Agricultural growth in Kelantan and Sarawak drives honey and cocoa sectors

Kelantan has emerged as Malaysia’s leading producer of kelulut honey, recording a total output of 297.6 tonnes. Dato’ Tuan Mohd Saripudin Tuan Ismail, Kelantan’s Agriculture, Agromakanan Industry and Commodity Exco, stated that this achievement highlights the industry's potential to generate income and create business opportunities for the state's agricultural community.

Efforts are underway to strengthen cooperation between the state government, relevant departments, and farmers to address industry challenges, improve production quality, and expand market reach to ensure sustainable growth.

In a separate development, Sarawak is positioned to strengthen the national cocoa industry by expanding cultivation areas and developing high-value chocolate products. Shari Fuddin Sha’ari, Acting Director General of the Malaysian Cocoa Board, noted that increasing cocoa cultivation in Sarawak, alongside Sabah, could reduce the country's reliance on imported dried cocoa beans over the next two to three years.

The Malaysian Cocoa Board is also pioneering single-origin chocolate products using Sarawakian cocoa beans processed in Kota Samarahan. This approach aims to leverage the unique flavors and aromas of different growing regions to attract entrepreneurs and move the industry toward high-value downstream processing.