Today, we visited a pineapple plantation in Sarapiquí. After having a delicious pineapple coconut drink, we learned how to harvest and plant a pineapple. Shortly thereafter, we took a tour around the farm and learned how to identify pineapple quality.

Some differences stood out between the supply chain of coffee plantations we visited and the pineapple plantation, especially in terms of complexity and reach. Growing pineapple seemed to be significantly more monotonous and routine. The process also appeared to be much simpler; simply harvest and plant the crown of a mother pineapple to get the baby pineapples. However, coffee growing is a multistep process. Several layers of the bean must be removed and processed before packaging, not to mention the time of washing, drying, and roasting beans. Moreover, the coffee bean can be processed to have a wider variety of flavors depending on the hybrid, roast, and climate. Pineapple quality depends mostly on ripeness, with poor climate making it more prone to disease. Some similarities between coffee plantations and pineapple plantations include sourcing Nicaraguan labor, utilizing biodiversity to maintain fertile soil, and dependence on plastic.

In terms of sustainability, although this pineapple plantation was completely organic, its fertilizer used unsustainable ingredients including cow blood, chicken feathers, and fish mill; therefore, the fertilizer requires large amounts of land, produces methane, and decreases biodiversity. However, some aspects of the pineapple farm are sustainable, such as maintaining forested land surrounding the plantation, supporting wildlife such as howler monkeys.

One threat that the plantation faces is climate change. As temperatures continue to rise, the pineapple becomes more susceptible to fungus. While this can be mitigated with resistant hybrid pineapples, the plantation may have to reintroduce fungicide in the future.

Lastly, the conditions of the Nicaraguan laborers on both plantations seemed similar, however, the coffee plantations seemed to provide greater benefits beyond housing. These benefits include healthcare, daycare, and food.