JERTIH: The free pineapple crowns distributed by the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) have provided great relief to a farmer experiencing financial constraints to obtain quality seeds for the crop.
Mohd Sabri Ismail, 33, said the government has eased his burden thus facilitating his effort to raise income, adding that he can now breathe easier after receiving 10,000 premium pineapple variety MD2 crowns from LPNM.
“I am grateful to Terengganu LPNM for approving the aid because I could not afford the pineapple variety if I were to buy the crowns because the price is around RM1.50 per crown.
“Although there is no assistance to cover other costs such as the costs for cleaning and ploughing the farm, this assistance (pineapple crowns) is already meaningful because the highest cost for the MD2 pineapple project is the cost for the crowns,“ he told Bernama when met at his farm in Kampung Paroh, near here.
Mohd Sabri said the crop that he cultivated on a 0.4-hectare land has started to produce yield since last month, adding that he expected to raise around RM40,000 for each crop cycle.
“I am in the process of expanding the MD2 pineapple cultivation on a 0.8-hectare land, not far from the current farm,” he said.
According to Mohd Sabri, he started the project with his wife Nurain Musyrifah Mohd Shokri, 28, after quitting his job as a crane driver in Kuala Lumpur in 2019.
He said the government’s move to expand the cultivation of the MD2 pineapple variety, through efforts implemented by LPNM, has facilitated the people to generate income and climb out of poverty as demand for the pineapple is high because it is sweeter, crunchier, and aromatic that does not sting the tongue.
Meanwhile, Terengganu LPNM director Nor Hidayah Ab Halim said the board has allocated RM1.28 million in assistance under the high-value pineapple crop strengthening programme of which RM1.2 million is for seed aid while the rest is allocated for input aid, such as fertilisers and agricultural equipment.
Nor Hidayah said a total of 62 participants in the state have been approved to join the programme from January to June this year, bringing the total number of participants to 282 since its inception in 2019, with a plantation area of 173.25 hectares.
Besut is the largest pineapple-producing district in the state with a planting area of 32.97 hectares, surpassing Setiu which now has a pineapple planting area of 24.66 hectares, she said adding that new areas will be opened to accommodate the high demand for local pineapples which will help to improve the people’s living standard. -Bernama
