KARIMUN -- Pineapple cultivation developed by the Bina Tani Tailong Farmer Group in Kundur Village, West Kundur District, Karimun Regency, Riau Islands, has begun to yield results. The farmer group, supported by PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk, successfully carried out its first pineapple harvest after cultivating tens of thousands of pineapple plants since 2025.
The first harvest marks a milestone for the PT TIMAH-supported farmer group in developing local agricultural potential while creating opportunities to improve the livelihoods of its members and surrounding communities. During the first harvest on Monday (September 21, 2026), pineapples from approximately 5,000 plants were harvested.
Chairman of the Bina Tani Tailong Farmer Group, Suparno, said the successful harvest demonstrated that the pineapple cultivation initiative they began in 2025 has developed well and produced tangible results.
“We started planting in 2025, and now we can see the results. Alhamdulillah, our first harvest has been quite satisfying,” Suparno said.
The pineapple cultivation program is managed by 10 group members. Each member manages approximately 5,000 plants, bringing the total number of cultivated pineapple plants to around 50,000 across approximately five hectares of land.
The group cultivates Morris pineapples, which are considered well suited to the characteristics of the land in the Kundur area. During the first harvest, most of the fruit weighed approximately 1.4 to 1.5 kilograms, with some reaching around 2 kilograms.
“The harvest is being carried out gradually as planned. Yesterday, we harvested fruit from approximately 5,000 plants that had produced fruit at nearly the same time. Alhamdulillah, the results were quite satisfying,” he said.
Pineapple cultivation is one way the farmer group has utilized support from PT TIMAH to develop a productive agricultural sector.
Suparno said the group has been a PT TIMAH partner since 2023. In the initial stage, the group received a mini cultivator to support land preparation and soil cultivation.
PT TIMAH’s support continued in 2025 with assistance for pineapple farming. The assistance was used to procure pineapple seedlings, while the remaining funds were allocated for fertilizer and herbicide needs.
According to Suparno, the support has helped the group develop land that previously presented cultivation challenges. The soil in their area tends to be sandy and rocky, but these conditions are also part of the characteristics of pineapple cultivation on Kundur Island.
The success of Bina Tani Tailong’s pineapple cultivation has also had an impact on the surrounding community. According to Suparno, more residents have become interested in growing pineapples after seeing the results achieved by the group.
“Alhamdulillah, it has truly helped support our livelihoods. In Kundur Village, particularly in Dusun 1, Kampung Tailong, pineapple farming has become one of the community’s sources of income,” he said.
He said pineapples have become one of the agricultural commodities closely associated with Kundur Island. In addition to group members, other residents have also begun cultivating pineapples after seeing their economic potential.
The group’s harvest has also begun reaching markets outside the area. Some of the fresh pineapples have been distributed to Batam.
“For marketing, our pineapples were recently sold in Batam. Alhamdulillah, all the fresh pineapples we brought there were sold,” he said.
Beyond selling fresh fruit, the group has also begun exploring the potential of pineapples as processed products. This effort aims to further increase the commodity’s economic value and reduce dependence solely on fresh fruit sales.
Several processed products have already been developed, including pineapple dodol, pineapple wajik, and pineapple jam. Suparno said these products are being developed together with a women’s group, or Women Farmers Group (KWT), as part of efforts to expand the economic benefits generated by pineapple cultivation.
Going forward, the group is also working to utilize pineapple waste. Pineapple peels, for example, are beginning to be processed into liquid fertilizer through fermentation.
“Our hope is that, in the future, it will not only be the fruit that generates value. We have also started experimenting with fermenting pineapple peels into liquid fertilizer, so everything can be utilized,” he said.
Suparno expressed hope that the collaboration with PT TIMAH will continue and provide further benefits for the development of the community’s agricultural sector.
According to him, agriculture offers significant potential to support local livelihoods while strengthening regional food security.
“We want to continue collaborating on a sustainable basis. Whatever form the collaboration takes, the most important thing is that it provides benefits. The agricultural sector is quite promising in supporting regional food security,” he said. (*)
