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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Pineapple Exports to U.S. Could Skyrocket 31-Fold as America Offers Major Gift

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed easing import rules for fresh pineapples from the Philippines.
  • This could increase Philippine pineapple exports to the U.S. by up to 31 times, from less than 600 tons annually to an estimated 19,200 tons.
  • The proposal aims to supplement existing U.S. pineapple imports and is open for public comment until August 10.

The Philippines' fresh pineapple exports to the United States are poised for a significant surge, potentially increasing by as much as 31 times. This development follows a proposal by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to expand market access for Philippine pineapples.

Currently, U.S. imports of fresh pineapples from the Philippines have averaged less than 600 tons annually over the past five years. The APHIS proposal, released on June 10, could elevate this figure to an estimated 19,200 tons per year. This expansion is a response to a request from the Philippines' Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which seeks to allow fresh pineapple imports through all U.S. ports.

The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposed expanding market access for fresh pineapples from the Philippines.

— Manila BulletinReporting on the APHIS proposal.

Existing restrictions limit Philippine pineapple imports to specific ports in the North Atlantic region, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. These measures were implemented to prevent the introduction of pests like the Oriental fruit fly, which can affect over 400 types of fruits and vegetables. The new proposal includes risk mitigation measures, such as requiring imported pineapples to be of the Smooth Cayenne variety (at least 50% content) or undergo specific treatments like irradiation or vapor heat if other varieties are used.

APHIS stated that any increase in imports from the Philippines should supplement, not replace, current supplies. The agency is accepting public comments on the proposal until August 10, after which it will announce its final decision. The Philippines is already a major global pineapple exporter, ranking as the second-largest in 2025 with an expected export volume of over 775,000 tons.

To supplement the supply of fresh pineapples in the United States, any fresh pineapple imported from the Philippines must be a supplement to existing fresh pineapple imports and not a replacement.

— U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceStating the intention behind the proposed import increase.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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