The government is expanding its MS16 pineapple cultivation project to strengthen national food supply, with over 10,000 plants already covering seven hectares.
KOTA BHARU: The government plans to expand collaboration on planting the new MS16 pineapple variety to strengthen national food supply security. The initiative involves agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and non-governmental organisations.
Deputy secretary-general (Development) Datuk Luqman Ahmad said the expansion follows successful pilot projects in several states. He noted that Johor and Selangor have already implemented MS16 planting collaborations with encouraging results.
To date, more than 10,000 MS16 pineapple crops have been planted across several states, covering a total area of seven hectares. Luqman stated this project has significant potential to help ensure a more secure food supply.
Although pineapples take about a year to harvest, the project is supported by short-term crops like sweet potatoes. These can be harvested in approximately three months to generate early income for participants.
“Pineapples are among the strategic crops that we want to promote,” Luqman said. He added that sweet potatoes are planted as support because they can be harvested several times a year.
The project in Kelantan is the first commercial-scale pilot for the MS16 variety, with harvesting expected to start at the end of this year. MARDI director-general Datuk Dr Mohamad Zabawi Abdul Ghani provided details on the crop’s market value.
The farm gate price for MS16 pineapples is estimated at around RM3.50 per kilogramme. Retail prices range from RM10 to RM15 per kg depending on size and quality.
“The weight of a MS16 pineapple is between 1.5 kg and 2.5 kg,” Mohamad Zabawi said. He emphasised that this proves Malaysia can produce high-quality yields without heavy reliance on imports.
MARDI will continue introducing new agricultural varieties periodically. Mohamad Zabawi expressed confidence that more agencies will join this food security initiative in the future.
The Sun Malaysia
