MOA to intensify efforts to find land for pineapple cultivation nationwide

PONTIAN, June 12 -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MOA) will intensify efforts to find suitable land for pineapple cultivation in the country to ensure the pineapple production capacity meets global demands, says its Deputy Minister II Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi.

He said the move was necessary as the country's pineapple industry was booming and last year alone, Malaysia exported RM419 million worth of pineapple-based products.

“The figure represents a 60 per cent increase in export value of RM343 million recorded in 2018.

"So looking at this potential, we (MOA) want to focus our efforts on finding suitable land to meet global demands," he told reporters when visiting the Pineapple Technology Development Division at the Alor Bukit Pineapple Station in Pekan Nanas, here today.

Also present were MOA deputy secretary-general (agriculture policy) Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid and Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) director-general Ruhaida Manshor.

Che Abdullah said Malaysia was now exporting pineapple and pineapple-based products to more than 20 countries including Singapore, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, Japan and Saudi Arabia.

However, the highest demand for fresh pineapple is from China, which requires 100 containers or 2,200 metric tonnes a month.

He said Malaysia, however, had so far been able to ship 10 containers out of the total.

Che Abdullah added that Johor was also the country's largest pineapple producer followed by Sarawak, Pahang, Sabah and Kedah.

-- BERNAMA