Notable Year for the Philippines Pineapple Production and Exports

Published Nov 13, 2021

Pineapple production in the Philippines increased by 4.6% between April to June 2021 in comparison to the previous months. Furthermore, the country recorded a 25.8% increase in the value of exports from canned pineapple and a 49.9% increase in pineapple concentrates. In the upcoming months, it is expected that the demand for pineapples will increase even more as Australia removes anti-dumping duties from consumer and foodservice industrial (FSI) pineapples exported by the Philippines. To keep up with the demand, the Philippines needs to keep up its production volumes in the coming months.

The Philippines is the second-largest pineapple producing and exporting country in the world with a production volume of 2.7 million metric tons in 2020. Pineapples are produced across the country in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, and Bicol in Luzon, and Southern Cotabato to meet the domestic and international demand for fresh or processed pineapples. In 2021, pineapples recorded the largest gain in production among the country’s major fruit crops in the second quarter. The production of pineapple from April to June 2021, increased to 744,824 metric tons from 712,261 MT in the same period during 2020.

This year’s pineapple harvest was a record harvest and has boosted the overall revenue from production. Pineapple output expanded by 5.16% to 1.407 million metric tons in the first quarter (January - April) of 2021 from the 1.338 million metric tons recorded a year ago. Production of pineapple in the second quarter of 2021 was estimated at 744.82 thousand metric tons which are 4.6% more than higher than the production in the same period in 2020. Within the Philippines, Northern Mindanao was the main pineapple producing region with a share of 48.6% of the total production during the quarter with a total of 362,000 MT. It was followed by Soccskargen with 187.71 thousand metric tons or a share of 25.2%

As a result of increased production, the Philippines ’ earnings from pineapple-related products increased by a double-digit growth rate during the reference period of the first 6 months of 2021. The country’s earnings from canned pineapple exports rose by 25.8% to USD 234 million while exports of pineapple concentrate grew by 49.9% to USD 127.58 million. Currently, the strong demand for MD2 pineapple in the international market is driving up the export values of the fruit. Orders from countries like China and Iran are driving up exports massively. Despite the demand, exporters are not confident to send fresh pineapples to the Middle East (other than Iran) due to delays in shipment which result in deteriorated quality and exposing suppliers to heavy losses due to claims. The majority of the pineapples exported from the Philippines are waxed to delay ripening and minimize moisture loss which increases the shelf life of the fruits allowing them to be transported across the world.

The recent removal of anti-dumping measures applied to consumer and foodservice industrial pineapples exported from the Philippines to Australia will further increase the export volumes and values. Before the removal, the rates stood at 5.9% for Dole Philippines and 22.9% for all other exporters for consumer pineapple while the duty for foodservice industrial pineapple products stood at 18.7%. To keep up with the growing international demand for pineapple, the Philippines needs to keep with the production volumes. Furthermore, it needs to ensure that there are enough processing facilities available to process the pineapple to increase its shelf life and make it a more desirable product in the global market.