Pineapple is one of the most fondly eaten fruit in the world. I would be lying if I wasn’t fond of the sweet and savory flavor of Pineapple. It is safe to say that every little child and adult like the flavor of pineapple equally. From the sweetly flavored yogurts to margaritas, Pineapple has added a hint of versatility to everything across the menu. The unique looking pineapple is another specialty of this fruit. Its hard outer layer has spikes like growth on its outer layer and green leaves at the top. Let’s talk about the in depth information about pineapple, it belongs to the family of tropical plants called, Ananas Comosus. The cultivation of pineapple is done via the crown cutting method. This tasty fruit is a product of coalesced berries, known as an inflorescence. This fruit takes a long time in making, that is, around 15-16 months before it is ripened to get harvested.
Out of this time period, the flowers take 10 months to get matured and the remainder 5 months for ripening. Since it resembles the structure of pine cones and has a watery taste like that of an apple, it was named Pineapple. The most of pineapple harvesting is done in Asian countries due to the favorable tropical climatic conditions. However, the Amazon Rain Forest of America is also a massive pineapple producer. Having said that, Pineapple also has health benefits, such as the antioxidants present in Pineapple reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and infertility. This brings us to a lot of reasons why one should eat pineapple every day of his life.
Highest Pineapple Producing Countries in the World
Let us have a look at the top 10 countries in the world which is known to give the most pineapple production.
1. Costa Rica
This tropical country is world’s leading Pineapple producer with an annual production of 26853.12 thousand metric tons. The tropical climatic conditions of Costa Rica are the biggest reason why it is most suitable for the heavy growth of pineapple. It is most obvious, given the high production of pineapple in Costa Rica; it also becomes world’s number one pineapple exporter. According to a recent survey, around 111,200 acres of land is presently harvested with the Pineapple crop.
2. Brazil
Another tropical country on our list is Brazil which happens to have bagged the second position with a production of 2500 thousand metric tons in the recent year. Although, pineapples are harvested throughout the country, yet most of its production is concentrated in the northern region. The international market is very fond of the Brazilian pineapples for the added sweetness in it due to the high-temperature conditions.
3. Philippines
If you ever visit the Philippines, do not forget to spend some time sitting at the beach and sipping a pineapple drink. With a production approximately 2400 thousand metric tons in past year, it is the third largest pineapple exporter. According to the reports, Philippines have seen a massive growth in its export business between the years 2013 and 2016 with 125.3% of increment in its export market.
4. Thailand
It is hard to imagine Thailand without the pineapple and its various drinks. In the recent year, Thailand has produced a record harvest of 2200 thousand metric tons of pineapples which are spread across in an area of 100 thousand hectares of land and thirteen main inland provinces. The tropical and humid weather of Thailand is quite suitable for the production of pineapples. According to a survey, 80% of pineapple harvest in Thailand is processed to be packed in cans while the remainder 20% is sold out in the inland markets.
5. Indonesia
Another Asian country with 1800 thousand metric tons of production per annum is Indonesia. Indonesia has seen a sharp growth within past decade following its increase in the land for harvesting pineapples. Besides banana and mangoes, pineapple is the most valued fruit in Indonesia. This Asian country has indeed shown a great leap in its production of the pineapples.
6. India
People in India are most fond of this tropical fruit which is watery, sweet and versatile. Its favorable tropical weather conditions give rise to approximately 1571 thousand metric tons of pineapple harvest every year. India is world’s leading exporter of canned pineapples to major countries like the UK, the Middle East, and Spain. The major pineapple producing states of India are Assam, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Orissa. These states are major pineapple producing states of India due to the tropical weather which is most favorable for the growth of pineapples. The monsoon season is recorder the best time of the year for pineapples growing in India.
7. Nigeria
Given the extremely high temperature of Nigeria, it is almost magical how pineapple growth is favored here. Being the second largest pineapple producing country of the African continent, it produces an impressive harvest of 1400 thousand metric tons every year. Over the early decades of its production, the Nigerians did face challenges; however, it is safe to say that Nigeria has come along the way to be in the top 10. This African country began its pineapple cultivation in 1961 and is now one of the most pineapple producing countries of the world.
8. China
China has recorded 1380 thousand metric tons of pineapple production in recent years. Having said that, pineapple is China’s third most exported fruit. It is reported that China has around 65,000 hectares of land under the pineapple harvest. The maximum pineapple growth in China is done in the Yunnan and Guangdong provinces with 60% of total production. However, a major part of pineapple production from China remains in the inland markets given the size of the country.
9. Mexico
In a list containing countries producing a tropical fruit, how could we not include Mexico? Mexico produces 772 thousand metric tons of pineapples every year which makes it the sixth global exporter of this tropical fruit. The extremely hot climate of Mexico is most suitable for pineapple crops. The specialty of Mexican pineapple is its unique color which is hard not to notice.
10. Colombia
Ending the list with 645 thousand metric tons of pineapple production is this South American country called Colombia. It is hard not to notice the food marvels made of pineapples on the random streets of Colombia. Colombian pineapple is known for its extra sweet pineapple which is mostly due to the extreme hot climatic conditions of its region. Whatever might be the reason, we surely love the extra sweet pineapple with a savory packet if chip.
I’m Hina Khan, working as a writer at Worldblaze.in blog. I love dancing and listening punjabi music. Here I’m sharing all the interesting stuffs that will definitely entertain you.