Malaysia is a tropical country with fertile soil for agriculture activity especially oil palm,

rubber and other food crops. Among fruit crop include paddy, vegetables, cash crop and
of course Fruit Tree. The fruit industry in Malaysia was commercially grown for
domestic use and export market. From my study recorded there was about 2!,"#
hectare of fruit tree vegetation in Malaysia in 2##! producing $.%2 million metric ton of
fresh fruit. This article & would like to share my views on status of Malaysian Tropical
Fruit &ndustry based on my experience as senior agriculture extension agent for almost '#
years in service.
Malaysia export few selected tropical fruit to neighboring countries, (est Asia, )urope,
*apan and +ong ,ong as fresh fruit and to many other countries for processed fruit. The
fresh fruit for export was -tar Fruit, .apaya, .ineapple, (atermelon, Mangoesteen,
/urian and some others. The new potential Malaysian Fruit for export were 0ock Melon.
The processed fruit mostly was canned pineapple and canned mixed fruit in syrup. About
'# fruit types will be discussed in this article from my study with lot of references.
.1M)21 32imau 4ali5
.1M)21 or 2imau 4ali 36itrus grandis5 was grown in Malaysia for fresh and export
market. .omelo was known as fresh fruit and used as ceremonial and religious fruit by
6hinese community during Festive -eason. Total area for pomelo production in Malaysia
was ","'# hectare in 2##!. *ohore again was the largest pomelo producers with -egamat
/istrict, *ohor 3'$' ha 7 *ementah5 followed by /aerah ,uala ,angsar .erak 32## ha5
and /aerah ,inta .erak 3$$# ha5. There was 2 popular pomelo clones in Malaysia thet
was 6lone .1 82 30ed Flesh 7Tambun5 and 6lone .1 8' 3(hite flesh 7 Melomas5.
3My 4log on pomelo technology published on February 2#$#5
$$. 6&T09- 32imau Manis5
For -weet 6itrus or locally
known as 2imau Manis
atau2imau 2angkat 36itrus
suhuensis5 was popular
many years ago as important commodity but due to serious disease attack 36itrus
:reening /isease5 the industry was collapsed. The popular variety was known as 2imau
Madu or 6lone M'2. From my observation and study there was about ',!%# hectare with
annual production of ;# metric ton in 2##! almost half from $# years before. Asa *aya
/istrict in -arawak was the ma<or production area with 2!% hectare followed by /aerah
-imun<an -arawak 32"" ha5 and /aerah 4eaufort -abah 32'# ha5.
,ey .ro<ects
/escription
This proposal involves the development of a
citrus valley in /urian Mentangau in /ungun,
Terengganu 3Figure ".!."5. The total area
allocated by ,)T)=:A+ for the citrus fruit
valley is $,%$% ha. At present about 88# ha have
been developed by " companies 3.hase $5. .hase
2, involving the remaining !% ha, will be
developed in the !M..
The pro<ect will involve a number of private
companies as well as farmers under group
farming initiatives. The supply of disease7free
planting materials 3bud wood5 will come from
the /1A -tation at 9lu .aka.A pro<ect office,
managed by the M1A, will be established on site
to coordinate the implementation of the park as
well as to provide technical assistance.
The pro<ect will be based on the nucleus farming
concept where an anchor company is invited to
invest and act as the main coordinator. This
company will provide marketing services to
outgrowers through the 6ollection, .rocessing
6luster Agriculture > 6rops
.ro<ect 6itrus Fruits ?alley
2ocati
on
/urian Mentangau, /ungun
and .ackaging 6entre 36..65, which is to be
established.
.ro<ect 0ationale
The rationale for the pro<ect includes@
To facilitate an organiAe and sustainable planting
of fruits
Allow the benefit of economies of scale
especially in terms of savings in development
and operating cost.
Facilitate processing, marketing and distribution
Allows for better control of pest and diseases
especially the citrus greening disease


&n 2##8, the agriculture sector accounted for about $B of the regionCs :/. and
provided about 22.!B of the regional labour force.
1verview
Agriculture has long
been the mainstay of the
regionCs economy.
:earing towards high
technology agriculture,
together with large scale
commercial farming, this
initiative explores the
introduction of@
new, high7yield crops,
new areas of production,
and
new agro7based activities and delivery systems,
in ways that will improve the income of smallholders, farmers and fishermen.
,elantan, Terengganu .ahang and Mersing, with their vast tracts of land 3accounting for
about '%." per cent of total .eninsular MalaysiaCs agricultural areas5, are ma<or
contributors to the agricultural and food sector of the national economy.
9nder the )6)0, agriculture is one of the key economic drivers. &t includescrops,
livestock and fisheries.
-trategies
To encourage the development of the agricultural sector, the )6)0 Master .lan proposes
the expansion of large7scale commercial farming, wider application of modern
technology, development of value7added activities, improving supply chain management,
the participation of private sector as anchor companies and increasing non7farm
opportunities.
Agriculture is a mainstay economic activity in the )6)0. -o naturally, the agriculture
sector will be improved in order to increase household incomes and reduce poverty. The
)6)0Cs agricultural sector strategy also looks at reducing the reliance on agriculture
imports, thus improving the 4alance of Trade 341T5.
The main strategies are@
)xpanding large7scale commercial farming
&ncreasing agriculture production by venturing into large7scale commercial farming
(ider application of modern technology
Modernisation of farms incorporating the latest farm technology, mechaniAation and
automation in order to increase productionD and to ensure Euality of production, crop
management, pest and disease control
/evelopment of value added activities
?enture into high Euality and value7added primary and processing activities
&mproving supply chain management
A good supply chain and delivery system service shall reduce post7harvest losses for
agriculture, fisheries and livestock and improve marketing channels. Advantages will
include less market intermediary, reduce post harvest losses due to better handling,
ensure Euality of products and 6ollection, .rocessing and .ackaging 6entres 36..65
will act as one7stop centre for processing agriculture outputs.
.articipation of private sector as anchor companies
The participation of private sector as anchor companies is expected to play a greater
role in the development of agriculture sector as it will bring in entrepreneurial farmers
and skilled workers to the industry.
-trengthening marketing and global networking
=ew and emerging challenges, reEuires an increase in productivity and
competitiveness. .enetrating new markets could be done by creating a chain of
production processes in those strategic locations and relocating manufacturing sub7
processes to consuming countries.
&ncreasing non7farm opportunities
.rogrammes will also be promoted to increase non7farm opportunities such as home7
based manufacturing and production. Farmers can value7add their crops by doing
simple processing such turning raw fruits to bottled <uices or processed syrup.
.overty eradication in focus development area
The )6)0Cs social thrust identified Agropolitan pro<ects as a key poverty eliminator
that will benefit the local and remote populace by introducing a structured approach
towards higher7yield agricultural activities.
&mplement 4alance of Trade 341T5 .lan in Food .roduction
9nder 4alance of Trade3 41T5 .lan, production will be intensified with better Euality
products, better support services, and usage of latest technology. This is to increase
the export of products with competitive production costs and reduce reliance on
imports.
T01.&6A2 F09&T industry has an expected production to reach 8 million tonnes in
2#$2 from only ' million tonnes in 2#$#. From international report showing that the
trend of tropical fruit production increase gradually from ma<or producing country and
new area. /eveloping countries contribute about !"B of world total production whereby
the developed country contribute only 2B 3because of the geographic and climate reason.
From my study shown that Asia and .acific region contribute 8B of the global tropical
fruit, 2atin America and 6aribbean about '#B and Africa 0egion about $$B in 2#$$.
9-A, )urope and 1ceania only contribute less than $B in this industry. The temperate
fruit are produce mainly from developed country such as in )urope, 9-A, 6hina and
other temperate country. /eveloping 6ountry continues to expand and produce tropical
fruits from only !B in 2### to !!B in 2#$$. This morning article & would like to share
my knowledge about Ma<or Tropical Fruit in this &ndustry.
A:0&692T90A2
2A=/ 9-)
'.$ 2and use in
Malaysia in 2##'
reported about
8.%"B are arable
land and $;.$B
planted with
permanent crops or
developed with
agricultural area.
About !'B 38.!'
million hectare5 of
developed agricultural area are grown with industrial crop that is 1il .alm, rubber, cocoa,
coffee, paddy, tea, tobacco, coconut and sugarcane. Total area of paddy production area
about %"$,#2% hectare and mostly are flat irrigated area located .eninsula Malaysia in the
-tate of ,edah, .erak, ,elantan and -elangor. +ill paddy is grown by natives in -arawak
and -abah about less than 2,### hectares.
