Pineapple exports to China to start this year

ULU TIRAM: Malaysia hopes to start exporting fresh pineapples to China by the end of the year.

The first shipment of the fruits to China was supposed to take place early last year but it could not proceed as no approval was given by the Chinese authorities, said Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the first trial export of the fruits was expected to take place either in June or July this year.

Ismail Sabri said the Chinese authorities would be visiting pineapple plantations in the country to monitor the SOPs there, including disease control issues.

“The issue is similar to the ban imposed on Malaysia’s bird’s nest exports to China which was resolved too,” he told reporters after visiting Kulim (M) Bhd’s MD2 pineapple plantation at Kulim Estate here.

Malaysia and China had in 2013 signed an agreement for Malaysia to export 100 40-foot containers of pineapples monthly beginning early 2014.

“China is expected to become our biggest importer of pineapple, taking over from Singapore and the Middle East,” added Ismail Sabri.