According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippines remained the world’s second-largest exporter of fresh pineapples in 2019, with total shipments of over 600,000 metric tons.
In a recent market report, the FAO noted that Philippine fresh pineapple exports last year expanded by 50 percent to 667,633 tons, from 447,570 tons in 2018. The FAO said the Philippines cornered 21 percent of global pineapple trade in 2019. Costa Rica, which shipped nearly 2 million tons, was still the world’s top exporter of pineapples last year.
The rise in Philippine shipments drove global exports of pineapples in 2019 to increase by 5 percent to 3.2 million tons, the FAO added.
”This expansion is mainly due to a 50-percent increase in exports from the Philippines, the second-largest supplier of pineapples to world markets,” the FAO said. The FAO attributed the increase in Philippine pineapple exports to area expansion, improved productivity and ”strong increase” in import demand from China.
”Following substantial investments into area expansion and productivity, exports from the Philippines are set to rise to an estimated 670, 000 tons in 2019, thereby reaching an approximate 21-percent global market share,” it said.
”Filipino pineapples of the MD2 variety are well received by the Chinese market due to their high brix levels and the fact that supplies are available year round, while domestic Chinese production remains largely restricted to a two to three month harvesting period between March and May.”
FAO data revealed that the country’s fresh pineapple exports last year was 55.5 percent higher than its shipment average of 429,260 tons in 2013-2017.
Source: businessmirror.com.ph