Some of the most delicious and unusual-tasting fruits available are pineapples. They’re flavorful, juicy, and sweet! Unbeknownst to you, pineapples are also high in potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. They taste fantastic, but they’re also quite healthy for you.
If you love pineapples, you may be wondering where this delicious fruit comes from before it hits your supermarket shelves. Pineapples are native to South America, a region that now includes Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. However, in 1493 Christopher his Columbus discovered them and they were introduced to Europe in the 17th century. On the other hand, some of the major pineapple-growing countries are far from the pineapple’s homeland. The five countries that grow the most pineapples in the world are:
Indonesia
Indonesia has been a world leader in pineapple cultivation for several years. In 2022, she produced 3,203,775 pineapples, making him nearly 300,000 more than the runner-up. But why does Indonesia, an Asian country, produce more pineapples than the South American countries where pineapples originate? It turns out that there are several reasons for this.
Firstly, Indonesia has a fairly similar climate to places like Brazil and Argentina, as they are located at roughly the same latitude, despite being thousands of kilometers apart. Pineapples grow in tropical climates and cannot tolerate sub-zero temperatures. Indonesia is certainly a tropical country, as it is warm all year round and humid most of the year. Humidity is usually between 70 and 90%, the perfect level for pineapples. Since the temperature and climate across the country are almost uniform, there are few places where pineapples cannot be grown.
Another reason why Indonesia is a world leader in pineapple cultivation is that it can offer so many different varieties. The soil of Indonesia’s islands is made up of a variety of nutrients, so pineapples come in countless shapes, sizes, and sweetness.
Philippines
The Philippines is ranked second among countries that grow the most pineapples. Given their near proximity to one another geographically, the climates there are very similar to those of Indonesia. 2,914,424 pineapples were produced in the Philippines in 2022. The fact that the fruit is so well-liked by Filipinos is one of the reasons they grow so many of them.
In the Philippines, pineapple leaves are used to make a fabric called pina textile. A lightweight fabric made from dried pineapple plant fibers. Filipinos began producing pina textiles in his 1570s and spread rapidly due to its popularity among members of wealthy society. This material was often used for women’s blouses, scarves, and table linens from the 16th century to the 19th century. Although the popularity of pina textiles has waned, the love for the fruit is still strong in the Philippines.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, which produced 2,909,750 pineapples in 2022, trails the Philippines by less than five thousand. Given that Costa Rica is a humid, rainy country with a large number of fertile valleys, it is obvious why pineapples thrive there.
There are certain issues with the pineapple industry in Costa Rica, even though there are numerous locations where pineapples grow successfully. To start, compared to many other nations, they utilize a greater amount of pesticides. Costa Rica uses 18.2 kg of pesticides per hectare of agriculture on average. The astounding difference is that, on average, only 2.5 kg per hectare are used in the United States. In addition, the pesticide pollution of water sources affects not only the people of Costa Rica but also the animals.
Brazil
Brazil is the fourth largest pineapple producing country with 2,337,301 pieces in 2022. It is not a big pineapple exporter as so many pineapples are eaten by locals and tourists. It’s true that Brazilians love pineapples, and pineapples are native to Brazil, so they grow wild there.
The Brazilian pineapple is distinguished above all by its particularly sweet taste. No wonder so much is consumed before being exported.
China
China is the 5th largest producer of pineapples, with 1,960,000 harvested in 2022. Guangdong province grows the most of them, with Hainan, Guangxi, and Yunnan provinces following. Local markets in China sell the majority of the pineapples that are farmed there.
In order to extract bromelain, one of the fruit’s primary enzymes, pineapples are also produced in China. Folk medicine uses bromelain to treat sinus problems and digestive problems.