Colima, Mexico's seventh pineapple producer

The pineapple (Ananas comosus), which many countries consider an exotic fruit, is a native to America and has a long tradition in Mexico. In recent years this fruit has acquired a significant relevance for its economic dynamics and for being an important source of employment, both in the production and marketing of fresh fruit, in the municipality of Tecoman, Colima.

According to official data from the Agricultural Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), from 2010 to 2015, national production of pineapples increased by 3.7%, from 701,740 tons in 2005 to 840,486 tons In 2015. Meanwhile, Colima's pineapple production grew by 62%, from 2,175 tons to 25,577 tons in the same period of analysis. The state of Colima ranks seventh within the country's Top 10 producers, regarding their production volume. 

According to data published by the SIAP, in 2015 the national pineapple production amounted to 840,486 tons grown in a total area of 18,865 hectares. Overall yields stood at 44.55 tons per hectare, and Veracruz was the leading producer with 552,375 tons. Colima, which had yields of 69.92 tons per hectare, is the state with the highest yields. According to this data, Colima produced 25,577 tons of pineapple in 365,82 hectares harvested, which averages a yield of 69.92 tons / ha.

Mexico is among the top 10 producers of pineapple in the world, as in the last decade it had an average production of 741,000 tons, a volume that satisfies the national demand and generates surpluses that allow it to position itself in the international markets of the United States, South Korea, and Spain; which concentrated more than 95% of the exports in that period. 

According to preliminary official figures, in 2016 the total pineapple production had a commercial value of at least 2,899 million pesos and Mexico's annual per capita consumption stood at 6.3 kilograms. (SAGARPA, 2017)

In 2015 the main producing states, in volume were: Veracruz, with 66%, of the national volume; Oaxaca, 13%; Tabasco, 6%; Nayarit, 4%, and Jalisco, with 3%. Together, these states account for 92% of the total national production (776,602 tons). Meanwhile, the state of Colima, which produced 25,577 tons, i.e. 3% of the national total, ranked seventh. (Figure 2)

According to the Agricultural Food and Fisheries Information Service, Colima's pineapple production mainly takes place in the municipalities of Tecoman and Armeria. In 2015, the municipality of Tecoman had an area of 377.82 hectares devoted to pineapple crops and the Municipality of Armeria had 3.00 hectares. (SIAP, 2015)

During March 2017, the supply center of the city of Cancun had the highest wholesale price for pineapple, in selected supply centers, with 30.00 $ / kg. Meanwhile, the price In the CDMX supply center stood at 16.79 $ / Pza., and prices at the supply centers that operate in the cities of Toluca, Cuernavaca and Ecatepec prices stood at 19.77 and 21.67 $ / K / Pza. The lowest price was observed in the distribution centers operating in the city of Colima, Col., with $ 14.50 / kg. 

Non-associated independent producers; supplies of pineapple at certain times of the year; quantities or volumes that have been generated by the greater fertilization and irrigation thereof; Problems of product quality due to lack of production techniques; lack of capital for small producers to invest in (production and marketing technology, machinery, transportation equipment and storage warehouses); limited technological innovation; low participation in the international market; a lack of direct information of the international market in fresh and processed, and little added industrial value to the product.

A growing pineapple market; unsatisfied demand; export to new international markets; the adoption of new technologies to raise productivity; an increase in the quality of the pineapple of the producers and other links of the productive chain, and establishing networks of distribution for the fruit.

Made by: Enrique Alvarez Navarro

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