TROPICAL FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN
MALAYSIA
Mohamed Mohd. Salleh
Horticulture Research Centre
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute
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Peninsular Malaysia - 131 598 km2.
East Malaysia - 198 069 km2.
1 and 7° North and longitudes 100
and 119° East.
Average daily temperature is 21 to
34°C.
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Humidity around 80%.
Evaporation 3 - 4
mm/day.
Average precipitation
2 500 mm.
Day length about 12.5
hours.
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Malaysia has 4.06 million hectares of
agricultural land.
80% of it cultivated with industrial
crops such as oil palm, rubber, cocoa
and coconut.
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Agriculture contributes 8.5% to
Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of
Malaysia worth USD 5.6 billions in
2004.
61% comes from industrial crops
and 39% from agricultural food
crops.
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Export earnings from agricultural
sector is about USD 10 billions in
2004
78.6% comes from palm oil, sawn
logs and timber and only 21.4%
comes from food sector.
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Malaysia import about USD3.5
billion worth of food each year.
Current deficit in agriculture,
especially food bill is about
USD1.35 billions.
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Third National Agricultural Policy
(1998-2010).
Agriculture recognized as third engine
of growth after manufacturing and
service sectors.
Ninth Malaysia Development Plan
(2006-2010) where agriculture and
balance of trade are reemphasized.
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Area planted with fruits is about
310,000 ha,
Production at 1.831 million metric
tons,
Export at USD127.75 millions to
mainly Singapore, Hong Kong and
Middle East,
Import of fresh fruits at USD174
millions,
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Per capita consumption of fruits is
currently at 39.2kg/year.
Under 9th Malaysia Plan, fruit
production will be increased from
1.59 million mt in 2005 to 2.56
million mt in 2010 (10% p.a.),
Increase in Self Sufficiency Level
for fruits from current 117 to 138%,
15 Major fruits given emphasized are:-
• Pineapple (Ananas comosus) – 14,928 ha,
• Papaya (Carica papaya) – 3,016 ha,
• Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) – 4,443 ha,
• Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola) – 1,115 ha,
• Banana (Musa paridasiaca) – 27,602 ha,
• Citrus (Citrus sinensis) – 6,208 ha,
• Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) – 6,633 ha,
• Durian (Durio zibethinus) – 112,119 ha,
• Guava (Psidium guajava) – 1,827 ha,
• Mango (Mangifera indica) – 9,389 ha,
• Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) – 2,975 ha,
• Dokong (Lansium domesticum) – 36,263 ha,
• Ciku (Manilkara zapota) – 1,049 ha,
• Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) – 25,423 ha,
• Cempedak (Artocarpus champeden) – 11,118
ha.
FRUITS INDUTRILIZED ZONES (FIZ)
Dokong
Mango
Citrus
Jackfruit
Papaya
Pineapple
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Area planted with vegetables is about
44,000 ha,
Production at 637,000 million metric
tons,
Export at USD122.5 millions to mainly
Singapore,
Import of fresh vegetables at
USD401.7 millions, especially
temperate vegetables,
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Per capita consumption of vegetables
is currently at 45.9kg/year (2005).
Under 9th Malaysia Plan, vegetable
production will be increased from
771,300 mt in 2005 to 1.13 million mt
in 2010 (8% p.a.),
Increase in Self Sufficiency Level for
fruits from current 74 to 108%,
Popular vegetables grown in the lowlands
• leaf mustard - 10,397 ha,
• long bean - 3,290 ha,
• cucumber - 2,870 ha,
• water convolvulus - 2,645 ha,
• spinach - 2,474 ha,
• chili - 2,125 ha,
• lady’s finger - 1,537 ha,
• loofah - 1,175 ha,
• french bean - 1,112 ha,
• Chinese kale - 1,108 ha.
Popular vegetables grown in the highlands
• Cabbages - 1,4005 ha,
• lettuce - 994 ha,
• tomato - 753 ha,
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Transforming traditional farming
into modern commercial farming,
Land consolidation and
rehabilitation of idle lands,
Improved infrastructures with good
drainage & irrigation facilities,
Application of latest technologies
and knowledge-based production
system,
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Adequate funds for investment and
easier access to credits,
Easy access to markets,
Permanent Food Production Parks,
Contract farms with guaranteed
markets and minimum prices.
Encourage semi process &
processed fruits & vegetables.
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The fruit and vegetable industries in
Malaysia has the potential to further grow
and contribute to the expansion of the
agricultural sector.
The Third National Agricultural Policy has
stressed that fruit and vegetable
production be upgraded to meet the
growing domestic and export markets.
Production is expected to increase
through expansion in cultivation area as
well as improvement in productivity per
unit area of cultivation.
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Advances in research especially in
breeding, production systems, pest
management, post-harvest technology
as well as on cropping systems that
are environment friendly are needed in
order for the vegetable and fruit
industries to achieve the Ninth
Malaysia Development Plan targets.
FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION