Tue Sep 17 07:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Sabah Reopens Door to Guarana Cultivation After Initial Rejection
**KOTA KINABALU, Sabah:** Sabah is re-evaluating its stance on cultivating the guarana plant, a species previously deemed “dangerous” due to its susceptibility to a devastating fungal disease. Despite rejecting the idea in 2022, the state is now open to exploring its potential, provided certain conditions are met.
Deputy Chief Minister I and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, announced this change of heart during a press conference for the first Borneo International Guarana Conference 2024 (BIGC 2024). He emphasized that the decision hinges on a thorough study by experts to ensure guarana cultivation doesn’t harm existing crops like rubber.
“If it passes all inspections and proves to have high economic value, it would be a shame if others ‘hijacked’ the development,” Kitingan said, highlighting his desire to see Sabah benefit from the plant’s potential.
Kitingan expressed interest in the plant’s economic and medicinal uses, but acknowledged the lack of official approval for its cultivation in Malaysia. He also acknowledged the existence of wild guarana in Malaysian jungles, prompting him to seek further information at the conference.
Guarana, native to South America, has been a controversial plant due to its vulnerability to South America Leaf Blight (SALB), a fungal disease that has decimated rubber plantations in South America. Kitingan had previously voiced concerns about the disease’s potential to cripple Sabah’s own rubber industry, which covers 195,000 hectares.
However, the BIGC 2024, organized by Cupana Holding Sdn Bhd, aims to explore the plant’s potential for sustainable agriculture and economic growth. The conference will feature discussions on guarana’s role in the future of agriculture and its potential impact on local and global economies, with renowned experts from various fields participating.
The conference’s focus on guarana’s potential benefits, alongside ongoing research and the need for further evaluation, may signal a shift in Sabah’s approach to the plant, offering a new chapter in its potential development.
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