Datuk Anthony Nogeh

KUCHING: Efforts are being made to produce sufficient MD2 pineapple suckers to be planted in Sarawak.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Datuk Anthony Nogeh said some 100,000 MD2 pineapple suckers are expected to arrive here from Johor next year for trial and propagation.

Nogeh, who is Mas Gading MP, said currently, about 700,000 MD2 pineapple seedlings produced by culturing plant tissue are being nurtured at Kampung Pijuru, Bau.

He said the seedlings were sent and managed by the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB).
“The seedlings will be left there to bear fruit and produce suckers.

“The suckers then would be distributed to the farmers, especially the planters in Mas Gading,” he said yesterday.
Nogeh said the nursery was set up to ensure there is constant supply of MD2 pineapple suckers to farmers not just in Mas Gading, but also in the state.

He noted that while waiting for the MD2 seedlings to be sufficiently available for farmers, MPIB had been actively promoting the planting of other varieties for the local market.

Unlike other varieties, he said the MD2 pineapples are meant for export because the fruits could withstand long journeys.

“The MD2 variety has a longer shelf life, making it an ideal choice for export,” he said.

Currently, the three most commonly planted types of pineapples in Malaysia are Mauritius, Sarawak and Gandol.
There are also other types which are produced through hybrid method such as Maspine hybrid, N36 and Josapine pineapple, being planted.

The Moris, Sarawak and Josapine varieties are grown for direct consumption and Gandol for processing into canned pineapples and fruit juice while the N36 and Maspine are cultivated for both purposes.

Among products produced from pineapple are tarts, jams, chips, chocolate with pineapple filling, pineapple chilli sauce, sweet sour sauce, rolls and candy.