PETALING JAYA: A total of 1,034,182 agricultural holdings were recorded in 2023, of which 1,012,993 were individual agricultural holdings, accounting for 97.9% of all agricultural holdings in Malaysia, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) Agricultural Census Report 2024.
In contrast, 21,189 agricultural holdings were managed by establishment. The updated profile further indicates that 982,268 holdings were engaged in the crops subsector, with 965,268 of these being individual holdings.
The census was conducted from July 7 to Oct 31, 2024, through extensive collaboration and strategic cooperation involving DoSM and 1,390 agencies related to agriculture at federal, state and district level besides relevant key ministries and agencies.
Chief Statistician Malaysia and Consensus Commissioner Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin disclosed that 43,816 individuals were involved in livestock activities, 8,407 in aquaculture, 48,267 in fisheries activities, and 7,930 in forestry and logging activities.
The total planted area amounted to 7.5 million hectares. Oil palm was the dominant crop, covering 5.8 million hectares, followed by rubber at 0.7 million hectares, paddy at 0.5 million hectares, and other crops at 0.1 million hectares.
Findings from the census recorded total sales value of RM116.7 billion for the crops subsector and RM26.9 billion for the livestock subsector.
Meanwhile, the sales value of captured fisheries products was recorded at RM10.9 billion. The census further showed that the aquaculture subsector generated sales value amounting to RM4.6 billion in 2023 and logging activities recorded sales value of RM3.8 billion.
Total income for the agricultural sector in 2023 amounted to RM186.43 billion, with the crops subsector being the largest contributor at RM132.06 billion (70.8%).
The livestock subsector was the second-largest contributor with RM33.12 billion (17.8%), followed by capture fisheries at RM11.08 billion (5.9%). Forestry and logging RM5.42 billion (2.9%) and aquaculture recorded income of RM4.74 billion (2.5%).
The three states recording the highest total income were Johor with RM30.15 billion, Sarawak RM29.18 billion and Sabah RM28.22 billion.
Establishment agricultural holdings contributed RM136.05 billion, which represented 73% of total agricultural income, while individual agricultural holdings accounted for RM50.38 billion (27%). Within the crops subsector, establishment holdings generated RM93.74 billion, representing 71% of total crop income, compared with RM38.32 billion (29%) from individual holdings.
Income within the crops subsector was predominantly driven by oil palm cultivation, which recorded RM92.68 billion. This was followed by fruits (RM14.15 billion), vegetables (RM10.9 billion), rubber (RM4.27 billion), paddy (RM3.84 billion) and pineapple (RM2.33 billion). Other crops contributed relatively smaller shares to the overall crops income.
The livestock subsector’s income was largely driven by establishment holdings, which generated RM31.28 billion, accounting for 94.4% of total income, while individual holdings contributed RM1.84 billion (5.6%). Poultry farming (chicken/duck) recorded the highest income at RM20.83 billion, followed by chicken/duck eggs (RM5.54 billion) and pigs (RM2.55 billion).
In the captured fisheries subsector, income was predominantly contributed by individual holdings, amounting to RM9.29 billion or 83.8%, compared with RM1.8 billion (16.2 %) from establishment holdings.
Conversely, aquaculture income was mainly generated by establishment holdings at RM3.86 billion (81.3%), with individual holdings accounting for RM0.88 billion (18.7% ). Income in the forestry and logging subsector was mainly contributed by establishment holdings, totaling RM5.38 billion or 99.1% of the subsector’s income, while individual holdings contributed RM47.17 million (0.9%).
Pahang, Sarawak and Sabah emerged as the top three contributors to income in the crops subsector, recording RM24.05 billion, RM23.58 billion and RM23.43 billion, respectively. In the livestock subsector, Johor led with income of RM6.21 billion, followed by Negeri Sembilan at RM5.63 billion and Perak at RM4.76 billion. Perak recorded the highest income in captured fisheries subsector at RM2.52 billion, with Sabah and Kedah contributing RM1.5 billion and RM1.49 billion, respectively.
Meanwhile, the aquaculture subsector income was highest in Johor at RM1.11 billion, followed by Perak with RM929.06 million and Penang with RM636.12 million.In the forestry and logging subsector, Sarawak recorded with income of RM2.89 billion, followed by Sabah at RM808.18 million and Pahang at RM642.7 million.
