GOPENG: Onion cultivation in Perak will be expanded to three other districts in the state with an additional RM1.4mil allocation by the Federal Government, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar stated that the pilot project began in the Batang Padang district and would be expanded to the Kuala Kangsar, Muallim, and Perak Tengah districts.
He said the state would identify the areas that meet the criteria for growing onions.
“We have begun branding them as ‘Perak onions’. They are tasty and sweet,” he told reporters at the closing of The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) Fest 2025 at the Rural Transformation Centre here on Sunday (June 1).
“Even though onions can technically be planted anywhere, we need to find the most suitable land to get the best quality onions,” he added.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister, Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, was also present.
In his speech at the event, Arthur stated that the successful production of Perak onions was a commendable achievement, and it was the first commercially produced onions in Malaysia.
He said this success is the result of a collaborative effort between the Agriculture Department and the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).
“The ministry has allocated an additional RM1.4mil to Perak to expand the cultivation area for the onions this year,” he said.
