Looks like Kelantan might be about to take the crown as Malaysia’s “onion king” by 2026.
Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the state has shown strong potential to lead in local onion production, thanks to a government-backed farming project.
The project, which covers Selangor, Perak, and Kelantan, received RM6 million in funding and involves 80 farmers working across nearly 94.85 hectares of land.
First harvest already promising
In Bachok, Kelantan, farmers recently harvested about 18.4 metric tonnes of onions from just 4.6 hectares of land.
On average, that’s around 4 tonnes per hectare, using new local seed varieties called BAW1 and BAW2.
Officials say the initial results are encouraging, and if things keep going smoothly, Kelantan could officially become the country’s top producer of local onions as early as next year.
Why it matters
Right now, Malaysia still relies heavily on imported onions. But with local production scaling up, the government expects to cut imports by as much as 30%.
As for the cost? It hasn’t been finalised yet, but authorities say the price difference compared to imported onions shouldn’t be too big.
For now, this year’s main goal is to build up enough seeds. Full-scale planting is expected to roll out next year.
