Del Monte Philippines is planning to invest in a 15,000ha organic pineapple production project led by the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak to boost the country's fresh pineapple exports, reports Malaysian news site thestar.com.
MPIB director general Sahdan Salim told thestar.com that the project was conceived to meet rising global demand for fresh organic pineapples, which fetch a premium, and his agency expected to sign the investment deal with Del Monte this year.
Mr Sahdan said the project would focus on fresh pineapples for export and involve large-scale contract farming. The scheme would create many job opportunities, directly and indirectly, for the local population, he added.
'We chose Sabah and Sarawak as the two states still have large tracts of land for large-scale pineapple farming,' Mr Sahdan said.
Mr Sahdan added that MPIB had also applied to the Johor government to set aside some 2,000ha in Mersing for pineapple plantations.
'Before the year 2000, `Malaysia's` export ratio was 70 per cent for canned pineapple and 30 per cent fresh fruits. We want to reverse it to 30: 70 as fresh pineapples are fetching premium prices overseas,' said Mr Sahdan.
Malaysia expects to export RM100m worth of canned and fresh pineapples this year.
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