Guarana is illegal in Sabah, penalties up to RM10 million, says state Agriculture minister

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has reiterated that the importation, propagation, cultivation or research of the guarana plant (Paullinia cupana) is strictly prohibited in the state to avoid legal implications and protect local agriculture.

In a statement today, the state Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI) Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the ban follows confirmation by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia that the importation and cultivation of guarana are not permitted anywhere in Malaysia, including Sabah.

He added that the prohibition is in line with an official notification from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA) dated January 8, 2020, which allows the export of guarana fruit only for processing and human consumption.

Guarana is a herbaceous plant native to the Amazon Basin, particularly Brazil, an area also known for rubber cultivation and outbreaks of South American Leaf Blight (SALB), a fungal disease caused by Microcyclus ulei.

SALB is classified as a dangerous pest under the Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (Act 167). The ministry warned that spores of the disease could severely affect rubber trees, reducing latex yield, stunting growth and potentially causing tree death.

"Sabah currently has 241,565 hectares of rubber plantations, with production recorded at 75,760 tonnes in 2024, generating RM287.8 million in income for smallholders."

Jamawi also highlighted the risk of introducing new plant diseases through guarana, including Colletotrichum guaranicola, which can infect fruit and vegetable crops such as papaya, banana, mango and chilli, posing a threat to the state’s agri-food security.

As a preventive measure, the Sabah Department of Agriculture does not permit the importation of plants, agricultural products or controlled articles from Brazil.

Under Regulation No. 5 of the Plant Quarantine Regulations 1981 and the Plant Quarantine Act 1976, any importation of plants, agricultural products or controlled articles without written approval from the Sabah Director of Agriculture is prohibited.

 Offenders may face fines of up to RM10,000.

The ministry also cited the Dangerous Plants Declaration 2025, gazetted on December 1, 2025, which defines dangerous plants as illegal plant materials imported, propagated or cultivated without undergoing proper importation, inspection or quarantine procedures.