Acting Governor of South Sulawesi, Bahtiar Baharuddin, aims to position the province as a leading pineapple producer and exporter. Pineapple is recognized as a potential export commodity, yet Indonesia currently fulfills only 1% of the demand from over 30 countries worldwide that favor the fruit. To transform pineapple cultivation into an industry, Acting Governor Bahtiar emphasizes the need for large-scale planting across tens of thousands of hectares. He targets over 20,000 hectares of pineapple cultivation within the next two years to establish industrial-scale production.
Bahtiar elaborated that industrial-scale production would necessitate mass production, potentially leading to the establishment of pineapple processing factories, including canned packaging facilities. He highlighted the vast unproductive land in South Sulawesi, estimated at 2 million hectares, presenting significant opportunities for pineapple cultivation. Several districts in the province, such as Barru, North Luwu, Bone, and Sinjai, have already engaged in pineapple production, albeit on a small scale, with areas ranging up to 200 hectares. Bahtiar underscores South Sulawesi's immense potential in pineapple cultivation and stresses the importance of fostering this sector to transform the province into a major pineapple producer for industrial-scale operations and to meet export demands. Previously, Acting Governor Bahtiar initiated pineapple cultivation in various areas of South Sulawesi, including Wajo Regency. Notably, he promoted Palippu Village in Wajo Regency as a pilot village for pineapple cultivation development.
