PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has the potential to develop more fertiliser alternatives, including coming up with innovative ‘Made in Malaysia’ products, says Universiti Putra Malaysia Agriculture Faculty senior lecturer Dr Juju Nakasha Jaafar.
She said Malaysia’s dependence on imported chemical fertilisers such as urea and potash places a significant financial burden on farmers, particularly amid rising global prices.
Potash is a group of water-soluble potassium-rich salts, primarily used as a fertiliser to improve crop yield, disease resistance, and water retention.
“More comprehensive economic research and development should be strengthened, including the commercial processing of palm oil mill effluent (Pome) into organic fertiliser pellets,” she said.
“Agricultural residues from post-harvest vegetables and fruits also have a strong potential to be used in fertiliser production.”
These initiatives could provide a more affordable and stable ‘Made in Malaysia’ alternative, she added.
Dr Juju added the adoption of agricultural technology would enable farmers to apply fertiliser based on soil requirements, thereby reducing wastage and improving efficiency.
“By recycling waste into valuable inputs, Malaysia can better safeguard farmers’ welfare and strengthen national food security,” she said.
The Malaysia Padi Farmers Brotherhood Association (PeSawah) chairman, Abdul Rashid Yob, said fertiliser prices had already gone up during the Russia-Ukraine war, and with the Middle East conflict, they are expected to increase further.
“In addition to subsidised fertiliser, farmers are also required to purchase additional inputs independently. Fertiliser prices are reported to be rising significantly, with increases of around 50% to 70%, depending on the supplier,” he said.
He said the crisis and the rising cost pressures may force padi farmers to reduce fertiliser inputs.
“When farmers cut back on fertiliser due to high costs, overall production will be affected, leading to lower output. This situation could result in tighter global supply, higher prices, and an increased risk of reduced padi production,” he added.
He said this would increase the burden of padi cultivators who are already facing a double whammy from water supply issues and rising diesel prices.
Planting seasons have yet to begin in some areas, as farmers are struggling to cope, he said.
Only 39% of the fertiliser used domestically is produced locally.
Malaysia imports about four to five million tonnes of fertiliser annually, costing over RM5bil every year.
