Shifting Lenses

I enjoy all types of fruit, but especially more tropical varieties. However, my love for pineapples is next level. I am a pineapple connoisseur. On a recent trip across the border from Singapore to the Johor Bahru area of Malaysia, we visited a small pineapple farm. Nectar Pineapple Park is geared towards educating tourists on the history and importance of the pineapple industry in the region. They also focus on educating guests on pineapple quality and varieties.

Pineapples are native to South America, but were brought to Singapore by Portuguese or Spanish sailors. The crop was initially grown in Singapore, and the industry flourished. However, farmers in Singapore eventually faced challenges due to land constraints and suitability issues for pineapple cultivation. Farming of pineapples then shifted to Johor, Malaysia, particularly around Pekan Nanas. It thrived for many years but began facing challenges there as well. Land limitations were again an issue, but competition from other crops like palm oil caused the industry more problems. In fact, after producing pineapple products for close to a century, the Lee Pineapple Company will be shutting its pineapple business and pivoting to growing oil palm.

Malaysian pineapples are special. MD2 tastes like a complex blend of tropical fruits, almost like a piña colada. The Malaysians we talked to were very proud of this pineapple variety. In fact, when we went to a restaurant later in the day and told them we had gone to a pineapple farm, they specifically asked if we had tried the MD2. Pride in agricultural products is a phenomenon that I have observed before: Jersey farm-fresh tomatoes, Pennsylvania corn, Fredericksburg Texas peaches, Washington apples, and Florida oranges. I have to admit, it makes me quite sad to hear the pineapple industry is dying in Johor. When agriculture in an area dies, so does a bit of the cultural identity of the people.