Kenaf Industry Positioned As Future Green Commodity - Noraini

PADANG BESAR, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s kenaf industry is entering a key transition phase, with efforts underway to position it as a future green commodity, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said.

She said kenaf should no longer be viewed as a secondary crop, but as a strategic contributor to the sustainability of the national commodities sector.

“For 2025, the National Kenaf and Tobacco Board (LKTN) has processed an estimated 70 tonnes of kenaf seeds,” she said in a statement issued in conjunction with her working visit to Perlis and a breaking-of-fast event at Dewan Bukit Keteri, Beseri near here today.

Noraini said the ministry will continue to support industry modernisation initiatives to ensure competitive returns for kenaf growers.

Speaking at the event, she highlighted that kenaf cultivation has produced a range of entrepreneurs. These include mushroom growers using kenaf and padi waste, producers of cat food diet products under the Ecovet brand, and the development of kenaf leaf tea marketed as Biokenaf for health and weight management.

These products were developed in collaboration with local universities, particularly Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP). She noted that Biokenaf, formulated by UMK researcher Dr Maryana Mohamad Nor, has also led to the development of a health supplement.

Noraini said Perlis’ expertise in kenaf cultivation is drawing international interest, including potential collaboration with Kenya, which has a semi-arid climate.

“Kenaf planting has expanded rapidly in Padang Besar and Chuping, replacing areas previously dominated by sugarcane and tobacco,” she said, expressing  confidence that the crop could have a significant impact on the national economy

She also met several kenaf growers, many of them women, who have shown strong commitment to the crop with support from LKTN and state agencies.

Among key initiatives is the Kenaf Integrated Park (KIP) in Chuping near here, a pilot project focusing on processing kenaf pulp for biodegradable products.

Noraini said the industry supports the Malaysia MADANI aspirations, particularly as an alternative source of income for the country.

“The government is targeting 2,500 hectares of kenaf cultivation by 2025/2026 to strengthen the agro-commodity sector and raise farmers’ incomes.

“I am confident that through LKTN’s initiatives kenaf will be widely used in animal feed pellet production, reducing reliance on imported raw materials, as demonstrated by the locally developed Ecovet products,” she said.

Ongoing research has also integrated kenaf fibre into the automotive, construction and textile industries, as well as mutation breeding research using nuclear technology. New varieties, MK1 and MK2, have been developed to enhance the crop’s global competitiveness.

At the event, Noraini presented seed revenue payments for the 2025/2026 season to Perlis growers. Three farmers recorded strong yields: Wahab Hamid (1,980kg, RM79,200), Muhammad Izhan Abu Bakar (1,860kg, RM74,400) and Mohd Shahril Mansor (834kg, RM33,360).

Earlier, she visited a Seed Processing Centre in Perlis capable of processing and conducting comprehensive seed quality tests, and inspected kenaf fields at Batu 17, Jalan Kaki Bukit near here, to observe crop progress.

-- BERNAMA