GEORGE TOWN, November 24 – Penang is pioneering an innovative approach to food security with the introduction of urban pineapple farming. State agrotechnology, food security, and cooperative development committee chairman Fahmi Zainol announced that the state is collaborating with the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board to cultivate organic pineapples using vertical and urban farming techniques.
This project allows pineapples to be grown in residential areas, high-rise buildings, warehouses, and even portable containers, marking Malaysia’s first attempt at producing high-value premium crops in metropolitan settings. Fahmi highlighted that the initiative leverages high-intensity vertical cultivation systems with automation and centralised control to maximise production on limited land.
The project follows successful models such as the indoor vertical farm at Peninsula House Restaurant and the country’s largest vertical farm in Nusajaya, Johor. Beyond crops, the state continues modernising its livestock sector with closed-house farming, waste-to-energy solutions, and upgraded poultry systems.
Reinforcing Penang’s commitment to sustainable and productive agriculture while meeting growing urban food demands.
