"Colombia's MD2 pineapple market grows by 100%"

This growth will continue in 2017, as Bengala Agricola expects to increase its production of MD2 pineapples to 32,000 tons, 65% of which will be exported, 25% will be allocated to the Colombian market, and 10% will be processed. "It's very important to have an alternative for the remaining production, for example, we can send it to the pulp market, or to make ice cream and cookies," Barona said. The company will complete the construction of its processing plant next month.

The company hopes to plant 800 hectares with pineapples in 2017 and continue growing until they have 1,200 hectares in 2019. "In this first stage, we'll produce 85,000 tons of MD2 pineapple a year. The world is demanding more pineapple. Annual consumption in Europe has increased by 23%; in the US by 18%, and the Colombian market has grown by 100% and continues to increase," he said.

The southern regions of Colombia have plenty of suitable hectares to grow Golden pineapples. The Northern part of the department of Cauca and the southern part of the department of Valle del Cauca, where Bengala Agricola is located, also offers excellent opportunities. "It has between 15,000 and 20,000 hectares that are suitable to grow MD2 pineapples. The results have been very satisfactory where it has already been grown," Barona said.

"This area offers very good labour," he said, adding that the cultivation of Golden pineapples generated many jobs, which would help the economy in the area benefiting about 20,000 people. "In addition, we are 120 kilometers from the port of Buenaventura and we can easily send our product, which has enormous export potential, to the ports of northern Colombia."