Increased rainy days dampens the quality of pineapple in the Philippines

The months of May, June, and July in CY 2022 showed a significant increase in rain forecasted on the Island of Mindanao, Philippines. This island is the primary source of Pineapples both for fresh export and canned products. The effect on quality will be seen in the fresh pineapple MD2/MG3 variety, where big fruits, i.e., size 6c/7c/8c, will have translucency defects. The immediate counter-measure is to harvest at a Low-color stage after de-greening. This will be favorable for some markets - Korea and Iran. The other markets that prefer higher colors for display in retail will undoubtedly have significant concerns.