| Agriculture in Malaysia | | | | been identified as priority crops with good potential |
| Malaysia agriculture is currently undergoing a revival | | | | to meet the growing domestic and international |
| and shifting from its original position as a pillar of the | | | | demand and to generate higher income for |
| nation's economy to its future strategic role as a | | | | producers. The cultivated area for fruits is projected |
| provider of food and raw materials for Argo-based | | | | to increase by 44.7% from 244,471 HA in 1995 to |
| industries. The Asian economic crisis of 1998, | | | | 353,733 HA in 2010. Vegetable production is expected |
| fluctuation in prices of important commodities (rubber, | | | | to increase by 77.3% from 54,800 ha to 97,160 ha |
| oil palm and pepper) and the impending global trade | | | | over the same period. The increasing trend in fertilizer |
| liberalization are contributory factors to this shift. | | | | use will continue especially in the use of organic and |
| More emphasis has been given to the production of | | | | soluble fertilizers (for foliar fertilizers) instead of the |
| food crops in order to address the twin problems of | | | | traditional reliance on straight fertilizers for plantation |
| the growing national food import bill and food | | | | and field crops. |
| security. The demand for food has shown a steady | | | | Foliar Fertilizer |
| increase due to the growth in income and population | | | | There is tremendous potential for increased use of |
| as well as changes in lifestyle. | | | | foliar fertilizers due to the inherent properties of soils |
| Food imports have increased by 11% per annual | | | | of the humid tropics and current crop management |
| between 1990-1995 compared to a slower growth | | | | practices. The physical and chemical properties of soil |
| rate of 4% in domestic production. This increasing | | | | that prevent uptake of essential elements and thus |
| trend of the shortfall in production to meet national | | | | require corrective supplementary feeding of foliar |
| demand is expected to continue and need to be | | | | fertilizers at a later stage of plant growth are as |
| addressed to ensure food security. In order to meet | | | | follows:- |
| significant and increased national requirements, | | | | - High acidity of soil. |
| domestic food production will be enhanced under the | | | | - Low content of available P or liable to P-fixation |
| NAP3 (New Agricultural Policy 3) through large-scale | | | | - Often low content of K, Mg and S. |
| involvement and production by the private sector. | | | | - Often low in available N. |
| This area is given great emphasis in the NAP3 and is | | | | - Often have a low storage capacity for nutrients |
| in line with the call by Prime Minister to make | | | | Growers with exception of big plantations do not |
| agriculture the second vision after the Multimedia | | | | have a planned fertilizer application program and use |
| Super Corridor. | | | | fertilizers based on local experience with the crops. All |
| Fertilizer is the most important production input in | | | | soils are treated alike and it is often the prevailing |
| agriculture and is critical to the success of agriculture | | | | prices of the produce that determines the fertilizer |
| in the country. | | | | rate. Unlike farmers in more developed countries and |
| Fertilizer Usage in Malaysia | | | | big plantations, there are no soil or tissue tests to |
| The single most important imported item used in crop | | | | determine the actual nutrient requirements for |
| production in Malaysia is fertilizers. The use of | | | | different crops. As a result the yield and quality of |
| fertilizers has shown a steady increase from | | | | crops are adversely affected by nutrient deficiencies |
| 1,034,956 metric tonnes in 1993 to 1,376,061 tonnes | | | | that can occur quite early in the life cycle of the |
| in 1998, an increase of about 33%. This increase is | | | | crops. |
| significant in that there was no substantial increase in | | | | Under these above situations, foliar fertilizers will play |
| cultivated hectare. The value of fertilizer imports | | | | an active role in correcting nutrient deficiencies due to |
| increased from RM687.33 millions in 1993 to RM1, | | | | the rapid absorption by the leaves compared to that |
| 157,592 millions in 1997. It is estimated that about | | | | through the roots. The higher prices and incomes |
| 63% of fertilizer used are for oil palm, followed by | | | | from the improvement in quality and quantity during |
| 16% for rubber, 10% for paddy and 11% for other | | | | harvest in a more organized marketing system in the |
| crops. | | | | future will boost the use of foliar fertilizers as |
| Under the New Agricultural Policy, horticultural crops | | | | supplementing nutrient feeding. |
| such as fruits, vegetables and ornamental crops have | | | | |