The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) has set a target to reduce the country's dependence on imported red onions by up to 30% by 2030 through a structured local seed production programme.
Director General Datuk Dr Mohamad Zabawi Abdul Ghani said the initiative supports national food security goals, as Malaysia currently imports nearly all of its red onion requirements, valued at more than RM2.6 billion (US$555 million) annually.
A pilot cultivation project in Bachok has shown progress. The state's first entrepreneur, Mohd Fauzi Abu Bakar, 43, expanded from 20kg of seeds on several plots to 10,000 polybags across 0.324 hectares, producing up to five tonnes per season. "This proves that red onions can be commercially cultivated in the country," said Mohamad Zabawi during a visit to Mardi's Red Onion Seed Production Project in Kampung Beris Lalang.
Mardi is focusing on developing local seeds for distribution to farmers under the Agriculture Department, while selected entrepreneurs will act as seed producers. Through a replanting system, a single bulb can generate three new bulbs, enabling expansion each season.
Red onions have been planted in Beris Lalang since August, with an expected harvest of 5,000kg in October. Planting will expand to 30,000 polybags by 2026, with an estimated yield of 15,000kg per season. At the Telong Permanent Food Production Park in Bachok, seed production has reached 2,400kg per season, with national seed output forecast to rise to 50,000kg by 2026 across two planting cycles.
Mardi has identified Perak, Selangor, and Sabah as additional regions for red onion cultivation, with projected yields of eight to nine tonnes per hectare depending on planting method. Local market demand remains high, with prices ranging between RM7 and RM10 (US$1.50 to US$2.15) per kg, supporting both fresh sales and potential downstream products such as fried onions.
Entrepreneur Mohd Fauzi noted that his work began in early 2023 after receiving technical support from Mardi. Initial trials with 20kg of seeds produced 115kg of dried onions from 500 polybags. He added that red onions are easier to manage than other vegetables and can also repel insects from crops such as chilli.
Cultivation is mainly suited for the dry season, while during the monsoon, alternative crops such as mustard greens and spinach are planted. Current demand in Kelantan exceeds supply, with most sales limited to local markets, as Mohd Fauzi is unable to meet supermarket orders. Premium-quality onions are sold at up to RM10 (US$2.15) per kg.
Source: The Edge Malaysia