In Europe, the pineapple industry is currently going through a difficult period, according to François Moran, manager of the Tropibana company. For the first time this year, he finds himself without a single fruit to sell, a rare phenomenon that testifies to the seriousness of the situation. “This is the first time this year that I have no pineapples to sell!” he exclaims, lamenting Freshplaza a market that has been tense for three weeks now.
The cause is a significant undersupply that originates from a failing flowering, coupled with delays in maritime deliveries. These difficulties have led to a surge in prices, with packages of pineapples now reaching between 12 and 15 euros. An unprecedented situation that is undermining the supply of distributors while attracting products to the market whose quality leaves something to be desired.
Faced with this price increase, some producers are adopting practices that compromise the quality of the fruit. “Producers tend, as usual, to cut pineapples before they are ripe. However, pineapples ripen on the plant,” explains François Moran. According to him, fruits harvested too early struggle to ripen properly, which results in a very green color and a lower sugar level. “We receive pineapples with a very green color, with a few less Brix, even if this remains acceptable in terms of taste,” he explains.
Despite relatively green fruits and sharply rising prices, demand is not weakening. The start of the school year, traditionally accompanied by numerous promotions in supermarkets, contributes to this. “All supermarkets in France and Navarre sell bananas at 0.99 euros, and are trying to compensate with other fruits such as mango and pineapple,” notes François Moran. However, he regrets that the brands are not adapting their promotional calendar. “If they postpone their promotions by one or two weeks, they would make the same volume and profit, without creating unnecessary tensions on the market,” he believes.
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With record prices and increasingly uncertain supplies, the pineapple industry is going through a period of turbulence that is likely to continue.
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