The price of Kerala's beloved pineapple has reached unprecedented heights, creating shockwaves among consumers and presenting a complex crisis for farmers. A severe shortage of fertilizers combined with erratic climate patterns has drastically reduced supply, pushing retail prices in some markets to an astonishing ₹300 per fruit, a surge of nearly 300% from last year's rates.
A Perfect Storm of Scarcity and Climate
The heart of the issue lies in a dual challenge crippling pineapple cultivation. Farmers are grappling with a critical shortage of essential fertilizers like Muriate of Potash (MOP) and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP). This scarcity has forced many to reduce application rates or seek costly, often ineffective, alternatives, directly impacting fruit size, yield, and quality. Compounding this problem are significant climate changes. Unseasonal and excessive rainfall during key growth phases has led to widespread crop damage, increased disease incidence, and further reduced the harvestable output.
The situation is most acutely felt in Vazhakulam, Kerala's largest pineapple hub. Here, the arrival of new fruit has plummeted. Reports indicate that where hundreds of trucks once brought fresh produce to the market, now only a handful arrive. This dramatic drop in supply is the primary engine driving the price spiral. The scarcity is so severe that even smaller, lower-grade pineapples are commanding prices that were once reserved for the highest quality produce.
Farmers in Distress Despite High Prices
Paradoxically, the soaring market prices are not translating into windfall profits for the majority of farmers. The crisis has hit at the root—their production capacity. Many growers have reported yield losses of 40-50% due to the adverse conditions. A farmer who previously harvested 20 tonnes from an acre may now be struggling to gather 10-12 tonnes. The increased cost of cultivation, driven by expensive inputs and crop protection measures, further erodes their margins.
"The high price you see in the market is not a boon for us," explains a distressed farmer from the Vazhakulam region. "Our fields have been devastated by the rains, and the plants are weak without proper nutrients. We simply do not have enough pineapples to sell to benefit from these prices. Our income has actually fallen." This sentiment is echoed across growing belts in Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts.
Ripple Effects on Industry and Consumers
The price surge has sent ripples far beyond the farm gate. The local pineapple processing industry, which relies on a steady supply of fruit for juices, jams, and concentrates, is facing an existential threat. With raw material costs becoming prohibitive, several small and medium-scale processing units are operating well below capacity or have temporarily shut down. This threatens ancillary employment and the stability of the entire value chain built around the fruit.
For consumers, the humble pineapple has transformed from an affordable staple into a luxury item. The sight of a single fruit priced at ₹250-₹300 is becoming common in retail outlets across Kerala and in major cities like Bengaluru and Chennai where Kerala pineapples are popular. This is altering consumption patterns and impacting street vendors and juice shops who are seeing a sharp decline in sales due to the high input cost.
Industry experts and agricultural officials point out that this is not an isolated price fluctuation but a symptom of deeper systemic issues. The fertilizer shortage is a national policy and supply chain challenge, while the climate vulnerability highlights the need for more resilient agricultural practices and crop varieties. The Kerala Pineapple Promotion Council has flagged these concerns repeatedly, urging for immediate intervention to secure fertilizer supplies and provide support to farmers recovering from crop losses.
The future of the season remains uncertain. While prices are expected to stay high until the next major harvest, the long-term solution requires addressing both the input availability and adapting to the new realities of a changing climate. The fate of Kerala's iconic pineapple now hinges on effective and timely action from multiple stakeholders.
