Pineapples Picking / Packing
Something New About Australia – Pineapples! Ever wonder when and where are they Harvested?
Who doesn’t love pineapple? I mean it’s one of those rare fruit that you just do not know what you are going to get – is it going to be sweet or is it going to be sour or maybe both? It is refreshing and can really give the body the boost that it needs. Fresh pineapples are full of Bromelain which produces a sense of well-being.
Australia is a top producer of several varieties of pineapples and most pineapples eaten in the Land Down Under is of the “Mareeba Sweet” variety. Another variety that is very common in Australia is the “Queen Pineapple” or “Rough” that is actually smaller but sweeter than the “Mareeba Sweet” and has an edible core.
Another variety of pineapple in Australia is the “Pacific Gold Pineapple.” Most nurseries chose to cultivate this variety even though it mostly serves as a novelty foliage fruit plant. In the autumn when its fruit is swelling, people put them on display, as multicoloured Pineapple is grown more for plant than for food. Its bright colored fruit is edible but is quite bitter.
Pineapples are usually grown in the Northern and Eastern regions of Australia and they grow well in humid conditions.
Pineapples grown in Southern Queensland are harvested from February to April and September to November. In Northern New South Wales, pineapples are usually harvested between the month of April and June. Far Northern Queensland harvests its pineapples between the months of December and January.
Before picking or harvesting a pineapple, you have to make sure that it’s ripe and ready. A green pineapple indicates that it is still immature and not yet ready for eating. Remember that unripe pineapples can also be toxic. A pineapple that is orange in color usually indicates that it is ready to be harvested.
Pineapples are harvested manually. After that, it is then loaded to a conveyor belt. Packers will then pack the harvested pineapples in a bin and its crown is usually chopped off, which can then be replanted during the next season.
If you’re interested to harvest pineapples, there are several precautions that you need to remember. The prickles of a pineapple are quite sharp and can tear your clothes. Wear long sleeve shirts or heavy duty trousers. Leather aprons offer suitable protection to your clothes and if you can find one, better wear it. Make sure to use gloves to protect your hands as well.
Meanwhile, if you’re interested in getting a job out of harvesting pineapples in Australia, pickers can be paid by the hour or by the bin.
You can save money if you choose to live in a working hostel or farm while harvesting pineapples in Australia. Having a good working relationship with the farm supervisor couldn’t hurt. Harvesting pineapples is a heavy work and if you are asked to choose, calculate the amount you will get if paid by the hour or by the bin then choose the option most advantageous to you.
Summers in Australia can be very hot so think carefully before taking harvesting jobs during those times. Remember that wearing heavy duty trousers while picking pineapples in the heat of summer can be a very tough experience. To avoid dehydration, see to it that you bring enough food and water.
Before signing for a pineapple picking job, confirm with the company that hired you how many days are you expected to work in the farm. You must also have a clear agreement with regards to the rate of payment.
Pineapple picking work gets a lot easier if you have a friend or two beside you. Working alone with no friend to confide with can be hard and lonely.
Harvesting Of Pineapples in Australia
There are various types of pineapples in Australia and if you’re thinking it takes an expert to plant one, think again because if you live in a semi tropical place and you can grow the likes of mangos, you are ahead in succeeding planting pineapples. One of the biggest factors in planting a pineapple is the humidity of the place, they also thrive in a well composted soil and enough space to grow. Pineapples are usually grown on elevated soil, creating bed in order to provide proper drainage. Some plant pineapples on mountainous places while commercially produced pineapples are mostly planted on vast, plain land.
The process of planting pineapples begin by replanting the chopped off suckers or slips from a full grown pineapple. It is important to remember not to put the slips in water, they thrive on dry land and too much water will cause the plant to get rotten. Amanas or what you call in English “Pineapples” usually grow as tall as 1.5 meters long and a width of 1 meter long. Their extended growth requires them to have enough space between each other in order to grow freely. Pineapples don’t need much water, which is why they basically grow in tropical areas where they can grow without so much attention.
Pineapples have different sizes when they grow and depending on the type of the fruit, they also project a different colour when they are ripe. The most common pineapple turns yellow when it’s ripe and they can take as long as 24 months to bear fruit. If you use their slips to replant another one, it may take even longer to grow one. Growing pineapples take a lot of time investment. Unlike others that basically bears fruit every year, pineapples are a bit different.
Home-grown pineapples can reproduce for years just by using their slips or crowns. Although there is a distinct difference in their size after each planting season, they will always bear fruit. However, commercially grown pineapples require the use of slips and crown twice only. This is to make sure that the quality of pineapples produced bearing the standards in the market. King of Fruit Pure Gold suggests that, in choosing the right pineapple, it is important to take note of its weight. Regardless if it’s small, the heavier it is the better. Make sure that there are no soft spots or significant discoloration on the pineapple, they can mean overripe or it’s past their prime.
Pineapples also have the ability to change their flavour simultaneous to their changing skin colour. Once they are harvested, they stop producing sugar, which they originally acquire while growing. Australia’s producers of pineapples harvest their fruits at the right time based on their timetable that is why markets only sell those that are with the quality. Home-grown pineapples differ immensely, but both are equally edible. Pineapple’s pick season comes during the summer and winter. During the summer season, it’s best to pick the greener colour with a slightly collared base; however, during the winter find the fruit that has more colours or at least half of it is not green.
