Can Banana be a Success Story for Malaysia?

Abstract

Bananas are an important commercial fruit and a major export commodity in the tropics. The growing global demand for bananas has caused its harvested area to expand. However, the production of bananas in Malaysia has decreased, probably due to adverse environmental conditions and pests and diseases. Nevertheless, the Malaysian government recognised the importance and potential of fruit crops, including bananas, and has developed national agrofood policies and strategies to support and accelerate food production growth. This study aimed to understand the current scenario of banana production in Malaysia and determine if local bananas have a comparative advantage over their rivals. Based on the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) analysis, Malaysia has a competitive edge in bananas over regional countries, although some challenges remain to overcome. Hence, to sustain its competitive position in the banana market, an intensive effort and interdisciplinary collaboration between policymakers, industrial players, growers, and scientists is desirable to address those issues and challenges described in this study.