KOTA KINABALU, Sept 17 — After initially rejecting guarana as a stimulant two years ago, Sabah is now open to cultivating the plant, which is widely used in energy drinks worldwide.

State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said they were keen to hear from experts about the potential impact of guarana on other crops and its economic viability.

"If guarana passes all inspections and proves to have high economic value, it would be unfortunate if other parties ‘hijacked’ the development project,” said Kitingan during a press conference ahead of the first Borneo International Guarana Conference 2024 (BIGC 2024), scheduled for September 24 and 25.

Kitingan, who is also the deputy chief minister, noted that while the plant is widely available and has high economic and pharmaceutical potential, there has yet to be any official approval from the government for its cultivation.

"There needs to be a thorough study involving experts in various fields to determine if guarana is suitable for cultivation in Sabah, without harming existing commodity crops such as rubber,” he said.

He added that both federal and state regulations would need to be reviewed to see if guarana cultivation could be allowed in Sabah.

"I’m excited to see what this conference will bring, what the experts will say, and to learn more about this plant,” he said.

The main theme of BIGC 2024 is to explore how guarana can be leveraged for sustainable agriculture while promoting innovation and economic growth.

Kitingan pointed out that although guarana is already being planted in the country’s jungles, the lack of regulatory approval limits its development and marketing.

Medical reports indicate that excessive guarana consumption can lead to side effects such as insomnia, hypertension, and anxiety. However, it may also provide benefits like increased alertness and some anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects.

In January 2022, Kitingan had advised the public to avoid any schemes promoting the cultivation or consumption of guarana, citing its classification as a dangerous plant due to its susceptibility to South American Leaf Blight (SALB), a fungal disease.

He stressed that any new agricultural product introduced in Sabah must first undergo research, development, and commercialisation processes, none of which guarana has completed.

"SALB is the most destructive plant disease, currently confined to South America and the Caribbean. With Sabah having 195,000 hectares of rubber plantations, we cannot afford to risk the disease crippling our rubber industry,” he said.