Above: Pineapple grown by the Erba Fruit Company.
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Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network reporter Ken Root is in Panama, where the pineapple business is booming. Listen to his report by clicking on the audio player below.
The Erba Fruit Company farm started twelve years ago and now grows 500 acres of pineapple. Farm manager Juan Carlos runs the farm, which employs about 160 laborers and is situated about one hour from Panama City. They meet sanitary and social standards and ship to Europe, the United States and Turkey.
Pineapples at Erba are picked at a machine-tested level of sweetness and packed based on size. The fruit is placed on pallets in a cooler with hours of being picked, and is then shipped in containers to ports around the world, thanks to the proximity of the Panama Canal.
Expect more reports throughout the week as Ken relays his experiences in Panama.
