Malaysia Pineapple Industry Board looks to control five per cent of the global market

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KUCHING: The Malaysia Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) has targeted to expand the country’s pineapple cultivation areas to 15,000ha with a production of 700,000 metric tonne annually, as it looked to control five per cent of the global market.

MPIB director-general Sahdan Salim said the initiative, under the 11th Malaysia Plan (MP), would also see pineapple cultivation areas in Sarawak increased from the present 1,700ha to 3,500ha with a projected production of 150,000 metric tonne per year.

At the moment, the country’s pineapple plantation areas totalled to 10,319ha with production of 412,720 metric tonne per year and valued at RM577.4 million (ex-farm), while the wholesale price amounted to RM818.4 million. Malaysia is currently the world’s 18th largest pineapple producer.

The country’s pineapple export value last year amounted to RM114 million. Of the number, fresh pineapples made up to RM24.35 million, canned pineapples valued at RM37.1 million, pineapple juice at RM5 million and slip/ornamental at RM47.73 million.

Sarawak, which has the second largest pineapple cultivation areas after Johor, currently produces about 30,720 metric tonne of pineapples per year.

“The planting of pineapples, especially in Sarawak, will be intensified in the 11MP beginning next year. Pineapple cultivation in Sarawak is growing slowly despite its vast potential for development. We need more pineapples growers here to increase production and at the same time, to increase export.

“For 2016-2020, about RM25 million will be allocated to the state to strengthen its pineapple industry,” Sahdan said when delivering his keynote address at the 2015 Pineapple Industry Seminar at the Riverside Majestic Hotel here yesterday.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang who officiated at the event, his deputy Datuk Mong Dagang and Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Deputy Minister Anthony Nogeh Gumbek.