Kuala lumpur: The country's pineapple export industry has not been affected by the current West Asia crisis, even though a significant portion of the export market is in the Middle East.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) director-general, Mohd Khairuzamri M Salleh, attributed this resilience to the high demand for the fruit in several other countries such as China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. He explained that the Middle East only accounts for about 15 to 20 percent of the exports, thus allowing the industry to pivot to other markets with ease.

"From the marketing aspect, we have a wider alternative to resolve the pineapple export issue in this West Asia crisis situation," he told reporters at the Jasin Correctional Centre, where he attended a Walkabout Programme and Pineapple Promotion Campaign alongside the minister's political secretary, Yuhaizad Abdullah. Despite the current challenges, the production remains insufficient to meet the high demand in existing markets, such as China.

Mohd Khairuzamri further highlighted that the country's pineapple industry has achieved a self-sufficiency rate of 102 percent, negating the need for imports. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) aims to scale exports to 4,000 containers per month by 2027, although current capacity allows for only about 1,700 containers. Annual production stands at 530,000 metric tons, with local consumption averaging 12 kilograms per person.

Innovative utilization of pineapple waste for silage production has also gained traction, offering an alternative food source for livestock and generating additional income for pineapple entrepreneurs. This initiative, part of a collaboration between LPNM and the Jasin Correctional Centre, has successfully yielded 18.82 tonnes of silage since 2024, priced between RM10 and RM12 per kilogramme.

Yuhaizad noted that 197,197 pineapple entrepreneurs are currently registered under LPNM, with significant cultivation areas in Alor Gajah, Jasin, and Melaka Tengah. Additionally, the Young Agropreneur grant under KPKM has supported 1,000 youth participants in Melaka, providing a total of RM345,000 to bolster the sector.