PINEAPPLES
THE PINEAPPLE STORY
One day in 1865 Mr Charles Purdon entering a barber's shop in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape was taken by some pineapples which had come from Natal. The barber, Mr Lindsay Green gave him some of the pineapple crowns (or tops) and this was the beginning of what is today one of South Africa's and the Eastern Cape's largest industries - pineapple growing.
It is sometimes contended that Jan van Riebeeck first introduced pineapples into the country in 1665,while others claim that the first pineapple plants came from Ceylon and were planted in Natal which is still a large pineapple producing area but the Eastern Cape (especially the Bathurst area) pineries have developed far beyond Natal in the quantity and quality of fruit produced. The Bathurst area alone delivers over 135 000 tons annually to the factory in East London
There a two varieties of pineapples commercially grown in South Africa, the smooth leaf Cayenne and the Queen. The Cayenne is the largest crop and is the only variety suitable for canning. It is very much larger and has a lot of juice.
Pineapple planting may be made from any of the vegetative parts of the plant - top (the crown of leaves), slips and suckers. Tops and slips are most commonly planted, with tops being the most preferred by growers
The
pineapple grows on the central stem of the plant with only one fruit borne on
each plant. Every plant produces suckers and these grow in a leaf axil off the
parent stem. These suckers subsequently produce a second or "ratoon"
crop of fruit. The first and second crops normally constitute the
commercial yield of a plant
In South Africa, pineapples flower within 14 to 20 months of planting. Summer fruit take about five months to mature and winter fruit can take up to seven months. The first ratoon crop is usually harvested after 18 to 24 months and the two crop cycle can take up to four years. Land for pineapple farming is chosen on the basis of elevation, aspect, soil and drainage. The amount of fertilizer needed for maximum yield is determined by regular soil and leaf analysis.
Good crop management aims to achieve maximum production of fruit per hectare in the shortest possible time without harming the environment. The timing of the fruiting of the first crop is very important as it influences the sucker growth of the second crop. Fruit is induced to ripen for factory demand by using a "ripening forcer" so as to ensure uniform ripening at the optimum time for canning. All farms in the area have been audited and accredited by the international "Good Agricultural Practices Act" (GAP) Quality control procedures are in place at every stage of pineapple operations from the farms where the fruit is picked, to the factory where it is processed and distributed. On the farm, quality control starts with the selection of variety, adoption of agronomic advice regarding best practices, attention to location, soil type, time of harvesting and expedient product delivery
Pineapple Harvesting
From the lands to the gantries where the fruit is loaded onto 30 ton horse and trailers to be transported to
Summerpride Foods Limited, owned by the Growers, is South Africa's largest single fruit processor, and the premium pineapple processor of the Southern Hemisphere. With over two hundred different pack styles and a wide range of concentrates we cater for the buyer's every need. Summerpride processes 75% of South African pineapple and supplies 90% of canned pineapple consumed in South Africa. In addition more than one million cases are exported to 25 countries around the world including Argentina, Austria, Canary Islands, Chile, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, other countries in Southern Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America
Once the pineapples arrive at the Cannery, they are inspected, washed and graded. Then they are peeled and cored by a machine called a Ginaca named after it's Hawaiian inventor. The Ginaca produces cylinders of fruit ready for the trimming tables where any remaining skin or blemishes are removed. From there the pineapple is passed through slicing machines to the canning lines where packers select the best slices and pack them into cans by hand. The remaining slices are cut into pieces or chunks before being filled into various sized cans.
From here, the cans are sent to the automatic syrupers where they are filled with syrup or fruit juice, and then seamed. The sealed cans are then heat treated in a sterilising process for about 15 minutes and pass through coolers to prevent over processing. This process ensures the delicious flavour of the fruit together with all its natural goodness is retained. Cans are dried as the emerge from the coolers and after a final inspection they are labelled in accordance with Buyer's requirements.
Canned food products produced by Summerpride Foods are
GOOD FOR YOU!
Summerpride Foods can their pineapples with special care ensuring retained flavour, natural vitamins, dietary fibre, calcium, protein, minerals and carbohydrates contributing to a well balanced diet
From the farm to the table,
Look for the Summerpride label!
Even Nature can produce a Pine or two!
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT SUMMERPRIDE VISIT
What Is Chicory?
"Good for you and for Good for Coffee"
Chicory is derived from the root of the chicory plant, which after it has been dried and roasted, consists of mainly compounded sugars, and more specifically, fructose (fruit-sugar). It contains no caffeine and is really safe to the human system.