Farmers in Misamis Oriental launch commercial-scale pineapple plantation

Small-scale farmers in this small agricultural town are currently testing the suitability of pineapple, a major export crop for Northern Mindanao, amid local conditions, specifically, in terms of soil quality and availability of rainfall.

And from initial results, the town could host commercial-scale production of this high-value crop.

Although produced in many parts of Misamis Oriental as well as in the nearby province of Bukidnon, pineapple has not been grown here in commercial quantity in the past. The town is largely covered with coconut trees along its coastline, intercropped with bananas and other tropical fruits such as lanzones, and mangoes.

Changes, however, are happening with interventions from Del Monte Philippines, Inc. and several government agencies.

Two weeks ago, farmers made their initial harvest of pineapples in a 10-hectare area. Most of these farmers were members of the local cooperative that benefited from a pineapple-growing project.

Dubbed PineappleGrow, it is a joint project of the Salay government, Del Monte, Land Bank of the Philippines and Department of Agrarian Reform. More than 220 farmer beneficiaries benefited from the project under the agribusiness enterprise initiative of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

In the project concept, Del Monte provided the technology and serves as the market for the fruits harvested. The Landbank extends its financial assistance to the farmer growers.

Del Monte operates major pineapple plantations in Bukidnon as well as cannery in this city’s Bugo area.

Landbank has been active in funding agribusiness projects, not only in Mindanao where most of these ventures are, but nationwide. The bank recently announced that it has released a total of P23.5 billion in loans to small farmers and fisherfolk in various regions. Its report stated that loans for crop production grew by P3.8 billion to P10.2 billion last year from P6.4 billion in 2007.

The agribusiness development program of CARP, said Agrarian Reform regional officials, enhances the capability of agrarian reform communities to further increase their contribution to the country’s gross domestic product as well as increase the income of the rural farmers.


Source: bworldonline.com

Publication date: 2/27/2009

US: Chiquita wins melon farms' lawsuit

Chiquita Brands International may have suffered major losses on Wall Street in recent days, but the downtown-based produce giant scored a victory in a federal suit over a pricing dispute that saved the company at least $8 million and possibly more. A pair of Honduras-based melon farms had sued Chiquita in U.S. District Court for what they claimed was unfair pricing on their product at the end of the growing season.

But on Feb. 13, an eight-person jury found in favor of defendant Chiquita on all 11 claims. "Even though the plaintiffs threw a 'kitchen sink' of specious claims at Chiquita - like fraudulent inducement and violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act - the jury quickly saw them for what they were: desperate attempts to extort more money from the company," said Michael Cioffi, chief trial lawyer for law firm Blank Rome LLP, which represented Chiquita in the case argued in Cincinnati.

Chiquita's stock has been battered since late last week, when it reported a fourth-quarter loss of nearly $412 million. Chiquita shares closed at $5.60 Monday, down $1.67 or 23 percent.

The suit hinged on a marketing agreement between Chiquita and the two farms signed in 2001. Chiquita sold the remnants of that growing season for less than the original market price as stipulated in that contract, company officials said.

The farms said the fruit was worth full price, and sued in October 2002 for at least $8 million in compensatory damages, legal fees and interest, as well as unspecified punitive damages and a refund of Chiquita's profits from the sales. The total value of the melons for that season was $33 million, and Chiquita resold the fruit in U.S. markets on behalf of the farms for a 7 percent commission.

The case finally went to trial this month.


Source: news.cincinnati.com


Publication date: 2/25/2009

MPIB seeks to develop Sabah's pineapple industry

The Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board is seeking some 15,000 hectares of land to jointly develop the flagging pineapple industry in Sabah. It is also seeking a similar acreage in neighbouring Sarawak. Its Chairman, Datuk Ir Hasni bin Mohammad told Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, here today that the board felt that the state had the potential and sufficient land to become a major pineapple player in the country.

He said the land could be developed in clusters or via cooperative to enable the people, particularly the hardcore poor, to participate in the pineapple industry of the two states. Hasni said MPIB would provide financial assistance and technical know-how as well as marketing expertise to help Sabah pineapple growers succeed.

He told Musa during a courtesy call on the latter at Wisma Innoprise that the Board would be able to start as early as next year, and that a Sabah regional office had already been opened to lay the groundwork.

In a statement issued through the Sabah Land Development Board, which will be working closely with the MPIB, Hasni said all that was needed to be done now was to extend the Pineapple Industry Act to these two states.

"The Act has to be amended to include Sabah and Sarawak under its jurisdiction and a draft has already been prepared and agreeable by all parties concerned," he told the Chief Minister.

"By this extension order, once it is passed in Parliament, we will then be able to spread our wings to east Malaysia and carry out our various programmes," he said, adding that suitable land had been identified.

Hasni said MPIB would work closely with SLDB to come out with various schemes to encourage smallholders to plant pineapples with the assurance of a guaranteed buy-back upon maturity, as well as assist small and medium scale industries using pineapples as feedstock.

He said there was good demand for Malaysian pineapples, and at the moment, some five to seven container-loads, were being exported weekly to the Middle East.

