PINEAPPLE exports rose 2.7% to 600,000 metric tons (MT) in 2023 due to strong demand, particularly from China, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
In its Major Tropical Fruits Review, the FAO said that a 3% increase in shipments to China boosted pineapple exports last year. China took up about 43% of all pineapple exports in 2023.
It cited strong demand for “premium quality pineapples.”
The FAO said that the Philippines’ MD2 variety has been well-received by the market due to its long shelf life, price-to-quality ratio, and year-round production cycle.
MD2 is the most commonly planted pineapple variety in the Philippines.
It added that the average export unit value of Philippine pineapple rose 3.8% to $593 per MT.
Other export markets, like Japan and South Korea, also expanded between 6-8% in 2023. Japan accounted for about 30% of Philippine pineapple exports, while South Korea took up 14%.
The Philippines remained the second-largest exporter of pineapple after Costa Rica.
Shipments from Costa Rice rose 5% to 2.1 million MT in 2023, following a 5% drop the year prior.
“Weather conditions in key Costa Rican growing areas were favorable for the cultivation of pineapple throughout 2023, resulting in higher yields and thus higher supplies for export,” the FAO said.
The US and the European Union remained the exclusive destination for Costa Rican pineapple.
Global exports rose 3.9% to 3.2 million MT, driven by the increase in Costa Rican supply. Costa Rica accounted for 65% of the export trade in 2023. — Adrian H. Halili
