Phl keeps Top 2 slot as global pineapple supplier

The Philippines retained its position as second top supplier of pineapple in the world in 2024 posting a double-digit growth on the back of booming demand from key Asian markets, according to an international report.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said pineapple shipments from the Philippines expanded by 14.1 percent to around 680,000 metric tons (MT) last year.

FAO, citing available trade data by destination for 2024, said exports of the fruit in key Asian markets registered year-on-year increases.

For one, the FAO noted a 9.4-percent increase in shipments to China, “the leading recipient of pineapples from the Philippines at a share of some 40 percent.”

The FAO said the import growth in China was bolstered by the rise in demand for high quality fresh pineapples.

“Amid changing consumer preferences, import growth continued to be driven not only by the need for higher volumes but also by growing demand for more premium pineapples, with the MD2 variety from the Philippines particularly sought after.”

Furthermore, the organization added that Japan and Korea remained as key import markets for pineapples from the Philippines, with a market share of around 33 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

“Shipments of Filipino pineapples to both destinations expanded substantially from the previous year, by a reported 20 percent to Japan and 28 percent to the Republic of Korea,” the FAO said in its latest report.

The international organization also noted that the average export unit value of shipments from the Philippines to world markets stood at $630 per MT in 2024, which posted a 6.3 percent increase from 2023, the paper added.

The country exported 1.07 million metric tons (MMT) of pineapple and pineapple products last year worth $787.07 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

PSA data indicated that fresh or dried pineapples accounted for over half of the total exports at 682,382 MT worth $428.94 million.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica remained as the world’s largest pineapple exporter with a total shipment of 2.4 MMT in 2024, according to the FAO.