Abstract

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a short-term, fast-growing, non-woody fibrous crop with a long cultivation history and growing relevance in modern agricultural systems. Belonging to the Malvaceae family, kenaf shares botanical similarities with crops such as okra, cotton and roselle. In Malaysia, kenaf cultivation is primarily oriented toward fiber production rather than seed output. Leveraging insights from the Agriculture Census 2024, this study adopts a data-driven statistical approach to examine the structural characteristics, spatial distribution and demographic profile of kenaf cultivation in Malaysia. Census findings indicate a total of 862 individual agricultural holdings involved in kenaf cultivation nationwide. The highest concentration of individual holdings is recorded in Pahang (55.7%), followed by Terengganu (14.6%), Perlis (10.3%), Kedah (8.5%), Kelantan (8.4%), Perak (2.0%), Melaka (0.4%) and Johor (0.1%). At the district level, Pekan, Pahang emerges as the leading administrative area with 478 individual holdings, followed by Setiu (58) and Besut (49) in Terengganu. Demographic analysis reveals that kenaf cultivation is predominantly undertaken by male operators (63.3%), with the majority (62.5%) falling within the 31–59 age group. In addition to individual holdings, four organizations are actively engaged in kenaf cultivation, located in Pahang, Kedah and Perlis. Kenaf’s adaptability to various soil conditions, particularly well-drained sandy loam soils under warm and humid climates, further enhances its agronomic suitability. From an economic perspective, the findings highlight kenaf’s potential to support agricultural diversification, rural employment and the development of green industries. This study demonstrates how modern agricultural statistics and census-based data analytics can provide evidence-based insights to guide policy formulation, investment decisions and sustainable crop development in the era of the data revolution.