Ushering in the New Year with pineapples

Innovative idea: Sih said their decorated pineapples were well received by traders and customers.

PONTIAN: Instead of exchanging mandarin oranges – which are dearer and fewer – this Chinese New Year, one enterprising trader is trying to encourage the gift of pineapples.

The pineapples of Jutawan Enterprise owner Sih Huay Heng come in flower pots and are decorated with red ribbons and colourful cards.

Pineapples, which in Hokkien is ong lai (wealth comes), are also synonymous with good luck and fortune during the celebration.

Sih said the decorated pineapples were well received by traders and shoppers.

“Since our introduction early this year, we have received 500 orders from wholesalers and another 200 orders from individual shoppers.

“Our decorated pineapples will only be available during the Chinese New Year month.

“People have until Jan 31 to drop by our shop to grab them,” he said at the launch of a pineapple sales event here.

The pineapples are priced at between RM35 and RM80 for each pot and RM10 for just the fruit with ribbons.

State exco member Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, who was also present, said the Johor government encouraged such creative and innovative ideas, adding that these could help boost Pontian as a producer of pineapples.

“We are in the process of coming up with the slogan – ‘Remember Pineapple, Remember Pontian’ – in our efforts to make the fruit the district’s tourism icon,” he said.

Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board chairman Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali said in view of the high demand for the fruit from China and South Korea – particularly of the MD2 variety – farmers were encouraged to increase their production.

He said there were currently orders of 100 containers from China and 200 containers from South Korea for the fruit.