Global pineapple output has steadily climbed, reaching 29.4 million metric tonnes (MMT) in TE 2023. Indonesia, the Philippines, Costa Rica, and Brazil dominate both production and exports, with Costa Rica alone responsible for nearly 50% of the world pineapple trade. Although India contributes approximately 6.2% of global pineapple volume, it remains non-competitive in exports due to sub-par yields (17 t/ha vs. the global average of 27.6 t/ha), fragmented cultivation, and weak integration into international value chains. Indian pineapple farming is largely confined to Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala.
India’s Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) in pineapple has stayed below 1 since 2013, underscoring its limited competitive edge globally. RCA stood at 0.04 in 2013, peaked at 0.10 in 2017, and settled at 0.06 by 2023. This aligns with India’s stagnant export share, just 0.2% of global pineapple exports. Indian pineapples fetched around USD 589/tonne, marginally higher than Costa Rica’s USD 556/tonne and slightly below the Philippines’ USD 593/tonne, offering India a modest price advantage in low-volume, price-sensitive markets like the UAE, Nepal, the Maldives, and Qatar. However, India continues to lack traction in premium markets (EU, USA, Japan, South Korea) due to market access barriers, stringent compliance standards, and regulatory limitations. Competition from countries like Costa Rica and the Philippines, backed by superior supply chains, high-yield varieties (e.g. MD-2), and strong export ecosystems (e.g. institutions like CANAPEP) adds further pressure.
