JOHOR BARU: Approximately 10.5 tonnes of the new SG1 pineapples from Sarawak are scheduled for shipment to Peninsular Malaysia next week, says Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali.
He said the SG1 pineapple variety, discovered in Miri two years ago, will be shipped on Monday (April 22) and is expected to reach Johor Port in Pasir Gudang two weeks later.
"The fruits will be placed in a refrigerated shipping container and kept at a controlled temperature.
"This is important as it will allow us to know how long SG1 pineapples can remain fresh under such conditions.
"This will then allow us to know the marketability of the SG1 pineapples, especially for export purposes," he said in a statement on Friday (April 19).
He said that once the pineapples reach the port, they will be distributed to businesses in the processing sector.
"(This is) to identify the potential downstream products that could be explored," he said.
Sheikh Umar added that there are three main features that make this new variety of pineapple unique.
"First, the size of the plant is small, which allows for high-density planting that could produce higher yield.
"On top of that, it takes only about eight to nine months for the SG1 pineapples to mature and ready to be harvested. Other varieties take at least one year to reach that stage.
"Finally, the cylindrical shape of the fruits makes them ideal for processing and export," he said.
Sheikh Umar noted, however, that despite its uniqueness, the SG1 pineapple trade is still in the early stage and more needs to be done to promote it.
"The entry of SG1 pineapples into Peninsular Malaysia will open doors for the country's pineapple industry to reach greater heights," he said.
