2022 Global Pineapple Exports Fall on Lower Costa Rican Supply

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recently published a preliminary report reviewing the global pineapple market in 2022. According to the report, pineapples were still the second most exported tropical fruit item in terms of volume in 2022, trailing behind only bananas. Global pineapple exports in 2022 are estimated to have declined by 1.5% to slightly below 3.2 million metric tons on account of a lower supply from Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the world’s largest pineapple exporter with a market share of nearly 70%. In 2022, however, a combination of adverse factors, including cold weather, high input costs and a global container shortage, negatively affected Costa Rican pineapple production and exports. Consequently, exports of Costa Rican pineapples in 2022 are estimated to have dropped by 2% to below 2.2 million metric tons.

Meanwhile, pineapple exports from the Philippines, the world’s second-largest supplier, are estimated to have grown by 4% to 560,000 metric tons, marking a recovery from the 10% decline registered in 2021. China is typically the main overseas market for Philippine pineapples, receiving over 40% of total exports. As a result of the popularity in China of MD2 pineapples, a cultivar known for its long shelf life, year-round availability and high cost/performance ratio, exports of Philippine pineapples witnessed an 8% year-on-year increase during the first eight months of 2022.

As a major South American pineapple producer and supplier, Ecuador’s pineapple exports in 2022 are estimated to have increased by 9.4% to a total volume of 110,000 metric tons.

Global pineapple imports are estimated to have fallen by 1% to 2.9 million metric tons in 2022. Imports into China, the world’s third-largest pineapple importer, are expected to have contracted by 1.7% to 210,000 metric tons. The country’s demand for imported pineapples was affected by a stable domestic supply of high-quality pineapples owing to favorable weather conditions in key production regions. Further growth in imports is believed to have been constrained by economic conditions and logistical difficulties.

Image: Pixabay

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.