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The Star
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Pineapples go from field to fortune
Fruitful industry: Mohamad (left), Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (right) and Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali (second from right) looking at bags made from pineapple threads. — THOMAS YONG/The Star JOHOR BARU: Malaysia's pineapple industry has grown into a billion-ringgit venture, with farmers earning up to RM9,000 a month, marking a major milestone in the country's agri-food success story. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the nation recorded RM1.3bil in pineapple output value in 2024, a 34% increase from the previous year. He added that the country's pineapple production volume rose 17% to 520,000 metric tonnes, cultivated across 13,000ha of productive farmland. 'This shows that pineapples are not just a fruit we enjoy, but a true engine of rural economic development,' he said at the inaugural Malaysian Pineapple Day celebration yesterday. Mohamad said Malaysia now has over 8,000 pineapple growers and more than 300 companies involved in the sector. The self-sufficiency level for pineapples has reached 103%, enabling Malaysia to meet domestic demand and expand its export potential. He highlighted the case of a Johor farmer who doubled his income from RM180,000 to RM350,000 annually by making use of drone technology. In Pahang, the Hijrah Asnaf Pineapple Farming programme has helped 18 participants, mainly from underprivileged groups, earn monthly incomes of up to RM5,000 after just a few months of cultivation. 'The Federal Government has allocated RM75mil for pineapple development in Sarawak under the 12th Malaysia Plan.' Mohamad praised Sarawak's innovation in using pineapple waste as livestock feed and the launch of the new Sarawak Gold variety as an alternative to the MD2 premium hybrid. Mohamad said in Kedah, artificial intelligence and satellite imaging are being used to monitor crops, boosting yield by 30% while reducing operational costs by 40%. He said these technological advances are helping Malaysia prepare to meet growing demand from foreign markets such as China and Singapore. Mohamad said Johor remains the top pineapple-producing state in the country, contributing 68% of total cultivated land.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Malaysia's pineapple industry reaches billion-ringgit milestone
Malaysia has more than 8,000 pineapple growers and over 300 companies involved in the sector. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS JOHOR BAHRU - Malaysia's pineapple industry has become a billion-ringgit sector, with farmers earning up to RM9,000 (S$2,710) a month, marking a significant milestone in the country's agri-food success story. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu announced that the nation recorded RM1.3 billion in pineapple output value in 2024, reflecting a 34 per cent increase from the previous year. He noted that the country's pineapple production volume rose 17 per cent to 520,000 metric tonnes, cultivated across 13,000 hectare of productive farmland. 'This shows that pineapples are not just a fruit we enjoy, but a true engine of rural economic development,' he said in his speech at the inaugural Malaysian Pineapple Day celebration held at a shopping mall on June 27. He added that Malaysia now has more than 8,000 pineapple growers and over 300 companies involved in the sector, ranging from small to large-scale operations. He stated that the self-sufficiency level for pineapples has reached 103 per cent, allowing Malaysia to meet its domestic demand and expand its export potential. He highlighted the case of a Johor farmer who doubled his income from RM180,000 to RM350,000 annually by integrating drone technology into his operations. In Pahang, the Hijrah Asnaf Pineapple Farming programme has helped 18 participants, mainly from underprivileged groups, earn monthly incomes of up to RM5,000 after just a few months of cultivation. 'The Federal Government has allocated RM75 million for pineapple development in Sarawak under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12). Farmers in Ulu Moyan three are already producing 50 tonnes of pineapples monthly and have set up their own processing facilities,' he added. He also commended Sarawak's innovation in using pineapple waste as livestock feed and the launch of the new Sarawak Gold (SG1) variety as an alternative to the MD2 premium hybrid. 'This shows a strong commitment from the Sarawak government to turn pineapple into a strategic commodity while supporting green economy principles,' he said. In Kedah, artificial intelligence and satellite imaging are being used to monitor crops, boosting yield by 30 per cent while reducing operational costs by 40 per cent. He said these advances in technologies are helping prepare Malaysia to meet growing demand from foreign markets like China and Singapore. 'Under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan, the ministry aims to expand cultivated land to 30,000 hectares, increase production to 1 million metric tonnes, and double pineapple exports from 2,300 to 4,000 containers annually,' he added. Mohamad also noted that Johor remains the top pineapple-producing state in the country, contributing 68 per cent of total cultivated land, thanks to strong collaboration with the state government. He urged more states, private firms, and individuals to participate in the pineapple sector, highlighting that the crop is now both a national asset and a symbol of rural transformation. THE STAR/ ASIAN NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia's pineapple industry reaches billion-ringgit milestone
