Malaysia’s agricultural sector expanded 3.1% in 2024, led by a 5.1% growth in palm oil, which contributed RM38.1 billion to the economy.
PUTRAJAYA: The country’s agricultural sector grew 3.1% in 2024, a significant rebound from the 0.2% growth recorded in the previous year.
The strong performance was primarily driven by the palm oil industry, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) Selected Agricultural Indicators 2025 report.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin stated that palm oil recorded a growth rate of 5.1% in 2024, compared to 0.2% in 2023.
“Palm oil remains the largest contributor to the value added of the agricultural sector with a contribution of RM38.1 billion, or 36.8%,” he said in a statement.
This was followed by other agriculture segments at RM29.7 billion (28.7%) and the livestock subsector at RM17.4 billion (16.9%).
Production of fresh fruit bunches for palm oil reached 100,163.5 metric tonnes, a 5.5% increase from 2023.
Cocoa beans recorded the highest production increase at 33.3%, followed by selected vegetables (11.8%) and kenaf (11.5%).
In the livestock subsector, the number of chickens increased by 3.5% to 327.3 million birds in 2024.
Chicken meat production rose by 13.7%, while beef and buffalo meat output grew 9.6%.
Brackishwater aquaculture production declined slightly by 0.4% to 392,400 metric tonnes.
Marine fish landings and freshwater aquaculture production increased by 9.6% and 5.7%, respectively.
Within ASEAN, Malaysia’s agricultural sector contributed 8.2% to national GDP, ranking eighth among the ten member states.
Myanmar recorded the highest contribution at 20.8%, followed by Laos (16.8%) and Cambodia (16.6%).
Total exports of agri-food and selected agricultural products increased to RM179.2 billion in 2024 from RM160.7 billion.
Total imports rose to RM154.4 billion, with food imports alone amounting to RM93.8 billion.
Mohd Uzir highlighted the sector’s crucial role in ensuring national food security and generating export earnings.
