KULAI – The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry is making an effort to boost the country’s pepper production following a rise in demand at both local and international levels.
Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said, though pepper production is currently led by Sarawak, the crop cultivation could be further expanded in Johor, before moving to other states.
As such, he has instructed the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) to set a target to restore Johor’s former glory as the centre of pepper cultivation in Malaysia
“It is possible to further expand production in Johor because if we look at Vietnam, pepper is being cultivated on a large scale and it is the world’s leading producer,” he said after visiting a pepper farm pilot project involving a 2.3ha area in Felda Inas Utara here.
Khairuddin said the current price of pepper is now between RM10 and RM17 per kilogramme – RM10 for black pepper and RM17 for white pepper.
“We are confident that this price will increase further as we cultivate more and increase production to meet high demand. Besides its use as a spice, pepper is also used to produce medicine and more by pharmaceutical companies,” he said.
Meanwhile when asked about the future of the local palm oil industry in facing new competition from the soybean industry, Khairuddin said this is not a cause of concern for the ministry as the commodity has its own advantages.
“Oil palm and soybean crops are used for different purposes,” he said adding that palm oil is needed by not only the food sector, but also the industrial, pharmaceutical, and animal feed sectors. – Bernama, February 7, 2021
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