Kelantan: A large-scale onion cultivation project spanning 30.85 hectares across seven districts in Kelantan is expected to reduce Malaysia’s reliance on imported onions by 2030. Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud emphasized the current situation where Malaysia imports all of its onion supply from countries like India and China.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, in 2022, Malaysia imported 685,400 metric tonnes of big and small red onions, amounting to RM1.58 billion, highlighting the nation’s heavy dependence on foreign sources for this staple. In his statement, shared via a video on his Facebook page, Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud outlined the state government’s proactive steps to fortify the agriculture sector. This initiative includes onion farming projects that are either approved, underway, or planned in the districts of Bachok, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Jeli, Kuala Krai, Machang, and Tanah Merah.

The Kelantan Department of Agriculture has allocated RM100,000 to the Kelantan State Agriculture Development Corporation for onion cultivation at Agro Valley Rong Chenok in Pasir Mas. Additionally, a one-hectare pilot onion farming project was launched in Kuala Krai last year, in partnership with local entrepreneurs and the South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar). This project is anticipated to yield RM1.4 million in returns by 2025.

Based on the ongoing developments, Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud stated that the aim is to gradually reduce onion imports, with the goal of producing up to 30 percent of the country’s supply locally by 2030. Simultaneously, he underscored the importance of intensifying efforts to boost production and ensure a stable supply of onions for the domestic market.