Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) is enhancing value creation in the pineapple industry by developing woven products from pineapple leaves -- an innovation that opens new economic opportunities for rural communities while reducing agricultural waste.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, LPNM Product Development and Biotechnology Division director Elmie Adha Ismail stated that this initiative is part of the board's 'three-harvest concept', which aims to maximize output from pineapple cultivation through the harvest of fruit, planting materials, and by-products. He highlighted that the pineapple plant offers more than just fruit, as it also provides returns from pups and waste, which have been developed into non-food products such as yarn, paper, and most recently, woven pineapple leaf crafts. This project began in early 2024 after LPNM successfully adapted foreign processing technology.
A series of training and technology transfer programs have been conducted to help local entrepreneurs venture into pineapple leaf-based production, drawing strong participation from women entrepreneurs and craft producers in Sarawak. LPNM has collaborated with producers in Johor and is forming weaving community groups in Sarawak to utilize pineapple leaves as an alternative material to rattan and bamboo, which are increasingly scarce. These products are gaining ground in the local market and are emerging as a new identity for Malaysia's handicraft and fashion segments.
To expand the initiative, LPNM aims to increase the number of entrepreneurs involved through community clusters and partnerships with players in the craft and fashion industries. LPNM is also strengthening its by-product value chain through 'Pinapeat', a semi-processed product made from dried pineapple waste. The pilot commercial-scale pineapple waste project, set to start operations this year in Rompin, Pahang, will produce more Pinapeat for use in animal feed and as raw pulp material for paper, boxes, and food packaging products. There is interest from Japanese companies to import Pinapeat for livestock feed, with samples already sent for nutritional analysis.
The supply of raw materials for fibre-based industries and other products is vast and full of potential, with nearly 19,000 hectares of pineapple cultivation nationwide, equating to an estimated 800 million plants. Pineapple fibre entrepreneur Munah Abd Kadir of Benang Serat Nanas M and Z emphasized LPNM's effort to elevate pineapple weaving as a high-value craft, underscoring the commitment to optimizing the 'plant of a thousand uses'. Munah, who has produced pineapple fibre yarn for over a decade, explained the process, which requires precision, patience, and delicate craftsmanship passed down through generations.
For weaving, mature leaves are boiled, soaked in cold water with natural stabilizers, and dried before being cut into uniform strips. All pineapple fibre crafts are made naturally without chemicals, using three main varieties: Josapine, N36, and MD2, each offering different fibre textures and strengths.