Sustainable Living Institute (SAVE) said...
Canned pineapple is one of our export crop. It is a peat crop. Much of it is grown by Lee Pineapple at Pontian. Farms that grow the crop will sell their produce to the Lee factory.
Used to, Lembaga Perindustrian Nenas Malaysia (Pineapple Industry Board Malaysia) carried out their own research on agronomy at its station in Pontian. It had a canning research facility at Skudai. Come MARDI in 1969 took over all their research functions.
Since MARDI researches are very encompassing on crops other than rubber, oil palm, cocoa, and also on animals. It has more than enough to chew. As it is now only several MARDI researchers working on pineaaple but they are also involved with other research responsibilities.
Thus,it was bad planning Mardi got involved directly into pineapple research. Pineapple research lost continuity of manpower, aggressiveness, focus and years.
As it is, the Board's function is more towards product promotion. The people manning it are not scientists. They are from PSD.
There has been talk of establishing pineapple plantation in the peat soil of Sarawak. But without a critical mass of competent crop scientists we remain hesitant.
Pineapple research in Malaysia has been maligned. To forge ahead to meet global demand (now shortage) pineapple research need to be revamped along its original mould.
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