Malaysia produces about 35 and 59 percent of the world's supply of rubber and palm oil, respectively. It is also the third largest producer of cocoa, (200,000 Mg of raw cocoa beans annually) and the fourth largest producer of pepper (14,200 Mg annually). Other crops produced are rice, pineapple, vegetables, and tropical fruits. To maintain its competitiveness in the world market, there are
... [Show full abstract] efforts to reduce the production costs of these crops. The goal is to develop highly efficient management practices without sacrificing environmental quality and the living standard of agricultural workers. Production costs can be reduced by using agricultural waste products for fertilizers and practicing biological pest control, while increasing crop productivity and soil fertility. During the past decade, research was directed toward the use of agricultural wastes and natural systems for crop production. The agricultural wastes include palm oil mill effluent (POME), rubber mill effluent (RME), empty oil palm fruit bunch (EFB), and animal wastes. The natural systems include barn owl, rhizobium, Elaeidobius kamerunicus beetles, and honey bee. Currently, the plantation sector is extensively utilizing POME, RME, and EFB as substitutes for chemical fertilizers, Elaeidobius kamerunicus for pollinating oil palm fruit bunches, barn owl for rodent control, and rhizobium for nitrogen fixation by legume crops. The vegetable and fruit farmers are using animal and agricultural waste products as sources of plant nutrients and as soil conditioners. They are using honey bees to improve pollination of coconut and fruit crops. Malaysia, with an area of 329,293 km2, leads the world in rubber production with about 1.5 million Mg annually. This supplies about 35 percent of the world's rubber requirement. Malaysia is also the world's largest producer of palm oil, supplying about 59 percent of the world's needs or 4,530,000 Mg of palm oil per year; the third largest producer of cocoa, with an annual production of about 200,000 Mg of cocoa beans; and the fourth largest producer of pepper with an annual production of 14,200 Mg of white and black pepper. In addition to these, Malaysia also produces rice, vegetables, fruits, pineapple, and a variety of other crops. With a population of about 16 million people, Malaysia can ill afford to mismanage its agricultural resources. It must be very efficient to sustain production and competitiveness in the world market, without sacrificing the living standard of its people and environmental quality. Towards this end, Malaysian agriculture has been relatively successful. Currently, Malaysian farmers and workers are earning higher incomes than ever before and environmental pollution is being contained. Part of this success is due to the utilization of agricultural wastes as fertilizers and soil conditioners, and the use of natural systems, which have made our agriculture more profitable, efficient, and sustainable.