The International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) and the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) are exploring several capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s pineapple industry through knowledge exchange, technology exposure and value-chain development.
TFNet CEO Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali and MPIB Director-General Mr. Mohd Khairuzamri M. Salleh met on 12 August 2026 to discuss potential areas of collaboration and future joint activities.
Among the proposed initiatives is a study visit to the Philippines focusing on pineapple fibre processing and value-added textile production. The Philippines is renowned for piña, a traditional textile produced from fibres extracted from pineapple leaves. The proposed programme would expose participants to the pineapple fibre value chain, including traditional weaving techniques, modern textile manufacturing facilities, and value-added applications such as embroidery and textile art.
The proposed programme would build on the successful TFNet–MPIB study visit to the Philippines in April 2026, which included visits to Dole Philippines and other local pineapple industry players to gain insights into pineapple production, processing and industry practices.
During the meeting, Mr. Khairuzamri also expressed interest in exploring Lampung, Indonesia, as another destination for a technical study visit. Lampung is one of Indonesia’s major pineapple-producing regions and is home to large-scale commercial pineapple production and processing operations, offering valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange in plantation management, processing, value addition and export development.
Other potential areas of collaboration discussed included a visit to a pineapple museum and a study on Malaysia’s pineapple value chain. These initiatives could provide useful insights into the development of the industry, identify opportunities for greater value addition, and support efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Malaysia’s pineapple sector.
As an outcome of the meeting, MPIB requested TFNet to prepare and submit proposals for the two proposed study visit programmes to the Philippines and Indonesia for consideration by MPIB’s top management. The proposals will outline the objectives, proposed technical visits and expected outcomes of both programmes, with particular emphasis on knowledge transfer, value addition and strengthening the competitiveness of Malaysia’s pineapple industry.
TFNet and MPIB will continue to work closely to translate these proposed initiatives into practical capacity-building programmes for the benefit of Malaysia’s pineapple industry.
