Pineapple farming: An unimaginable scale

Welcome to Corsicana Plantation where the world's finest pineapples are grown. Spanning over 3,000 acres near the majestic Mount Po is an active volcano this extraordinary farm produces an astounding 38 million pineapples each year renowned for its organic farming and meticulous practices Corsicana combines advanced techniques and precise handling to ensure top quality produce from planting to plantation to discover the secrets behind growing the world's most delicious pineapples at this plantation in Costa Rica we grow the most delicious pineapples also known as honey pineapples these pineapples typically have a higher sugar content contributing to their sweet and juicy flavor the sugar concentration is a key factor in the quality of the taste this variety is specifically selected for its superior organoleptic characteristics approximately 75 million pineapples are harvested each year in 2022 the plantation produced these 75 million pineapples generating an impressive 150 million dollars in revenue in 2023 it surpassed expectations with a record-breaking 80 million pineapples bringing in 160 million dollars this remarkable success is a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of the team ensuring that only the finest pineapples reach valued consumers everything begins with soil preparation agricultural machinery is used to till the land tillage helps break up the soil surface improving aeration and nutrient absorption the cultivation areas are leveled to ensure proper drainage and prevent water logging which is crucial for avoiding excess water around the plant roots pineapples do not like excess water so raised beds are created to allow any excess rainwater to flow away without harming the plant next fertilizer is added to the soil to improve its structure and nutritional content this provides the pineapple plants with essential nutrients for healthy growth workers place plastic covers to retain moisture and keep insects and rodents away then the best seedlings from the previous year's harvest are loaded onto trucks and spread along the raised beds each bed will have two rows of pineapples planted each pineapple is planted by hand spaced evenly they are planted 26 centimeters apart in rows of 100 the crowns are planted at the proper depth in the soil to ensure stable attachment and optimal root development with 9 000 pineapple crowns planted by hand each day it is no easy task it is important for the plants to develop at the same rate so that all receive the same amount of nutrients and sunlight allowing them to grow to approximately the same size it takes eight months of growth before the plants are ready for the next stage the farmer drives his tractor through the fields and uses a special machine called a crop sprayer to spray each plant in this initial stage farmers spray the plant with ethylene a natural gas that stimulates complete flowering the gas signals the plant that it is time to start developing the fruit it takes 18 months from planting the pineapple to when it is ready to be harvested farmers visually assess and conduct ripeness tests to determine the right time for harvest they conduct sugar and taste tests using a refractometer and evaluate the pulp quality this step is crucial to ensure tasty and ready to eat pineapples after 18 months the pineapples are ripe and ready for harvest the entire fruit measures about 30 centimeters in length and weighs about two kilograms unlike many other fruits pineapples do not ripen further after being harvested workers play a crucial role in the pineapple harvesting process this is a decisive moment as when the skin acquires a deep golden hue and the pulp reaches the perfect combination of sweetness and juiciness it is a sign that the pineapples are at their peak for collection at this Corsicana plantation most pineapples are harvested by hand because using machines could bruise or damage the fruit the implementation of specialized technology such as the arm harvester makes a difference in this process this machine gradually moves through the field ensuring that each pineapple is selected precisely workers use specialized tools like knives or harvest scissors to cut the pineapples from the stems without damaging the fruit the workers must be skilled to make clean and efficient cuts the arm harvesters move slowly through the plantation allowing the workers to carefully and skillfully select the fruit at the correct level of ripeness at this point delicacy is key as pineapples are sensitive to bruising and damage workers pick the pineapples carefully by hand and place them on the conveyor this step is essential to maintain the quality of the fruit each fruit is harvested and placed on a conveyor belt then deposited into a large container it is interesting to note that the pineapple crown provides an ideal cushion for transport which is why the fruits are stored upside down in the containers once the containers are full the next phase of the process begins although most of these pineapples will be processed the most attractive ones will be sold whole the pineapples are loaded onto a truck and once it is full it heads to the factory upon arrival at the factory the pineapples go through a washing and cleaning process to remove any dirt insects or other contaminants the containers are immersed in water to wash the fruit and remove any dust that may be on the surface the fruit in the tank floats to the top where it is pushed by water pressure onto a conveyor belt at this factory 140 000 tons of pineapples are processed each year the pineapples are sorted by quality size and appearance those that meet the established standards for the consumer market are separated from those destined for processing any pineapple that does not meet the size or quality criteria is removed next the pineapples go through a wax bath a key measure to preserve their moisture content and keep them fresh during transport fans cool and harden the wax forming a coating that creates a barrier this slows down the ripening process ensuring that the pineapples do not over ripen before reaching their export destination the final stop is the packaging and labeling department workers pack the pineapples with crowns separately those with crowns are for export and those with the perfect size and shape are packed into boxes according to their size pineapples without crowns go to a canning factory to be sliced chunked or crushed the packed boxes of pineapples are stored in cold rooms to maintain freshness cold storage helps prolong the shelf life of the pineapples and preserve their quality once at the canning factory fresh pineapples arrive at the processing plant from the plantations visual inspections are conducted to discard any damaged fruit the pineapples undergo a washing process to remove any dirt or surface residue next specialized machines peel the pineapples removing the outer skin and core this process ensures that only the pineapple pulp is used the rough skin quickly wears down the blades so they have to sharpen the blades every half hour after peeling the pineapples are then passed through a slicing machine that produces slices slightly thicker than one centimeter an average pineapple produces about seven slices workers inspect the fruit for any residual skin the machine cuts them into smaller chunks the ripest and therefore sweetest pulp goes directly into the can the pineapple chunks are placed into the cans evenly leaving adequate space for the covering liquid once filled the cans are hermetically sealed to prevent contamination after sealing the cans go through a heat process usually in autoclaves to sterilize and ensure long-term preservation from fresh fruit to can the entire process takes only 20 minutes the pineapples have processed and packaged and are now ready to decorate pizzas and add flavor to fruit salads thank you for joining us on this journey to explore the process of growing and processing pineapples at Corsicana plantation from soil preparation planting harvesting to processing each step is carried out with dedication and precision to ensure the highest quality for each pineapple we hope that through this tour you have gained a deeper understanding of the farmers let us know your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for more agricultural adventures goodbye and see you in the next video