FARMERS IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia farmers are categorised according to crop commodity and their activity. Most farmers are involved in many activities such as in industrial crop, food crop, animal husbandry or aquaculture activities in their lives. The estimate of Malaysian productive farmers about 250,000 out of about 600,000 registered farmers. This article about to share my knowledge about Malaysian productive farmers based on commodities that they involved. This articles exclude farmers with industrial crop such as oil palm farmers, rubber tappers and other categories.

There are about 172,230 paddy farmers in Malaysia planting about 673,745 hectare of paddy in 2010. The paddy production estimated at 2,458,000 metric ton from main season and off-season. The average national production of paddy recorded at 3,782 kg/ha in which for Peninsular Malaysia is 4,261 kg/ha , Sabah (3,489 kg/ha) and Sarawak (1,888 kg/ha). Among popular variety grown are MR 219, MR 220 and the latest MR 232. Most of paddy farmers are located in Kedah (31,820 farmers), Kelantan (30,810), Perak (18,780), Selangor (17,580) and Sarawak (38,220 farmers - mostly involved in hill paddy planting). Other states the paddy farmers are less than 10,000 in which Negeri Sembilan has only 150 paddy farmers.

A total of 46,000 vegetable farmers are active in vegetable production in 2010. Most of them are located at Kelantan (11,300), Sarawak (11,920 - traditional farmers), Sabah (7,080), Johor (4,920) and Pahang (2,350). The numbers of farmers does not reflex the trend of vegetable production. Johor farmers (4,920) produce about 163,570 mt from 12,790 hectare of vegetable area (CHE). In comparison farmers in Kelantan (11,300 farmers) produce only 63,920 mt with an area of 4,100 ha and farmers in Sarawak productivity very much lower. Total vegetable production area in Malaysia for 2010 is 40,980 hectare with annual production of 534,370 mt respectively. Among top vegetable grown in Malaysia are Brassica, Kangkung, Chilli, Cucumber and selected highland vegetables.

There are 308,720 fruit farmers involved in fruit farming and mostly are traditional farmers. Only about 10-15% of them are real commercial fruit farmers. Most fruit farmers are located in Kelantan (70,930), followed by Johor (70,900) Sarawak (59,270), Perak (23,800), Pahang (20,190) and Sabah (20,830). Total area of fruit farms in Malaysia recorded at 298,429 hectare with an annual production of 1,767,800 metric ton. As other most crops, Johor Fruit Farmers is the most productive with 562,553 mt of fruit produced in 2010 from 68,568 hectare CHE. Farmers from Kelantan only produce 1/5 of that with 139,749 mt with an area of 37,853 hectare of orchard. Most of fruit produced by Malaysian Farmers are Durian (RM 1.3942 billion) followed by Pineapple (RM 644.9 million), Banana (RM 476.2 million), Watermelon (RM 309.4 million) and other seasonal fruit.

There are about 28,640 cashcrops farmers in Malaysia in 2010 involved with maize, cassava, sugarcane, groundnut, sweet potato, yam and few others. Most cashcrop farmers located at Sarawak (11,690 subsistence farmers), Johor (14,040), Selangor (9,710), Sabah (9,120) and Perak (7,030). As others Johor Farmers contribute 46% of cash crop production in 2010 with 47,360 mt from 3,631 hectare of cashcrop farm. Among top cashcrop production in Malaysia are sweet corn (RM 118.3 million), Cassava (RM 41.6 million), Sugarcane (39.7 million), Sweet Potato (RM 30.7 million). The cashcrop provide raw material for agro processing activities especially in Johor and Selangor.

A total of 43,310 farmers involved in cattle rearing activities with mostly located at Kelantan (26,186) followed by Terengganu (5,283 ) and Johor (2,223). Kerbau involved 3,925 farmers mostly found in Kelantan. There are 25,509 farmers who rears goat and sheep's in 2010 mostly found in Kelantan (15,212) and the other state only less than 1,000 farmers. For poultry there are 76,925 registered farmers involved again mostly found in Kelantan (48,052) followed by Johor (15,225) and Melaka (8,244). There are 8,779 duck farmers in Malaysia mostly at Kelantan (3,505) and Melaka (2,271). For pig farmers about 887 farmers registered located at Pulau Pinang (203), Perak (143), Selangor (128), Kelantan (111) and Sarawak (152) and the remaining states less than 50 farmers.

In aquaculture sector a number of 125,632 fisherman registered in 2010. Most fishermen found in Sabah (24,691) followed by Sarawak (16,278), Perak (12,156), Johor (11,641) and Kelntan (11,184). Other states count less than 10,000 fisherman with Negeri Sembilan registered only 460. Those involved in fresh water fish production counted as 18,149 farmers. Most of these fishpond farmers located at Sabah (7,678), Sarawak (1,999), Perak (1,889) and Pahang (1,420). A number of 5,838 brackish water aquaculture farmers registered in 2010 and located at Sabah (2,203 - mostly prawn farmers), Selangor (818), Perak (530) and Johor (500). Sabah produce Tiger Prawn in a huge amount annually.

Farmers in Malaysia targeted to earn more than RM 1,000 monthly as a minimum farm income. Among the group vegetable growers farm income range between RM 2,500 to RM 6,000 monthly compare to fisherman group with the lower income. Most traditional farmers are located in the traditional village with mixed farming system such as fruit orchards, goats, few fresh water fish ponds, cattle and either rubber or oil palm as a dominant crops.

By,

M Anem

Melaka

Malaysia