Land availability for larger-scale production is one of the major stumbling blocks for Malaysia’s horticulture sector, but a huge area of land is now being made available to producers as part of a government plan to increase the country’s agricultural output.
Opening up the land in West Malaysia to growers is a key project for the government agency spearheading the project, which has been tasked with horticultural development in three states.
“Getting land in Malaysia is a big issue, but we’ve got land,” explained Mukhtiar Singh of Exotic Connections, a consultant working on the project with the Malaysian government.
“Ten thousand hectares have been identified as potential land for agriculture. We are in the process of vetting the soil conditions, `and` crops suitable will be bananas, pineapples and organic fruits and vegetables.”
Mr Singh – who has worked previously for Malaysia’ Federal Agricultural Marketing Association (FAMA) – told Fruitnet.com the project is currently looking for investors to develop the land, and companies have already started to come on board.
“I helped in developing a banana plantation of 500 acres for a multinational company, and the area can be expanded progressively,” he noted.
The project is part of the Malaysian government’s 9th five-year plan (2005-10), in which the agriculture sector has been declared one of three ‘engines of growth’ for the country’s economy. Fruits and vegetables have been emphasised as an important element of the country’s agricultural output.
Under Malaysia’s associated Third National Agriculture Policy (1998-2010), the government has set two objectives for horticulture; ensuring adequate supplies of safe, high-quality produce for the domestic fresh and processed markets, and making Malaysia a net exporter of fresh produce.
“The government has thus implemented a number high-impact agricultural projects for these subsectors, including contract farming and the establishment of permanent food production parks,” said Mr Singh. “The various development corridors begun in 2004/05 and have huge components of agriculture.”
Mr Singh added that the Middle East has been spotlighted as an important developing market for Malaysia’s increasing fresh produce exports. The country has a good image and reputation, he said, as well as good links to the Middle East based on cultural and political connections.
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