by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. For more information, please visit www.opalpayment.com.

About DiMuto

DiMuto provides agrifood companies with data they can see and trust, down to every single product of every trade, where they can easily see all that is happening for every trade transaction in an organized manner, on one single platform.

DiMuto simplifies every step of global trade – from produce, trade to market. DiMuto provides sales, marketing, operations, financing and insurance tools so businesses can trade better. Equipped with a data-backed growth roadmap, companies can now navigate the complex global trade landscape with ease and focus on what matters – growing a thriving international business. With Visible Trade, DiMuto powers companies and the world forward with confidence.

Since 2019, DiMuto has successfully tracked and traced over millions of pieces in produce and millions in dollars of trade value on our platform, working with a global portfolio of clients in over ten countries and five continents. DiMuto is founded by Chief Executive Officer Mr Gary Loh, who is also the Executive Chairman of First Alverstone Group. For more information, please visit www.dimuto.io.

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SINGAPORE, Mar 18, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – NutryFarm International Limited ("NutryFarm" or the "Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), is pleased to announce that the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Global Agricapital Holdings Pte. Ltd. ("GAH"), has entered into two binding purchase agreements with Royal Farm Group Co., Ltd ("RFG") and Thung Thang Thong Co., Ltd. ("TTT").

Under the agreements, GAH has entrusted RFG and TTT to purchase an estimated volume of 270 and 300 containers of fresh durians in Thailand respectively.

The price will be based on market price which is acceptable to GAH and the orders will be placed by GAH in batches. GAH shall made a pre-payment of not more than 30% of the order amount upon confirmation of each batch order with the remainder to be paid within thirty days after delivery.

It is also agreed that RFG and TTT shall guarantee the quantity of goods shipped from Thailand and exercise strict quality control based on the requirement of the logistics partner as well as during transportation and warehousing.

Led by the Group's CEO, Mr. Cheng Meng, an industry veteran in the durian industry, the Group has entered into various agreements to sell over 1,480 containers of fresh durians from Thailand to major Chinese fruit importers since December 2020. The total contract value of these agreements is estimated at approximately RMB 962.0 million as announced on 13 February 2021.

Together with these latest two purchase contracts, the Group has entered into purchase agreements to collectively purchase 870 containers of fresh durians from various sources in Thailand to fulfil the sales orders. Shipments of the fresh durians have already started since 20 February 2021 and will continue throughout 2021.

In 2019, Thailand exported US$1.46 billion worth of durians to overseas markets, a rise of 54.6% from the previous year, with China, Hong Kong and ASEAN nations accounting for 98% of export volume.(1)

According to data from China Customs, China's imports of fresh and frozen durians in the first half of 2020 reached US$1.62 billion, corresponding to a 73.5% year-on-year increase and almost reaching the US$1.82 billion imported during the whole of 2019. In the first half of 2020, China's imports of fresh durians reached US$1.52 billion, corresponding to a 75.7% year-on-year increase.(2)

Mr. Cheng Meng, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NutryFarm, commented, "China's demand for durians has remained strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic and Thailand is the only country that can export fresh durians to China.

Specialised knowledge, industry experience and network are required in the durian trade, particularly when it comes to the cross-border trade of fresh produce, hence there are significant barriers of entry in this industry.

With China's durian supply relying almost entirely on imports, we believe that the growing demand from the Chinese market can provide us with significant opportunities."

This document is to be read in conjunction with NutryFarm's exchange filings on 17 March 2021, which can be downloaded via www.sgx.com.

About NutryFarm International Limited
(Bloomberg: NUF1:SP / Reuters: NUTR.SI/ SGX Stock Code: AZT)

NutryFarm International Limited ("NutryFarm" or "the Company", and together with its subsidiaries, "the Group"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Nutryfarm Biomedicine International Limited ("NFB"), produces high quality nutrition and health food products formulated mainly from natural traditional medicinal herbs from across the Americas and regions in China, Europe and New Zealand for consumers in the People's Republic of China ("PRC").

While Nutryfarm is in the business of manufacturing, sales and distribution of nutritional and health food business, the trading and distribution of fresh fruits to China is an extension of its business model as it capitalizes on the Group's understanding of food certifications and connections in China.

Global Agricapital Holdings Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is engaged in the wholesale trading and distribution of fruits, particularly in durians.

Issued on behalf of NutryFarm International Limited by 8PR Asia Pte Ltd.
Media & Investor Contacts:
Mr. Alex TAN
Mobile: +65 9451 5252
Email: alex.tan@8prasia.com

(1) bit.ly/3loM5TA
(2) bit.ly/3rXtmAN

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GENEVE, CH, Mar 16, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – via NewMediaWire — The International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), a global association advocating for sensible tobacco harm reduction policies, today introduced a new position paper, "10 Reasons Why Blanket Bans of E-Cigarettes and HTPs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) Are Not Fit for Purpose."

Available for download on the organisation's website (https://innco.org/why-bans-in-low-middle-income-countries-dont-work/), the policy report rebukes the "overly simplistic and impractical" bans on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other tobacco harm reduction (THR) products in LMICs, warning organizations and governments that limiting options to reduce harm will only increase the number of people smoking tobacco, inevitably leading to illicit markets and increases in crime.

"The hundreds of millions of people who smoke in these countries should have the ability to make decisions about safer nicotine products, particularly when their own health is on the line," said Samrat Chowdhery, president of INNCO's governing board. "Overly simplistic policy solutions, such as proposed bans on all ENDS and THR products by the Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded The Union, are being offered as a blunt and impractical tool for a situation that requires pragmatism and nuance, making meaningful and sustainable change more difficult."

"A blanket ban in LMICs is a form of philanthropic colonialism, suggesting that these countries and their citizens cannot be trusted with any level of self-determination," said Nancy Loucas of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, a grassroots alliance of tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. "Inhabitants are treated as second-class citizens, which is offensive. There is no benefit in limiting choice of safer nicotine products, but only the potential for increasing harm."

According to the paper, simplistic solutions to complex public health challenges may appear attractive, but ultimately do not work. In fact, countries like Turkey that have banned reduced harm products actually showed increases in the prevalence of smoking among its citizens.

"Very few low- and middle-income countries have adopted even the most basic WHO-suggested MPOWER prevention measures," said Francisco Ordonez of the Asociacion por la Reduccion de danos del Tabaquismo Iberoamerica, a network of consumer organisations in Latin America. "Policymakers should embrace harm reduction as a valid goal, particularly in LMICs where access to cessation programs is extremely limited. Replacing combustible tobacco with alternative nicotine products can significantly reduce the risk of harm by at least 95 percent. It works in industrialized nations and can do the same in LMICs."

INNCO's top 10 reasons against banning safer nicotine products in LMICs are as follows:
– Bans are an overly simplistic solution to a complex issue and will not work.
– Prioritising the banning of reduced harm alternatives over cigarettes is illogical.
– Reduction and substitution are valid goals for smokers in LMICs.
– People who smoke have the right to choose to reduce their own risk of harm.
– Reduced harm alternatives can significantly contribute to the aims of global tobacco control.
– Lack of research in LMICs is not a valid reason to ban reduced harm alternatives.
– The prohibitionist approach in LMICs is outdated, unrealistic and condescending.
– Bans will lead to illicit markets with increases in crime and no tax revenue.
– Banning reduced harm alternatives leads people back to smoking and greater harm.
– Blanket bans in LMICs are a form of "philanthropic colonialism."

INNCO estimates that there are scores of LMICs in jeopardy of increasing the number of people who smoke unless pragmatic approaches to tobacco harm control are adopted, including the availability of a wide selection of safer nicotine products. Leveraging the paper's findings, INNCO will work with its global membership to inform policy makers in these developing nations to help achieve risk-relative regulations and access to safer THR products.

"Africa is home to some of the highest-ranked smoker countries on the planet," said Joseph Magero, chairman of Campaign for Safer Alternatives, a pan-African non-governmental member organization dedicated to achieving 100 percent smoke-free environments in Africa. "While improving overall public health has made great strides in these regions, efforts to directly address smoking cessation and harm reduction strategies have lagged due to limited or no access to safer, non-combustion nicotine products. By denying smokers access to much safer alternatives while leaving cigarettes on the market, policymakers would leave only two options on the table – quit or die."

INNCO believes that a prohibitionist approach is "patronising and discriminatory," and does not allow for finding innovative solutions to answer the challenge of decreasing smoking rates. Bans on THR products overlook a significant public health opportunity to encourage people who smoke and are not ready to quit to switch to reduced-harm alternatives, a pragmatic approach that could save millions of lives.

About INNCO

International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO) was formed in 2016 to represent consumers of low-risk, alternative nicotine products. The organization brings together the voices of nearly 40 grassroots consumer organisations to promote Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) on the global stage. THR is a public health policy that respects individual autonomy, empowers consumers to make safer choices, and offers pragmatic solutions to combating use of high-risk forms of tobacco. More information can be found by visiting: www.innco.org.

Media Contact:
George Medici
PondelWilkinson
Gmedici@pondel.com
(310) 279-5968

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