Malaysia continues to rely on coffee bean imports to meet domestic demand, with local production covering only a third of consumption, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said.
In 2024, the country’s self-sufficiency rate (SSR) for coffee stood at just 33.2 per cent, prompting imports of 126,062 metric tonnes, primarily Robusta and Arabica varieties, to satisfy the needs of consumers and the industry, the minister told the Dewan Negara yesterday.
Mohamad explained that domestic coffee cultivation, concentrated in Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak, covers 2,924 hectares and produced 2,861 metric tonnes in 2024. The main varieties grown are Liberica (87 per cent), Robusta (10 per cent), and Arabica (3 per cent).
The ministry has introduced multiple measures to support smallholders and boost local production. Initiatives include providing planting materials, fertilizers, farm equipment, pest control, and post-harvest facilities.
Under the Twelfth and Thirteenth Malaysia Plans, RM4.5 million and RM5 million were allocated respectively to develop 300 hectares of coffee farms involving 270 farmers. In 2026, RM1.5 million will be allocated to further strengthen the sector.
Efforts also focus on replanting old trees, restoring abandoned plantations with high-yield varieties such as Liberica MKL5, MKL6, and MKL7, and offering training and technical guidance to help farmers adopt modern and sustainable methods. Research institutions, including Mardi, are developing new superior varieties like MKL-8, MKL-9, and MKL-10 to improve yields and harvest uniformity for smallholders.
On coffee pricing, Mohamad stressed that market prices are determined by production costs, processing, and quality, not state intervention. To attract younger entrepreneurs, start-up assistance of up to RM50,000 is available for those interested in entering the industry.
