Buy Ghana pineapples Directly From Exporters & Suppliers - Best of 2024 Market Prices

“Ghana pineapples are the sweetest pineapples I’ve come across in Africa” – Chaka Bars.
Ghana pineapples are known for their sweet taste and high quality. It is widely consumed locally as well as in the export market. Other than being eaten as fresh fruit, It can be processed into concentrate and as well as cosmetic and health products.
Ananas comosus is a herbaceous perennial plant in the Bromeliaceae family grown for its fruit. The stem of the pineapple is short and stout and has waxy, sword-like leaves with needle like edges. Upon flowering, the stem continues to grow and develops the pineapple crown, which is much shorter than the leaf. Many hexagonal units form one large fruit. They are fibrous and have a juicy flesh, which varies from yellow to white, depending on the variety, season and region. The pineapple plant grows up to 6 ft in height.
Suckers, slips and crowns from the mother plant are used as seedlings.
The pineapple fruit is native to South Brazil and Paraguay. It was first domesticated by Indians who spread it across America. The pineapple is said to have been introduced to the East and West African coasts by the Portuguese traders.
The Ghana pineapples industry grew from the 1990s to the mid-2000s. Ghana started exporting pineapples to the European Market in the 1980s. During this time, the Ghana pineapple market grew up to 172% and was able to expand its market share in Europe. Europe is the primary market of Ghana pineapples, specifically the UK, Germany, and Belgium. Turkey, Seychelles, and the Middle East also provide an excellent demand for Ghana pineapples.
In 2018, Ghana had a 1.1% of the global shares with volumes of 661.5k metric tons. The export value is 29.52 million USD. Smallholder farmers play a huge role in this industry, as 50% of the volumes exported are outsourced from them.
Pineapple export in Ghana contributes almost half of the total horticultural exports.
The smooth cayenne was the dominant variety grown in Ghana until mid-2000, where there was a preference change in the European Union market to MD2, which has deep yellow skin and square shape that allows it to sit on the shelves better. MD2 was introduced in 2004, and together with smooth cayenne, they are the main varieties grown for export. The sugarloaf variety, on the other hand, although sweeter than the smooth cayenne and MD2, is consumed locally because it is smaller in size.
Ghana pineapples are harvested and grown throughout the year. However, since the pineapples are mostly rain-fed, the peak season runs from November through April.
Pineapple is mainly grown in Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, and Volta region because of the conducive climate the areas provide. Average temperate of 18 degrees to 40 and an annual rainfall 0f 2500mm. Planting takes place at the end of the short rains because, at that stage, not much rain is needed. Pineapples take up to 18 months before they are fully mature. They are harvested right before the long rains begin. The average weight of a mature pineapple is 2-3 kgs.
Ghana pineapples are mainly exported as fresh fruits. Upon maturity, pineapples for export are harvested before they start acquiring their yellow color, which is a sign of ripening. This is to prolong their shelf life as they are highly perishable.
The pineapples are harvested by hand; by cutting the fruit from the stem. The fruit will then continue to ripen off of the main plant.
They are packed in aerated cartons, each carrying six fruits not more than 48 hours after harvesting. Before export, they are stored in controlled temperatures of 5degrees to slow down the ripening process. However, pineapples can also be sent as 50% ripe, especially those sent by air.
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