LPNM: 90 pct of pineapple entrepreneurs exit B40 group

SETIU: A study conducted by the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) found that 90 per cent of pineapple entrepreneurs, produced under the board's programmes, have obtained an average income of RM5,000 a month, thus removing them from the low-income household group (B40) bracket.

LPNM director-general, Mohd Khairuzamri M Salleh, said that the data was obtained from the impact study result, involving 1,500 pineapple entrepreneurs nationwide.

"Each year, LPNM successfully produces 1,000 pineapple entrepreneurs, and in the five-year period of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), we have succeeded in producing 5,000 entrepreneurs in the field.

"The target for the 12MP is to raise the average income of pineapple entrepreneurs from RM5,000 to RM8,000 to place them in the M40 group," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after the presentation of the Prihatin Economic Stimulus Package (PRE) incentive for pineapple entrepreneurs, officiated by the state Agriculture, Food Industry, Plantation, Commodity and Rural Development Committee chairman, Dr Azman Ibrahim, here today.

The incentive was an additional allocation to LPNM through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), which was channelled in the middle of 2020 to spur the pineapple industry economic sector, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of RM13 million had been channelled, benefiting 5,000 people involved in the pineapple industry chain, comprising growers, transporters and sellers, exporters, marketers and agro-based entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, Dr Azman said that to date, RM328,555 in Prihatin PRE had been channelled, involving aid incentives and equipment such as spray pump machine sets and transportation lorries.

"For the development of pineapple cultivation, Terengganu has received an RM1.5 million allocation under the high-value pineapple crop strengthening project, and other allocations involving contract plantations as well as small and medium industries (SME)," he added.

-- BERNAMA