Reference Date: 09-September-2025

Planting of 2026 main season paddy crop ongoing

Planting of the 2026 main season paddy crop is ongoing and is expected to finalize in December 2025 in Peninsular Malaysia, where about 80   percent of the main season output is produced. In minor producing states, planting operations finalized in August in Sabah and are expected to conclude at the end of November in Sarawak. Weather conditions since the start of the season have generally been favourable supporting planting operations and crop establishment. Remote sensing data from mid‑August   2025 indicated good vegetation conditions across most cropping areas (ASI map). However, weather forecasts point to below‑average precipitation amounts between September and November  2025 across most of Peninsular Malaysia, which, if materialized, could negatively affect late planting operations as well as yields of early planted crops.

Paddy output in 2025 estimated slightly below average

Aggregate paddy crop production in 2025 is estimated at 2.2 million tonnes, slightly below the average, due to a contraction in the area planted as heavy rains and floods in November and December  2024 hindered planting operations of the main season paddy crop, especially in Peninsular Malaysia. Aggregate maize crop production in 2025 is estimated at an average level of 65 000 tonnes.

Cereal import requirements forecast at above‑average level in 2025/26

The country relies on imports to meet domestic needs of cereals, as local production covers only about one‑fourth of the total national cereal consumption. For the 2025/26 marketing year (July/June), total cereal import requirements are forecast at 7.4 million tonnes, about 7 percent above the average. Imports of maize, which constitute the bulk of total imports, are forecast at 3.9 million tonnes, about 4 percent above the average, reflecting the sustained demand by the poultry industry. Imports of wheat are forecast at 1.9 million tonnes, about 8 percent above the average, driven by strong domestic demand for bread and bakery products, attributed to population growth and a year‑on‑year increase in arrivals of tourists. Imports of rice in the 2025 calendar year are forecast at 1.6 million tonnes.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .