Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) is promoting the expansion of the new Sarawak Gold-1 (SG-1) pineapple variety across Peninsular Malaysia to boost productivity and strengthen the supply chain for the processing sector.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, MPIB director-general Mohd Khairuzamri M. Salleh stated that about 500 hectares of SG-1 crops have been cultivated in Peninsular Malaysia, specifically in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, and Pahang, with future plans to introduce the variety to Melaka. The SG-1, a national variety brought from Taiwan to Miri, Sarawak in December 2022, has been officially registered by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia.
"The SG-1 variety has a shorter maturation period of nine months compared to 14 to 16 months for the MD2 variety, allowing for a quicker harvest to help increase planters' income," explained Mohd Khairuzamri. He added that SG-1 supports a higher planting density of 20,000 to 25,000 plants per 0.4 hectares (one acre) compared to 15,000 to 17,000 plants for the MD2 variety, significantly increasing production output.
This announcement followed the opening ceremony of the MPIB-Historical Melaka City Council (MBMB) Bromeliad Garden and the handover of the keys to the MPIB Melaka office. The event was officiated by Melaka Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, and attended by MBMB Mayor Datuk Shadan Othman.
Mohd Khairuzamri emphasized that the SG-1 quality is on par with MD2, with a higher sweetness level, making it suitable for fresh consumption and the processing industry. The goal is for about 60 percent of SG-1 production to be used in the processing industry, such as juice production and canned pineapples, which account for about 70 percent of the country's pineapple export value, previously reaching RM1.4 billion.
The introduction of SG-1 to Melaka aims to familiarize local operators and the public, including tourists, with the variety as it is not yet widely available in the retail market.
Additionally, the MPIB-MBMB Bromeliad Garden represents the first collaboration of its kind between the agency and a local authority. Choosing Melaka aligns with the state's image as a world-class historic tourism city, enhancing its urban agro-tourism by integrating heritage, nature, and agriculture. The initiative aims to showcase the pineapple industry creatively and establish pineapples as a unique feature in Melaka's urban landscape, offering an attractive public spot for photography and reinforcing the strategic partnership between MPIB and MBMB in promoting agriculture-based green urban development.