In Malaysia the new initiative within the onion cultivation development program will yield 1,000 tons of shallots within its initial phase before commercialization, as revealed by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu in the Dewan Rakyat. This initiative aims to decrease the dependence of Malaysia upon imported red onions via an approach that is two-pronged, beginning with exploring the possibility of cultivation possibilities.

The first phase of commercialization, spanning between 2024 and 2025 will include that the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) providing 70 tonnes of shallot seed as well as 230 kilograms of seeds. Furthermore 100 ha of area is earmarked for cultivation of onion, which is expected to produce five tonnes per hectare each year over two plant cycles that will result with a yield of 1000 tonnes of shallots.

The following commercial phase, which will run between 2026 and 2030 is expected to create 1,347 acres of onion farms, which will yield the expected harvest of 14,470 tonnes, thus providing 30% of the locally-sourced demand until 2030. The current shallot plantation has begun at Perlis, Selangor, and Perak The first harvest anticipated in the month of April this year. Malaysia’s decision to cultivate shallots locally addresses the substantial dependence on imports of onion from nations like India and China, India Netherlands, China, Pakistan as well as Thailand that amounted to the equivalent of 687,000 tonnes. Consumption in Malaysia of tiny shallots was 1.2 kg per individual per calendar year until 2022.

Source: nst.com.my