Commercial cultivation of guarana is not allowed in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (April 12): Commercial farming of guarana (Paullinia cupana) in Malaysia is not allowed by the Agriculture Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI). In a statement Tuesday (April 12), the department said this followed a ban on the importation of guarana (also known as P.crysan, P.sorbilis) as it can harm the country’s rubber industry. “This is because guarana seeds brought into Malaysia illegally for commercialisation is banned under the Quarantine Act 1976 and Plant Quarantine Regulation 1981. “The cultivation of guarana in Malaysia brings the risk of carrying other new diseases such as Colletotrichum guaranicola, which is only reported to attack guarana species, in addition, information on the disease is limited and will make it difficult to control if an attack occurs in Malaysia," he said. Apart from that, any parties which plant guarana are at the risk of being subjected to legal action by the Brazilian government if the crop is ...