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Malaysia’s Biosafety Act 2007 and Biosecurity Regulations are currently under review by the Department of Biosafety. As of September 2022, 57 genetically engineered (GE) products have been approved for import, an increase of 14 percent from 2021.

The implementation of Malaysia’s B20 mandate has been officially postponed until the end of 2022. However, it will be difficult for the Government of Malaysia (GoM) to implement the B20 within the current deadline and Post expects the delays to continue into 2023.

Malaysia again extended the subsidy for the poultry industry until December 2022 to stabilize the price of whole chicken (processed and sold with head, feet, and organs) and eggs, as stated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) on Sunday, October 9, 2022. In total, Government of Malaysia (GOM) allocations for chicken and egg subsidies from February to December 2022 will amount to RM1.233 billion (USD$265.16 million).

Easing of border restrictions and re-opening of food businesses in 2022 have helped to drive post-pandemic recovery in Malaysia's hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) industry. Despite the pandemic and global supply chain impact, the demand for foreign consumer-oriented food and beverage products is strong.

This report provides information on the regulations and procedures for the importation of food and agricultural products from the United States to Malaysia. The report is supplemented by the Malaysia Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) – Export Certificate Report 2022.

This report provides information on the export certification requirements of the Government of Malaysia. This report supplements the Malaysia Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) – Country Report 2022.

Malaysia ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Friday, September 30, 2022, becoming the ninth out of eleven countries to ratify the agreement.

Post adjusts the Marketing Year (MY) 2021/22 palm oil production forecast down to 18.2 million metric tons (MT), due to ongoing labor shortages. The MY2021/22 palm oil export estimate is revised to 16 million MT, a drop of 500,000 MT due to the estimated drop in production and resumption of Indonesian palm oil exports. Palm oil prices continue to fall as key buyers, India and China, prefer soybean oil to palm oil.

Malaysia was the 25th largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products in 2021 and is a top prospect for exports of food and beverage ingredients because of its large and growing food processing industry. Food and beverages manufactured in Malaysia not only serve domestic consumers but are also exported to many neighboring countries. U.S. exporters of dairy products, fresh and processed potatoes, food-grade soy, processed fruit and juices, tree nuts and more have many opportunities to supply Malaysian industry which depends on imports for key ingredients and inputs, and in doing so will reach consumers across Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia.

According to the Department of Statistics, Malaysia’s food and beverage sales contributed 11.8 percent ($1.7 billion) to total wholesale sales value of $14 billion for January-April 2022, with a growth of 11.5 percent over the same period last year. The country’s food retailers continue to rapidly develop, and premium grocery stores and convenience outlets are increasingly popular.

Post forecasts consumption of cotton in the Malaysian textile industry at 290,000 bales in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, a 3.3 percent drop from the previous year post’s estimate. The expected reduction is based on textile companies shifting their operation to other South-East Asian countries as the cost of labor increased in Malaysia with the revision of new minimum wages on April 1, 2022.

Effective June 1, 2022, Malaysia intends to ban export of poultry products to ensure sufficient domestic supply. This is the latest in a series of measures taken to try to combat rising food prices in the country.