During a Hari Raya Aidilfitri Celebration Ceremony at the Lembaga Perindustrian Nanas Malaysia (Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM)) Headquarters in Johor Bahru, Sheikh Umar Bagharib Bin Ali, President of LPNM announced the date of the inaugural Hari Nanas Malaysia (Malaysian Pineapple Day) celebration which will be held from 27th to 29th June 2025.
The planned Malaysian Hari Nanas is the first time it will be held in this country, coinciding with World Pineapple Day which is celebrated on 27th June every year. Despite the ‘world’ level celebration, it has never been celebrated specifically in Malaysia. Therefore, LPNM has decided to make 27th June every two (2) years as the national level pineapple day celebration dubbed Hari Nanas Malaysia.
The celebration, which is planned to be held bi-annually, takes into account the biennial MAHA event organised at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).
There are 5 main objectives of the celebration:
First, it is to commemorate the existence of LPNM since independence in 1957. In its current age of 68 years, LPNM has played a major role as the main agency to assist, regulate, expand and strengthen the pineapple industry in the country.
Second, it is a celebration to celebrate the players and pineapple farmers who have worked hard along the chain – upstream to downstream to raise the pineapple industry in our country. Now, pineapples from Malaysia are not only enjoyed by locals, but also penetrate various countries around the world for export.
Third, the Hari Nanas Malaysia celebration is to elevate the position of the pineapple industry in the country which has successfully raised the socio-economic status of the people. In 2017, pineapple was crowned as the ‘new source of wealth’ for the country’s agriculture. According to RMK-11 data, the pineapple industry has recorded an income of RM5,000 for smallholders. In fact, according to unofficial data from DOSM, pineapples this year have yielded returns of up to RM8,000. LPNM aims to target an income of RM10,000 for farmers for the 13th RMK.
Fourth, the celebration is hoped to raise awareness among the people, especially the young, of the golden opportunities that can be obtained through the pineapple industry. The involvement of young people can generate a good income for them and even inject new ideas to develop this industry, especially in terms of technology, IoT, mechanisation and modern approaches.
Fifth, this celebration will further stimulate the agri-economic sector in Malaysia. Pineapple is certainly not a staple food. However, pineapple is actually able to contribute to the balance of trade of the country’s food sector, which currently shows a level of imports exceeding exports.
“I have instructed the LPNM Hari Nanas Malaysia celebration working committee to formulate a thorough and effective promotion strategy. This is very important to ensure that the organisation of the Hari Nanas Malaysia celebration can have a high impact and that all the objectives outlined can be achieved,” said Sheikh Umar Bagharib.
“I hope that the biennial celebration of Hari Nanas Malaysia, which will commence on 27th June 2025, will become a benchmark for the achievements of the country’s pineapple industry and create history on the agricultural map in Malaysia,” he concluded.
