Agriculture becoming major contributor to GDP

OVER the years, the agriculture sector has steadily become an important contributor to Malaysia's GDP, employment, export revenue, export tax and duty, as well as the economic and rural development.

Given the persistently high prices and strong demand in major local industrial commodities on the international market, export earnings of commodity and commodity-based products ranging from palm oil, rubber gloves, timber and cocoa posted a record of RM113.3bil in 2010, a 24% jump from 2009.