JOHOR BARU: Malaysia's pineapple industry has become a billion-ringgit sector, with farmers earning up to RM9,000 a month, marking a significant milestone in the country's agri-food success story. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu announced that the nation recorded RM1.3bil in pineapple output value in 2024, reflecting a 34% increase from the previous year. He noted that the country's pineapple production volume rose 17% to 520,000 metric tonnes, cultivated across 13,000ha of productive farmland. "This shows that pineapples are not just a fruit we enjoy, but a true engine of rural economic development," he said in his speech at the inaugural Malaysian Pineapple Day celebration held at a shopping mall on Friday (June 27). Mohamad added that Malaysia now has more than 8,000 pineapple growers and over 300 companies involved in the sector, ranging from small to large-scale operations. He stated that the self-sufficiency level for pineapples has reached 103%, allowing Malaysia to meet its domestic demand and expand its export potential. Mohamad Sabu highlighted the case of a Johor farmer who doubled his income from RM180,000 to RM350,000 annually by integrating drone technology into his operations. In Pahang, the Hijrah Asnaf Pineapple Farming programme has helped 18 participants, mainly from underprivileged groups, earn monthly incomes of up to RM5,000 after just a few months of cultivation. "The Federal Government has allocated RM75 million for pineapple development in Sarawak under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12). Farmers in Ulu Moyan three are already producing 50 tonnes of pineapples monthly and have set up their own processing facilities," he added. Mohamad also commended Sarawak's innovation in using pineapple waste as livestock feed and the launch of the new Sarawak Gold (SG1) variety as an alternative to the MD2 premium hybrid. "This shows a strong commitment from the Sarawak government to turn pineapple into a strategic commodity while supporting green economy principles," he said. In Kedah, artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imaging are being used to monitor crops, boosting yield by 30% while reducing operational costs by 40%. He said these advances in technologies are helping prepare Malaysia to meet growing demand from foreign markets like China and Singapore. "Under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan, the ministry aims to expand cultivated land to 30,000 hectares, increase production to 1 million metric tonnes, and double pineapple exports from 2,300 to 4,000 containers annually," he added. Mohamad also noted that Johor remains the top pineapple-producing state in the country, contributing 68% of total cultivated land, thanks to strong collaboration with the state government. He urged more states, private firms, and individuals to participate in the pineapple sector, highlighting that the crop is now both a national asset and a symbol of rural transformation.
Barnama
2 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
Maal Hijrah: Mother Of Education Minister Receives Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq Award
GENERAL IPOH, June 26 (Bernama) -- Datin Dr Siti Zalikhah Md Nor, mother of Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, was posthumously honoured with the Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq award in conjunction with the Perak Maal Hijrah celebrations tonight. The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, presented the award to Fadhlina. Siti Zalikhah died at 9.30 am on June 16, 2024, at Serdang Hospital. She was 75. Born in Perak, Siti Zalikhah had seven children, including Fadhlina, from her marriage to the former Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) president, the late Prof Datuk Dr Siddiq Fadzil. She served as a member of the Syariah Review Panel under the National Fatwa Council and was also appointed to the Haj Advisory Committee by Tabung Haji. Siti Zalikhah was a syariah lawyer with extensive experience in Islamic family law. She was a prolific writer, presenter, and translator of the works of prominent Islamic scholars on issues concerning women and their roles from an Islamic perspective. Religious personality Sharifah Khasif Fadzillah Syed Badiuzzaman was named the 1447H Maal Hijrah Personality. Both award recipients received RM15,000 cash, an umrah package worth RM9,000, a plaque, and a certificate. Meanwhile, the Siti Khadijah award (Woman Personality) went to Robiah Kulop Hamzah, 74; the Saidina Ali (Youth Personality) award was presented to Muhammad Firdaus Mohamad Suki; 27; and Norzita Hamid, 44, received the Asnaf Icon award.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Melaka police bust ‘Yoe Gomen Gang' targeting schools, govt offices
MELAKA: Police in Melaka have dismantled the 'Yoe Gomen Gang' following a series of break-ins at schools and government offices in Melaka Tengah since April. Three suspects, aged 35, 36, and 40, were arrested in a raid at a resort condominium in Tanjung Kling early on June 21. Melaka Tengah police chief ACP Christopher Patit said the unemployed suspects primarily targeted school offices, district education departments, and other government premises, stealing cash amounting to RM9,200. Their method involved prying open office doors, usually the backdoor, using a screwdriver between 1 am and 4.30 am. 'Initial investigations and confessions reveal that six of the eight cases involved school offices, while the other two targeted government buildings,' Christopher said during a press conference. The gang was also linked to similar crimes in Alor Gajah, Jasin, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Kuala Lumpur. The stolen funds were reportedly used for motorcycle down payments, which were then used in further criminal activities. The gang leader, known as Yoe, has 27 prior criminal records, mostly under Section 457 of the Penal Code for break-ins and theft. Another member, Fadil, 36, has 15 similar records, while his 40-year-old brother, Awe, has six, including one break-in case. Urine tests showed one suspect tested positive for methamphetamine. All three have been remanded until tomorrow for further investigation. In a separate case, police are investigating the death of a nine-year-old disabled girl suspected to be a victim of abuse. A post-mortem conducted by Melaka Hospital's Forensic Department has yet to determine the exact cause of death, pending lab results. The girl's mother and stepfather are currently under remand for negligence investigations.
