QP production started in Camarines Norte in the 1950s. Unlike other varieties commonly grown in the Philippines, the Queen or also called ‘Formosa’ is considered the sweetest. Since then, it became the most popular cash crop to the 12 municipalities and 282 barangays of the province. The said pineapple variety is also adaptable to the soil and climate of Camarines Norte. Also, the abundance of potassium in Daet soil is one contributing factor that makes QP one of the sweetest varieties in the world.
As the industry becomes an important source of income, more growers are attracted to the crop as they are also aware of its export potential. However, along the way they also experienced several problems on different aspects of QP production and marketing. With this, the “Queen Pineapple R&D Center” aims to fill up more gaps to enhance the productivity and marketability of QP.