MERSING: Twelve micro-entrepreneurs have received a total of RM600,000 from Agrobank to begin pineapple cultivation here.
Each agropreneur received an initial funding of RM50,000 from Khadijah Iskandar, covering duties president/CEO of Agrobank, and witnessed by Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub at a ceremony last weekend.
This is part of Agrobank’s initiative to empower the Bottom 40% (B40) micro-entrepreneurs in the agriculture community.
Salahuddin described the collaboration between Agrobank, Pineapple Industry Board of Malaysia and Kulim Bhd as an effort to create more opportunities and encourage youth participation in pineapple cultivation.
This is in line with the new direction of the ministry’s priorities and strategies, especially in encouraging private participation to boost the country’s agro-food industry, he added.
“The ministry is committed to provide for young people with an interest in agriculture, especially in the pineapple cultivation sector which promises a good return. We hope that such programmes will attract more youths from the B40 group to be involved in the agriculture business and thus improve their standard of living.” he said.
Through this micro financing programme, Agrobank has provided micro financing for all 12 pineapple planters registered under Kulim as the anchor company. The essential supplies of growing pineapple such as the pineapple suckers, consultation and sale of pineapple will be managed by Kulim, Khadijah said.
“Pineapple is the new source of wealth and it is a lucrative business. According to the ministry, planters are able to earn about RM12,000 a month per hectare. This is a rewarding business but the issue is always the capital to start the project.
“This is where Agrobank comes in, providing financing to the agropreneurs to start their project. Therefore, the potential in this collaboration is improving the living standards of the participants and encouraging more from the B40 community to venture into agriculture.
“The popularity of pineapples is on the rise locally and globally. In fact, pineapple is now the third most important tropical fruit in world production after banana and citrus; and Malaysia is steadily building its branding by producing the best pineapple worldwide,” she added. – Feb 10, 2020, Bernama
