Johari: Reviving idle rubber land to cut RM7bil import bill
He said the ministry, in collaboration with the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) and the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda), was working to identify smallholder-owned plots that were no longer being cultivated and bring them under joint management.
"We are in discussions with landowners. If they are no longer working their land, they can lease it to MRB so that we can manage it together with Risda. This will enable us to restart production and reduce rubber imports," he told reporters after officiating at the ministry's 2025 Independence Month and Kibar Jalur Gemilang launch ceremony here today.
Johari said that Malaysia, once the world's leading rubber exporter, now produced only about 350,000 metric tonnes annually, while importing 1.1 million metric tonnes to meet domestic demand.
He urged those no longer cultivating their land to cooperate with the relevant agencies to ensure it could be replanted with rubber.
"This initiative is ongoing. Anyone with idle land can come forward, and we will work together to cultivate it. I can already see an increase in local rubber production compared with before, but there is still a long way to go," he said.
Johari added that the initiative formed part of the government's commitment under the current Malaysia Plan to revitalise the commodities sector.
"This includes replanting programmes and other assistance to help smallholders increase yields, ensuring rubber remains a sustainable source of income and export revenue for the country."
On June 14, Johari announced that the ministry was developing a strategy to consolidate smallholder rubber plots into larger, systematically managed estates, in an effort to curb the country's dependence on imported natural rubber.
He stressed that the initiative was vital, as Malaysia continued to import about RM7 billion worth of natural rubber annually despite having the domestic capacity to produce it.
The land consolidation plan, Johari said, would be implemented in phases, starting with areas showing strong development potential.
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