Queen Pineapple

Industry Strategic Science and Technology Program

Queen Pineapple Industry Profile

The Queen Pineapple or ‘Formosa’ variety (Ananas comosus [Linn.] Merr.) is known as the sweetest pineapple variety in the world. Its fruit is characterized by a distinct aromatic sweetness, crisp texture, and a relatively small size compared to other pineapple varieties as it only weighs around 450 grams to 950 grams. Queen pineapple (QP) is primarily consumed fresh due to its superior eating quality, but it also has value-added uses such as being processed into products like juice, jam, and dried fruit snacks. In addition, pineapple leaves provide piña fiber, a traditional byproduct used in the production of barongs, gowns, coin purses, and other handcrafted items, contributing to the cultural value of the crop.

In the Philippines, pineapples are one of the country’s major export commodities, ranking third after banana and coconut oil. National production is estimated at around 2.9 million metric tons (MT) annually, cultivated over approximately 69.2 thousand hectares. Aside from QP, other widely grown varieties in the Philippines include Smooth Cayenne (Hawaiian) and Native Philippine Red (Red Spanish). Camarines Norte is the main production area for Queen pineapple, where around 3,000 farmers depend on the industry for their livelihood.

Challenges in the Industry

The Queen pineapple (QP) industry faces several challenges that limit productivity and value chain efficiency. At the farm level, yields remain low due to inefficient production practices, high insect pest and disease incidence, and limited access to quality planting materials and improved technologies. Production is further affected by high input costs and climate-related risks, which increase vulnerability and reduce farm profitability. Postharvest losses are also significant because QP is highly perishable, with rapid ripening and quality deterioration when handling and storage systems are inadequate. These issues are further intensified by insufficient mechanization, limited processing and postharvest facilities, and weak logistics and strategy to extend shelf-life, especially during peak harvest periods. As a result, farmers face reduced market efficiency, higher wastage, and limited ability to fully capture value from both fresh and processed markets.

ISP for Queen Pineapple

DOST-PCAARRD Queen Pineapple ISP aims to increase the commodity’s competitiveness through increasing average yield from 24.7 mt/ha to 42.36 mt/ha (71.5% increase), reducing insect pest and disease incidence by 20%, reducing postharvest losses by 80%, and increasing income by 20% through policy on grades and standards.

Strategic R&D

Strategic R&D is DOST-PCAARRD’s banner program comprising all R&D activities that are intended to generate outputs geared towards maximum economic and social benefits

Technologies

Products, equipment, and protocols or process innovations developed to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and profitability in the agriculture and aquatic industries, and to achieve sustainable utilization and management of natural resources

Policy Research & Advocacy

Analysis of policy concerns and advocacy of science-informed policies ensures that the AANR policy environment is conducive for S&T development and investments.

  • Fit for a Queen: Restructuring the Philippine National Standard for Queen Pineapples

    To address the concerns of QP growers and to ensure the sustainability of the QP industry, several recommendations are advocated. The first is to update the Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Fresh Pineapples, specifically to add an “extra small” size classification to QP or Formosa variety. This may also be submitted to the Provincial Board of Camarines Norte to give input to the province’s grading and trading of Queen pineapples.

    Secondly, an extensive and strategic information and education campaign to promote the CODEX and PNS for Fresh Pineapples should be implemented. This should target both pineapple farmers/producers and traders.

    Adopting a new standard for QP and informing and educating key players in the industry will strengthen farmers’ bargaining power vis-a-vis traders and potential buyers. Further, this will result in more social and economic benefits and help contribute to rural poverty alleviation.

    Reference(s):

    This policy brief is based on results of the DOST-PCAARRD-funded project,  Evaluation of Queen Pineapple Grades and Standards and Assessment of Implementation and Compliance in Camarines Norte as Basis for Policy Reforms and Formulations (2018). The project was implemented by Camarines Norte State College and the team was composed of Dr. Maria Cristina C. Azuelo, Mr. Jesse O. Opeña, and Ms. Kathleen Mae M. Idnani.