PONTIAN, Dec 17 — A new hybrid pineapple, named MS16, is expected to enter the market in 2025.

Johor Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, and Rural Development Committee chairman, Datuk Zahari Sarip stated that cultivation of the MS16 pineapple would begin next year through selected growers after a decade of research on the pineapple.

He said that the cultivation of this new hybrid pineapple would not only add to the variety of pineapples produced in the state but also align with the state government's efforts to increase pineapple cultivation starting from the coming year.

Zahari added that the state government also plans to export the pineapples to several countries, including China.

"Pineapple production in Johor last year (2022) recorded 402,000 metric tonnes through a cultivation area of 11,399 hectares with an export value of RM1.2 billion annually," he told reporters here today.

He said this after the launch of the New Hybrid Pineapple MS16 at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Research Station in Pontian.

Earlier, the launch was officiated by Pontian Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who is also Deputy Works Minister.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said that the high-yielding and quality MS16 pineapple is a crossbreed between the Josapine and thornless pineapple varieties from Australia, which is tolerant to bacterial heart rot disease.

He said the introduction of this pineapple hybrid provides another alternative choice for sweet and quality pineapple varieties for growers and pineapple enthusiasts, besides enhancing the genetic resources of pineapple plants in Malaysia.

He added that Johor is the main pineapple producer in the country, contributing 66 percent, with Pontian being the main cultivation area and contributor to pineapple production in Johor, producing 37,000 metric tonnes annually.

During the event, 12 entrepreneurs received the seeds of this new pineapple variety, with each entrepreneur being supplied with 1,000 pineapple seeds. — Bernama