MALAYSIAN-grown white rice continues to struggle to capture the domestic market,Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk seri Mohamad Sabu revealed on tuesday,with consumer uptake remaining at only 10 to 15 per cent despite government efforts to increase accessibility and production.
Speaking after attending a recording of Podcast Utama Buletin TV3 at Balai Berita in Bangsar, Mohamad Sabu, popularly known as Mat Sabu, explained that relaxing purchase limits from a single 10kg sack per person to five had yet to significantly improve sales, as imported rice remains cheaper and more appealing to price-sensitive buyers.
“We are trying to produce local white rice, but it appears that purchases are still low. Only around 10 to 15 per cent,” he said.
Mohamad stressed that rice self-sufficiency is a top priority,warning that Malaysia‘s self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) has fallen below 60 per cent,down from a previous national high of 71 per cent due to the conversion of padi land for housing and industrial development and the impact of climate change.
“For me, being below 60 per cent is an undesirable position, and we must find solutions,” he said.The ministry is actively pursuing measures to expand cultivation, rejuvenate neglected padi fields, and enhance yields thru modernisation, better field management, and targeted fertilisation.
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Malaysia Prioritizes Rice Self-Sufficiency, Aims for exports by Boosting Yields
Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Food security has identified increasing the Subsidized Rice Input Scheme (SSR) as a top priority, emphasizing the critical importance of rice as the nation’s staple food. The move underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening food security and modernizing the padi sector amidst global uncertainties.
The Minister stated that maintaining current padi land area while increasing average yields from 4.5 tonnes to seven tonnes per hectare is key to meeting domestic demand and potentially enabling rice exports. He urged cooperation from all stakeholders to achieve this target.
The focus on yield improvement comes as Malaysia observes the progress of neighboring Indonesia, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency in strategic commodities, including rice, by 2026.The Minister noted that Indonesia benefits from larger and more geographically diversified padi growing regions, unlike Malaysia, where cultivation is largely concentrated in Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, and Selangor.
This initiative reflects a broader governmental strategy to safeguard Malaysia’s food supply. Recent data from the Department of Agriculture shows ongoing efforts to modernize farming techniques and provide support to padi farmers. https://www.doa.gov.my/
The remarks were made on December 16, 2025.