MOUs to boost MD2 pineapple cultivation
Published on: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
By: Jonathan Nicholas
Peto (standing, second right) and Robert on his left witness the triple signing represented by Sabdil (middle), Shahrul (left) and Hidhir (right).
Kota Kinabalu: Poverty-stricken Kampung Gana folks in Kota Marudu are expecting lucrative incomes from a large-scale pineapple cultivation.
The first batch of fruits, expected in October, is estimated to yield 5,000 tonnes valued at RM20 million.
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Last year, the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS), in collaboration with two peninsula companies, Rompin Integrated Pineapple Industries and Una Crop, embarked on the project to plant MD2 pineapple on 80.9 hectares in the village.
A three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by LIGS with the two companies at SICC, Tuesday, witnessed by Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries (Maffi) Assistant Minister Peto Galim.
Peto said LIGS was allocated RM11 million by the Ministry of Economy to cultivate 200 acres.
“Kampung Gana was chosen because being a rural area, there is much room to be capitalised.
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“The main players would be the villagers themselves, all 450 involved. We expect 1,000 participants by Phase 2 of the project.
“If there is positive yield, then we will look into the project’s continuation,” he said.
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Peto lauded the aggressive step taken to raise the people out of poverty as the two companies would be buying all produce.
“The farmers don’t need to think of how to sell…we also hope that in the future there could be a downstream industry for pineapples in Sabah.
“We also dream of taking the technology to other underutilised areas in this vast State,” he said.
On LIGS’s involvement, Peto said it was an alternative for rubber tappers to generate income.
“There has been a small increase in global rubber prices and we are hoping that trend continues.
“On the other hand, LIGS is working to find alternatives to benefit Sabah’s rubber tappers and to maximise their land profits,” he said.
LIGS General Manager Sabdil Tanjong said there are a total of 98,000 tappers, including smallholders in Sabah.
He said so far there are no proper figures of rubber tappers lifted out of poverty but disclosed the current average monthly income for one in Sabah is RM1,500.
Also in attendance were Rompin Integrated Pineapple Industries Sdn Bhd Chairman Dato’ Shahrul Nizam Abdul Azizm, Una Crop Sdn Bhd Managing Director Mohamad Hidhir Hamin and Maffi Permanent Secretary Datuk Robert Stidi.
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