The current pineapple market is characterised by a complex set of geopolitical tensions and global logistical challenges. The conflict in the Middle East emerges as the determining factor, causing a critical slowdown in container circulation and a generalised increase in operating costs. Despite these critical issues, the market has shown signs of improvement since mid-March, supported by lower inbound volumes and a seasonal increase in demand. However, the sustainability of this recovery is threatened by transport cost inflation (land and sea) and uncertainties related to the natural flowering expected from week 18 to 28 in Costa Rica. Making the analysis is Gregorio Pagni, head of the historic family business Alimentari Ortofrutticoli ABC.
© Alimentari Ortofrutticoli ABC
Gregorio Pagni
The dynamics of cost absorption reflect a clear strategic distinction. "On the one hand, producers are absorbing the price increases linked to the agricultural and packaging phases. On the other hand, increases in maritime transport, including the emergency fuel fees applied by companies to protect themselves against the volatility of crude oil, are being passed on to importers in full. In Italy, land transport has seen an increase of between 6 and 15%, putting further pressure on distribution margins. This forced contraction of supply, combined with the rising costs, triggered the strengthening of pineapple quotations observed since mid-March."
With the rise in average temperatures, pineapples have regained a central role in the purchasing basket, benefiting from a higher commercial appeal than in the first two months of the year. "Market sentiment is markedly positive, supported by an extremely competitive value positioning. In this transitional phase, pineapples - which are systematically paired with bananas as a low-cost alternative with high perceived value - enjoy a tactical advantage while domestic summer fruit is still unavailable. The combination of a shortage of incoming volumes and a domestic demand reinvigorated by the weather is allowing more profitable prices, offering a breath of fresh air to importers burdened by logistics costs."
© Alimentari Ortofrutticoli ABC
Scheduling remains the discriminating element between the channels, with performance showing a clear separation between the big retail trade and the wholesale market. "Over the Easter holidays, the big retail sector recorded a significant uptake in volumes, with demand increasing by between 30 and 40%. Coinciding with this peak, there was also an increase in prices. Easter thus represented a turning point, acting as a bridge between the first two particularly difficult months of the year and a subsequent phase characterised by signs of improvement. With regard to January and February 2026, the countless ship delays added to the complexity. The traditional markets also adjusted their prices upwards, although demand remained more subdued than in the big retail trade.
Evolution of supply
Costa Rica is confirmed as the top and almost exclusive origin for the Italian market. Although there are other potential origins, such as Panama or Côte d'Ivoire, their current relevance remains marginal compared to the Costa Rican supplier.
The market is rewarding a qualitative segmentation in which "plant-ripened" pineapples are gaining interest. "This segment responds to the demand for a superior organoleptic experience, but faces significant operational barriers: a reduced shelf-life, high spoilage risks during transit, and significantly higher production costs. For these reasons, big retailers continue to make the standard (green) product their commercial mainstay. The need to guarantee constant volumes and affordable prices makes standard pineapples the only option capable of ensuring the continuity of supply that the premium segment cannot yet guarantee on a large scale."
Future projections and risk factors
Projections for the next three to four weeks indicate a stability of quotations at satisfactory levels, supported by the limited availability of goods due to competition for cargo space with melons at origin. However, the horizon beyond mid-May calls for extreme caution due to the "natural double flowering" expected this year. "Due to past frosts, there could be two natural flowerings in weeks 18-28. In Italy, this will be felt from week 21 to 31."
"This agronomic phenomenon will result in an excessive concentration of ripening in a narrow time frame, generating a potential oversupply. This overproduction in Costa Rica risks saturating the distribution channels, exerting strong downward pressure on prices if not managed through careful stock planning," concludes Pagni
For more information:
Alimentari Ortofrutticoli ABC S.p.A.
Via Guido Reni 56
00196 Rome - Italy
[email protected]
[email protected]
