Current practices and challenges of pineapple smallholder growers in managing the pineapple waste in Samarahan, Sarawak Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia’s commitment to expanding its pineapple production has increased the amount of pineapple waste production in the country, especially in the state of Sarawak. This has raised the alarm regarding the proper management of pineapple waste among the local farmers. Therefore, the current study was carried out to investigate the current practices of pineapple waste management and to identify the challenges in managing the pineapple waste among pineapple smallholders in Samarahan, Sarawak. The data was collected from 123 pineapple farmers by employing a close-ended survey questionnaire. The pineapple smallholders were selected using the random sampling method and the data were analysed using descriptive analysis. The findings revealed that the pineapple smallholders in Samarahan employ several practices for managing the pineapple waste which include using the pineapple crown as new planting material, animal feed and compost material. Moreover, the study has also identified several challenges in managing the pineapple waste such as lack of time, high cost, difficulty in finding the buyer of the waste product, shortage of labour, the waste product attracts pests and diseases, and it produces foul smell which discourages them in managing the pineapple waste. Therefore, the relevant agencies should provide guidance to the local pineapple growers in managing pineapple waste through sustainable waste management practices.