'.2 Fruit crops are grown traditionally around the Malay ?illage and only late $!;#Cs
some commercial fruit farm established. /urian, (atermelon, 4anana, .apaya,
.ineapple, 2ocal 6itrus, :uava, Mango, -tar fruit are some selected tropical fruit grown
in commercial scale. .rocessing activity for seasonal tropical fruit enhance farmerCs
income. 0ehabilitation programs for old trees with new varieties where conducted by
government and subsidy amounting 0M $,2##.## Fhectare was given as an incentive.
.lease refer to Table $ the break down of land use by crop category.
Table $@ 6rop hectarage by 6rop 6ategory 2##'
=o. 6rop 6ategory +ectare
$ &ndustrial 6rop 31il .alm, 0ubber, etc5 8,!','2%
2 Fruits 3-easonalF=on seasonal5 '#%,!"!
' ?egetables 3+ighlandF2owland5 '!,;!'
% 6ash 6ropsF-hort Term 6rops $,#$"
8 -pices $",#8"
1ther 6rops 8,;;'
T1TA2 ,'"$,$8;
-ource@ /epartment of Agriculture, 2##' 6rop -tatistic 0eport
'.' -oils in Malaysia are mostly are very fertile and only small percentage are
categoriAed as problem soilD That include .eat -oil, tin tailing soil, 4ris -oil and -teep
area 3+ighland5. 1ther categories are Marine7clay soil and 0iverine7clay soils or mixed
both Marine70iverine clay. About 2 million hectare of 16M 31rganic clay muck5 or .eat
soil is found mostly in -arawak and some state of *ohore, -elangor and .erak. .reviously
16M soil is grown with cash crops, pineapple but the recent trend the farmers tend to
convert the vegetation to oil palm.
'.% There is $",$'8 hectare of bris soil in Malaysia. 4ris soil is sandy coastal soil and
not fertile due to lack of organic and found at the state of Terengganu, ,elantan, .ahang
and )ast *ohore. 1nly vegetable, tobacco, cashew nut, vegetable and short term crop
grown with proper system for this area. Most of bris soil is left idle.
'.8 Tin Tailing soils are found in the state of .erak and -elangor and normally used as
fruit or vegetable production area. -oil enrichment programs and water management
system from the lakes or river is important factor for farmers to irrigate the area. Manggo
and star fruit are widely grown in tin mining area. -teep land development program
follows regulation to ensure sustainability. 1nly 6ameroon +ighland, ,undasang,
4orneo .eak and 2o<ing are developed mostly for highland vegetable and cut7flowers.
'. There is reported about more than $#,### hectare of idle land throughout the country.
For the -tate of *ohore alone reported about ',8"# hectare categoriAed as idle land. &dle
land is define as land belongs to farmers and left idle or not planted with any crops for the
period of three continuous years and for paddy farm is left for planting seasons.
0easons for idle land are due to uneconomic siAe, degraded soils, acidic soils, lack of
infrastructure 3swampy areaF no access road5 , lack of owners interest, lack of capital,
high cost for initial development 3scattered area5, low soil fertility and uncertainty return
of investment. 6ost of development of idle area about 0M 8,### G 0M $#,### per
hectare depending on the location and crop selection. For the state of Melaka and =egeri
-embilan the farmers convert their ex7idle paddy land with oil palm, vegetable, food
crop, fish ponds, tropical fruits and many others. -ince the average Malaysian farmers are
# years old and less youngsters turn to agriculture sector, it will contribute more idle
land in future. 2and consolidation programme is an alternative way to develop idle
underutiliAed area for food production.

0)F)0)=6)- @$. Malaysia 2##$. 6rop -tatistic. /epartment of Agriculture, ,uala
2umpur.
2. 6hamburi -iwar H 0ospidah :haAali. Agriculture Transformation. =ational -eminar
on Agriculture Multification Function and =atural resources @ .rospective san 6hallenge.
The Mines -erdang, ,uala 2umpurD 1ct 2##%.
'. Malaysia 2##%. 2and 9se 0eport 39npublished5. -oil Management 4ranch, Air +itam,
*ohore. -oil map.
%. Malaysia 2##$. Third =ational Agriculture Master .lan 3/.='5. Ministry of
Agriculture and Agro based &ndustries, ,uala 2umpur.
8. &smail &brahim. Focus of the /epartment of Agriculture 39npublished5. /1A
Agriculture 1fficers -eminar, *ohor 4ahru *uly,2##%.
. Mohd. Anim +osnan. &dle land development programs -egamat /istrict, *ohore.
39npublished5. *ohor 32##'5.
;. 4uku 0ingkasan .anduan .ertanian. *abatan .ertanian ,uala 2umpur 32##'5.