"This is not enough when we find that even the Koreans and Japanese are seeking Malaysian-grown pineapples, and it is difficult to expand our acreage in peninsular. As such we need to look at Sabah and Sarawak to grow more and to meet demand," he added.

While the overseas markets opted for fresh fruits, Hasni said downstream processing has seen MPIB come up with 10 products which included juices, canned cubes, pineapple-flavoured tea and coffee, jam, fritters etc.

Hasni said smallholders could be amply rewarded by going into the pineapple growing as a 10-acre farm would be able to earn the farmer a monthly RM5,000 income after the first crop is harvested.

He said MPIB would provide the smallholders or cooperatives with technical know-how, a fast-growing variety and fertilizer assistance as provided for under the Pineapple Industry Act, and would assist in purchasing the fruits for export or local processing.

It is understood that for a start, MPIB and SLDB would jointly work on a 100-acre piece of land in Ulu Bongawan as a trial plot, before suitable land is obtained in Sipitang, Beaufort and Nabawan regions.

Meanwhile, Musa said he welcomed MPIB's move and the participation of state-owned SLDB in this venture, adding that marketing was a critical factor in ensuring the success of the industry.

Meanwhile, SLDB general manager Encik Jhuvarri Majid said SLDB would soon undertake to plant the famous Babagon pineapples on a 300-acre piece of land in Penampang.


Source: bernama.com.my


Publication date: 2/25/2009

US: New growth for pineapple farming

Pineapple farming in Hawai'i declined sharply in the past few years at the hands of two agribusiness industry giants, but increasing numbers of small farmers see sweet opportunity in the crop long associated with the Isles. "Call us crazy, but let's hope we're crazy like a fox — not crazy crazy," said Craig Bowden, a farm industry veteran who partnered to start two local pineapple farm ventures three years ago and has rapidly expanded.

Bowden was one of 42 pineapple growers in the state in 2007, up from 34 in 2002 and 27 in 1997, according to the three most recent farm census reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The rise in pineapple farming involves mostly small farms, so the crop isn't about to reclaim its crown as king of Hawai'i agriculture — a title lost in 2006 to seed crops.

But the niche growth for pineapple is helping maintain agriculture's roots in Hawai'i and counters a perception for some that pineapple farming is dying out in the state.

"It's part of Hawai'i," said Mark Hudson, statistician for the state Department of Agriculture.

Plantation-scale pineapple farming in Hawai'i has suffered over several decades from competition largely from Central America and Asia where land and labor costs are cheaper. Hawai'i's pineapple production by acreage actually peaked in 1955, though the value of annual pineapple sales topped out in 1991 at $108 million.

Cutbacks seen

The most recent pullbacks involved Del Monte Fresh Produce leaving the local market in 2006, and a cutback last year by Maui Land & Pineapple Co. from roughly 2,000 acres to 1,000 acres. Dole Food Co. reduced its local pineapple business in 2006 from 3,100 acres to 2,700, and remains the biggest grower in the state.

Matthew Loke, agriculture development division administrator with the state Department of Agriculture, said Hawai'i farms still supply 100 percent of pineapple for local consumption, but the changes by big producers have created opportunity for more small farmers, especially organic producers and growers of special varieties.

New growth in local pineapple farming has mostly involved very small farms, according to census figures. On the Big Island, 19 pineapple farms averaged one acre in size. On Kaua'i, 16 acres of pineapple were spread over 13 farms.

Those in the industry suspect that some of the small farms counted in the census don't produce fresh fruit for commercial sale, or may only sell at farmers markets.

Bowden is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, among the new crop of Hawai'i pineapple farmers. A graduate of Kalani High School and former manager with Del Monte who worked in the Philippines, Hawai'i and Florida, Bowden partnered with fellow Kalani alumnus and crop research specialist Tom Menezes to start Hawai'i Pineapple Co. LLC in 2006 and produce fruit under a brand named Hawaiian Crown.

The company started with a few acres of its own pineapple variety sold in Times Super Market, and has since dramatically expanded by tens of acres and added more retail outlets including Foodland Super Market, KTA Super Stores and military commissaries.

Growth on big island

Hawai'i Pineapple Co. operates a farm on the Big Island, but most of its production comes from a partnership with large diversified crop grower Aloun Farm in Kunia on O'ahu.

Bowden said 99 percent of Hawaiian Crown pineapple is sold locally in stores typically for $1.59 to $1.79 a pound, with a few exports to places such as California, Las Vegas and even Dubai.

Bowden said plans are in the works to partner with two more existing farms on O'ahu and the Big Island that would double the size of the business.

On a smaller scale, Sweet Spirit Farms on the Big Island incorporated pineapple farming with a Kona coffee farm started in 2004 by Deb and Paul Sims after they moved to Hawai'i from the Mainland in 2003.

Deb Sims said they started planting crowns from white pineapple they bought to eat, and two years ago had accumulated enough plants to begin selling regularly at the local farmers market where the fruit typically sells for $3 a pound.

"They're easy to grow," she said. "They don't need a lot of care."

