Costa Rica is the primary exporter of fresh pineapple in the world, according to the Foreign Trade Promoter of Costa Rica (Procomer). Also, the United States is the main destination for the fruit.
The National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters (CANAPEP) reports pineapple contributes 1.90% of the country’s GDP, and about 34% of the country’s agricultural exports.
CANAPEP reflects U.S. per capita consumption of pineapple used to be low because most of the fruit that came from Mexico which had quality issues.
When Costa Rica entered the U.S. market with the Golden mb-2 pineapple, it was so well received that today Costa Rica supplies 84% of the fruit.
The United States also receives pineapple from Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, and Panama.
Costa Rica’s pineapple production level has reached a peak, now producing about 48,000 120,000 acres, generating a volume of more than 160,000 containers per year of fresh pineapple. On a weekly weekly basis, the country averages 2,300 containers being exports to various markets.