29-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Mat Sabu: Malaysia produced over half a million tonnes of coconuts in 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia produced 673,553 metric tons of coconuts in 2024 from a total of 86,356 ha of cultivated land nationwide.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said only a small quantity of coconuts was imported, with 96.8 per cent of total production distributed to local markets.
"Of the total production, 652,253 metric tons were allocated for the domestic market, while 21,300 metric tons were exported," he said in a written parliamentary reply last night.
Responding to Wan Razali Wan Nor (PN–Kuantan), Mohamad said the Agriculture Department has provided incentives to farmers under the Coconut Industry Development Project.
The initiative includes replanting old or unproductive trees, restoring productivity, and integrating coconut cultivation with crops, livestock, and aquaculture to generate short-term income.
The incentives provided include agricultural inputs such as seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides, as well as basic farm infrastructure support, including land preparation, drainage systems, and small-scale farm equipment.
The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama), through its subsidiary Fama Corporation Sdn Bhd (Famaco), sourced 1,506 metric tons of peeled old coconuts worth RM3.5 million from Sabah and Indonesia between January and July 14, 2025.
The coconuts were distributed via three operation centres to 509 Fama marketing outlets and 202 coconut milk operators across the country to ensure a stable supply for consumers.
