Malaysia is making steady progress toward strengthening its domestic animal feed supply chain, following encouraging results from a national grain corn pilot project that recorded yields of up to four tonnes per hectare.
The results point to growing readiness within the local industry to play a larger role in supporting the country’s food and livestock sectors.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said the early outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the government’s revised approach to developing the grain corn industry, with tangible results already visible on the ground.
Model farming
The yields were achieved under a pilot project at the FGV Chuping Agro Valley (FCAV) grain corn farm in Perlis, which spans approximately 2,000 hectares. The site is expected to serve as a foundation for Malaysia’s transition toward commercial-scale grain corn production.
Beyond grain output, the project has also generated significant fodder biomass, with productivity reaching around 19 tons per hectare. According to Mr Sabu, this biomass can be utilized as an additional source of animal feed, further strengthening the livestock supply chain.
Strategic crop for livestock feed
“These efforts aim to reduce dependence on imported grain corn by at least 30% by 2040, in line with the national food security agenda,” Mr Sabu said during his keynote address at the National Grain Corn Conference 2025.
He noted that grain corn is increasingly recognized as a high-value and competitive crop in modern agriculture, with every part of the plant capable of being fully utilized. This makes it particularly suitable for supporting poultry, egg, and ruminant production systems.
Heavy reliance on imports
Between 2010 and 2024, Malaysia imported an average of 2.5 million tons of grain corn annually, with an estimated value exceeding USD 726 million per year, underscoring the country’s heavy reliance on imports for animal feed.
The poultry, egg, and ruminant livestock sectors remain among the most dependent on grain corn as a key feed ingredient. Current self-sufficiency levels stand at 93% for poultry, 107% for eggs, and approximately 17% for ruminant livestock, highlighting the importance of strengthening local feed inputs to ensure long-term resilience.
Policy framework nearing completion
Mr Sabu said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is in the final stages of completing the National Grain Corn Industry Development Policy, which adopts a new, integrated approach covering the entire value chain — from cultivation and processing to feed utilization.
He added that the National Grain Corn Conference serves as a vital platform for policymakers, industry players, and stakeholders to align strategies and chart a more structured, sustainable path forward for the national grain corn industry.
With pilot-scale success now demonstrated, Malaysia appears poised to accelerate domestic grain corn production as part of its broader effort to enhance food security and reduce exposure to global feed market volatility.
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