KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak made history when it emerged as the first state in Malaysia to pioneer the implementation of the e-Pineapple System, a comprehensive digitalisation initiative in pineapple industry management.
The system was launched in conjunction with the Customer Meeting Day and Presentation of Incentive Assistance for the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) Sarawak Project 2025 here, on Thursday.
The official launch of the digital system was announced by the Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD), Dato Sri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, represented by M-FICORD Permanent Secretary, Datu Sirai Daha.
According to him, the e-Pineapple system is a strategic step towards increasing the efficiency of pineapple industry administration, enabling data from farmers and production to be collected directly and project monitoring to be carried out more transparently, quickly and effectively.
"Sarawak is ready to face the challenge of digital transformation in the agro-food sector, in line with the implementation of the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy," he said.
Dato Sri Dr. Stephen Rundi described the system as the best model for other states to emulate in their efforts to modernise the commodity sector based on big data and technology.
The implementation of this system also allows data analytics to be used comprehensively in decision-making, starting from the farm level to the product processing process.
In this regard, he also emphasised the role of research and education institutions in providing knowledge, innovation and supporting data to accelerate the development of the technology-based industry.
"The e-Pineapple system is expected to be the main catalyst for the formation of a modern pineapple ecosystem in Sarawak," he said.
According to him, this system also supports various other initiatives driven by LPNM, including the distribution of assistance worth more than RM23 million this year for the purpose of developing farm infrastructure, supplying planting materials and researching the bioeconomy of pineapple waste.
In the meantime, he revealed that Sarawak is currently ranked second as the largest pineapple producer in Malaysia, and is targeting the creation of 20,000 hectares of pineapple plantations by 2030 as part of LPNM's national goal to open 30,000 hectares of pineapple plantations nationwide.
"We are not competing with other states, but I believe Sarawak has the potential to become the number one pineapple producer in Malaysia, and even one of the leading ones internationally," he explained.
He added that a pineapple processing factory will be developed in Miri as a complement to the development of the pineapple industry value chain, in addition to providing market guarantees to local farmers and entrepreneurs.
The event was also attended by Beting Maro Assemblyman, Razaili Gapor, LPNM Director General, Mohd Khairuzamri M. Saleh, LPNM Sarawak Director, Mohd Nazaiful Azdi Rahman, Samarahan Division Resident, Mohamad Irwan Bahari Bujang, as well as representatives of government departments and related agencies. -UKASnews
