Kuala lumpur: The Plantation and Commodities Ministry (KPK) has put forward a proposal to establish a new 500-hectare cocoa plantation in Sarawak. This initiative aims to position the state as Malaysia’s primary cocoa production hub under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin announced that the proposal is slated for implementation next year through the Sarawak Cocoa Development Programme. This effort will be in partnership with the Sarawak government and the Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM). An allocation of RM35,000 per hectare over a three-year period is planned for planting activities, which will include contractor appointments, participant registration, and cocoa crop development through outsourcing.
Chan revealed these plans during a Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session, responding to a supplementary question from Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS-Batang Sadong). He also mentioned that under the 13MP, the ministry intends to provide agricultural and equipment inputs for existing smallholders in Sarawak. This will cover 600 hectares and involve 800 smallholders, with an annual allocation of RM3,000 per hectare.
Earlier, Chan noted that KPK, through LKM, has already launched five major programmes worth RM7 million in Sarawak. These include the Cocoa Yield Enhancement Programme in the Asajaya-Sebuya-Simunjan areas, part of the ‘Rolling Plan’ under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) from 2022 to 2025. Additional government initiatives include the Fine Flavour Cocoa and Organic Cocoa Planting Material Development Programme and the Agricultural Modernisation Programme, involving 329 farmers and covering 311.4 hectares.
Chan stated that these programmes aim to bolster the competitiveness of the cocoa industry, ensuring that the sector continues to contribute sustainably and significantly to Malaysia’s economic growth. The government’s commitment extends to increasing the income of cocoa smallholders and expanding cultivation areas through replanting and the introduction of Fine Flavour clones.