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alaysia’s coffee-drinking culture has seen a sharp rise in coffee bean consumption in recent years, with data from the International Coffee Organisation placing the country third among 58 nations in terms of highest coffee consumption growth in 2021.
Yet despite the booming coffee trend, particularly among Malaysian youths and millennials, local production remains far from sufficient to meet demand.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security reported that Malaysia imports about 90 per cent of its coffee beans to satisfy industry needs, bringing in 126,062 metric tonnes in 2024, while domestic production stood at only 2,861 metric tonnes that same year.
Recognising coffee’s immense market potential, Perak has intensified cultivation efforts with the aim of becoming one of the country’s leading coffee producers. Currently, Malaysia’s coffee production is dominated by Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.
Driven by the national food security agenda under the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan, the state Agriculture Department has been tasked with developing a more structured coffee industry ecosystem, encompassing policy, implementation and overall industry growth. From this vision emerged ‘Kopi Perak’.
ENTERING THE MARKET THIS YEAR
Sharing the origins of Kopi Perak, Perak Agriculture Director Norsiyenti Othman said the idea of positioning coffee as Perak’s new commodity crop was sparked by the Cherita Secangkir Kopi Festival in December 2023.
“With the global coffee industry projected to reach US$690.09 billion by 2030, Perak wants to seize the opportunity to become one of the country’s coffee producers.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security reported that local production is still far from sufficient to meet needs.
“We have identified several districts with strong potential to become major coffee-producing areas in Perak, including Hulu Perak with 19.4 hectares, Bagan Datuk (11.87 hectares) and Kuala Kangsar (10.13 hectares),” she told Bernama.
Although coffee cultivation currently covers only 51.18 hectares involving 48 smallholders, she said interest among farmers is steadily growing.
“We are implementing a cluster-based development approach to optimise participation among local farmers,” she explained.
As Perak’s aggressive coffee cultivation efforts are still in their early stages, Kopi Perak has yet to be marketed commercially, despite being introduced to the public at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) over the past two years.
“Most of the planting areas have only recently been developed, while existing plantations are undergoing tree rehabilitation, resulting in limited current production.
“However, following its introduction at MAHA, we aim to begin marketing Kopi Perak to the public this year through several parties, including the Perak State Development Corporation,” she added.
Beyond commercialisation, Kopi Perak is also expected to become part of the state’s agrotourism identity. At present, Perak is better known for rice and corn production.
LIBERICA SELECTED AS KOPI PERAK’S SIGNATURE VARIETY
Norsiyenti said the department selected the Liberica variety based on its suitability to Perak’s soil and climate conditions.
Liberica thrives in alluvial soil and temperatures ranging between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius. It is disease-resistant, bears fruit throughout the year and has a lifespan of up to 25 years, making it highly suitable for the development of Kopi Perak.
The "coffee" culture in Malaysia has seen a significant increase in the consumption of coffee beans over the past few years.
“Liberica has strong market demand because of its unique flavour. It is also easier to manage in terms of agronomic practices, making it a viable crop for smallholders,” she said.
To support expansion efforts, the Perak Agriculture Department is channelling various forms of assistance to farmers through special allocations under the 13th Perak Development Plan.
The assistance includes land preparation and clearing, farm infrastructure development, drainage and farm roads, agricultural inputs, harvesting support and coffee fruit processing services by certified providers.
She added that the department has also established the Perak Coffee Processing Centre in Tapah, which has been operating since November last year and serves as a collection hub for coffee harvested throughout the state.
“We are planning to establish more processing centres and collection hubs at strategic locations in the future to ensure large-scale production,” she said.
PROCESSING KOPI PERAK
A key component in developing the coffee supply chain lies in the role of local service providers responsible for purchasing and processing coffee beans into market-ready products.
Overseeing processing operations at the Perak Coffee Processing Centre is Mohamad Syafiq Saad, 36, who said his involvement began after the Perak Agriculture Department sought entrepreneurs to help process coffee produced by local farmers.
“The establishment of this centre not only helps farmers sell their produce, but also ensures supply can be coordinated for processing and industry development in a more organised manner.
“Fresh coffee cherries are currently priced at around RM3 per kilogramme (kg) and can increase to about RM4 per kg when delivered to the processing centre, giving farmers better returns,” he said.
Describing the process, Mohamad Syafiq said freshly harvested coffee cherries are soaked for one to two days to soften the fruit structure, particularly for Liberica, which has thicker skin than Arabica.
The cherries are then sorted according to quality before undergoing a peeling process using specialised machines to separate the beans from the outer skin.
“For Arabica, soaking usually takes overnight because the fruit is softer, while Liberica requires a longer period before moving to the next stage.
“The peeled coffee beans are then dried for about a week, depending on weather conditions, until the moisture content reaches around 12 per cent or lower to ensure quality,” he explained.
After drying, the beans are processed into green beans before entering the roasting stage. For Liberica, both drying and roasting require extra care because the beans are larger and denser, demanding stricter control to maintain quality.
Overall, the entire process from fresh cherries to roasted beans takes about three weeks, depending on weather and operational management, before the coffee is ready to be marketed as the final Kopi Perak product.
Mohamad Syafiq said Liberica’s distinctive characteristics set it apart from other coffee varieties.
“Compared with Robusta, which is more bitter and commercial, or Arabica, which is lighter and more acidic, Liberica offers a more complex flavour profile with fruity aromas resembling jackfruit and pineapple.
“This uniqueness positions Liberica as a high-potential coffee in the premium or specialty coffee segment, adding value to the development of the Kopi Perak brand,” he said.
Still, he noted that securing sufficient Liberica supply remains the industry’s biggest challenge as authorities continue working to strengthen the sector.
COFFEE FARMERS
For coffee farmer Hazian Hamid, 65, the journey into coffee cultivation began unexpectedly after receiving recommendations and seed assistance from the Agriculture Department around 2019, before the COVID-19 Movement Control Order.
“Before venturing into coffee farming, I only cultivated coconuts and had no experience in the coffee industry. But I took the opportunity to diversify and increase my agricultural income.
International Coffee Organization data shows that Malaysia is third out of 58 countries, in terms of the highest growth in coffee use in 2021.
“Growing coffee became easier because I cultivate it on my own three-hectare land in Kampung Padang Kota, Pengkalan Hulu, allowing continuous monitoring and maintenance,” he said.
Hazian, who hails from Hulu Perak, now grows more than 1,000 Liberica coffee trees, producing between 600 and 700 kg per harvest cycle.
“These coffee trees are grown from seedlings. Usually, it takes three to four years before they begin producing fruit. The fruit itself takes another three to four months to mature from flowering to ripening,” he said, adding that he harvests three to four times a year.
Hazian said one of coffee farming’s greatest advantages is the crop’s resistance to disease and its relatively low maintenance requirements compared with other crops he has cultivated before.
Coffee grower, Hazian Hamid, 65, checks the condition of coffee beans at his farm in Kampung Padang Kota here, recently.
“That gives farmers an advantage because the crop does not require intensive control, while maintenance costs are lower and more sustainable in the long run,” he said, noting that each harvest can generate around RM3,000 in income.
At the same time, he hopes Malaysia’s coffee industry will continue to be strengthened, particularly in terms of price stability and market guarantees, to encourage more people, especially in Perak, to venture into coffee farming and further elevate the Kopi Perak brand.
