PINEAPPLE

MD2 has been identified as a key crop under the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). With regard to agriculture, NKEA’s key objectives are to penetrate global markets and to ensure national food security. 16 Entry Point Projects (EPPs) and 11 business opportunities have been planned and carried out to achieve these objectives. The MD2 cultivar has been identified as EPP7’s catalyst for the premium fruit market.

Compared to other pineapple cultivars, MD2 is better in several qualities. Among them are: uniform bright gold colour, sweeter taste, fourtimes Vitamin C content, lower fiber, lower acidity, thinner skin, smaller fruits at an average of 1.5 kg each, and longer shelf life. Additionally, because of its superior eating qualities, MD2 can command three times the price of other pineapple varieties. These are the major factors that have motivated pineapple planters to grow MD2. For example, pineapple planters in Ghana have replaced the Smooth Cayenne varieties with MD2. Because MD2 has longer shelf-life of 30 days compared to 21 days for other varieties, it performs better in long-distance shipping. Prior to MD2, consumers outside the tropics had to consume mostly canned pineapples. With the arrival of MD2, these consumers can finally enjoy fresh pineapples.