Sweet Spirit, which has about 3,600 coffee trees, has about 250 pineapple plants on one-fourth an acre, and Sims said she and her husband intend to plant more. "The supply I don't think meets the demand," she said.

Other small pineapple farmers include Phil Green, who grows organic pineapples on Kaua'i at Kaua'i Organic Farms, and James Bunten and Sharon Umbaugh of Bunten Farms who grow white pineapples on the Big Island.

The growth among small pineapple farmers, however, doesn't mean the business is easy or a sure thing. Small farmers have left the business in recent years, a reminder that farming is inherently tough with its exposure to inclement weather, pests and other factors that are hard to control.

Personal production

On Lana'i — once the world's largest pineapple plantation operated by Dole Food — only one commercial farmer is believed to be growing pineapple, but the plants aren't for commercial production.

Alberta De Jetley farms 18 acres planted in a variety of crops, including lettuce and bananas, sold to the island's two resorts and other local businesses. De Jetley said she first planted pineapple for fun about 18 months ago with about 20 plants, and has since more than doubled plantings of crowns she receives from a hotel bakery.

Still, De Jetley, who once contemplated asking Dole for propagation material for 200 plants, intends to keep her pineapple harvests small for sharing with friends and making what she said is a fantastic fruit salad.

"The pineapple is so amazing," she said. "Sweet, sweet, sweet."
Pineapple's history in Hawai'i

1813: Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, Spanish adviser to King Kamehameha I, introduces pineapple, or hala kahiki, to Hawai'i.

1885: Capt. John Kidwell, recognized as the pioneer of Hawai'i's pineapple industry, pursues crop development trials in Manoa.

1900: "California Homesteader" Alfred W. Eames starts selling fresh pineapple at what would become Del Monte Fresh Produce (Hawaii) Inc.

1901: Visionary businessman and future "Pineapple King" James Drummond Dole incorporates Hawaiian Pineapple Co. and begins growing fruit on 60 acres in Wahiawa.

1903: Maui's missionary Baldwin family establishes a company that would bring the pineapple industry to Maui and later become Maui Land & Pineapple Co.

1922: Dole buys nearly all of Lana'i to establish the world's largest pineapple plantation.

1930: 9 million cases of canned pineapple packed by eight canneries.

1955: Pineapple production peaks at 76,700 acres planted, and 1.5 million tons of harvested fruit.

Early 1960s: Hawai'i pineapple growers supply more than 80 percent of the world's canned pineapple output.

1966: Pineapple production is firmly in decline.

1983: Del Monte ceases Hawai'i pineapple canning operations.

1988: Last pineapple plantation on Moloka'i closes.

1989: Del Monte introduces fresh-cut chilled Hawai'i pineapple, the first nationally distributed, fresh-cut, refrigerated fruit item.

1990: Dole Food Co., successor to Hawaiian Pineapple Co., announces pineapple production on Lana'i will cease by 1993.

1991: Value of Hawai'i pineapple annual sales peaks at $108 million.

1992: Dole closes its Iwilei cannery and tears down its landmark pineapple water tower a year later.

1997: Del Monte unveils a premium pineapple, Del Monte Gold, described as sweeter than traditional varieties and the first new variety of commercial pineapple in Hawai'i in more than 20 years.

1998: Maui Pineapple, the largest single pineapple grower in the state, announces plans to extend operations to Indonesia and Central America to cut costs.

2004: Del Monte reduces pineapple farming on O'ahu from 6,000 acres to 4,000 acres.

2005: Fresh pineapple production and sales sink to their lowest since the state began keeping records in 1950.

2006: Del Monte shuts down all Hawai'i pineapple operations.

2007: Maui Pineapple, Hawai'i's last producer of canned pineapple, stops canning.

2008: Maui Pineapple announces plans to cut pineapple farming from 2,000 acres to around 1,000 acres, and warns that it will have to exit the business completely if financial losses can't be reversed.


Source: honoluluadvertiser.com

Publication date: 2/23/2009

Uganda: Luweero to get Sh1 billion pineapple factory

The Government, Kasana-Luweero Catholic Diocese and three private investors from Austria are to construct a sh1.2b pineapple-drying factory in Luweero district.

The state minister for investment, Semakula Kiwanuka, on Tuesday toured the proposed site and met some of the farmers who would supply the pineapples.

Kiwanuka said the Government would contribute 70% of the total cost to be released this financial year.

The move follows a 2007 visit to Luweero by investors from the south Austrian province of Corinthia headed by Olivia Mugabe, a Ugandan living in Austria.

Mugabe said the project is expected to be completed by February 2010.

She said the factory would be run by Nature Uganda, a newly registered co-operative entity which comprises 30 farmers in Luweero, three Austrian investors and Caritas Kasanaensis, the social services development arm of the Kasana-Luweero Diocese.

According to the terms of engagement, the 30 farmers will supply the fruits, Caritas Kasanaensis will provide extension services to the farmers, while Eine Weit AG, an Austrian firm, will handle fruit processing and marketing.


Source: allafrica.com

Publication date: 2/12/2009