Young farmer sings pineapple’s praises

SEETA PERSAD

TODAY pineapples are plentiful in TT.

In South Trinidad, it is sold for $6 to $8 for one and is a hot seller at markets throughout the country.

Barrackpore pineapple farmer Brian Mohan says although farmers are fetching low prices for the fruit, there is a lot of profit from producing pineapples.

“I have planted ten acres of pineapple and within fourteen to sixteen months. I had loads to take to the wholesale and retail market,” Mohan said.

The good news, Mohan said, is that pineapples do not need a lot of water to grow and bear fruits.

“One major challenge is keeping the land free from weeds,” Mohan said.

He said the crop loves sunny areas as the roots are strong and go deep into the soil to get its nourishment.

Mohan said while many may think farming is difficult, it is, in fact, very rewarding.

“We have the land as an asset. We just have to till the soil and put down plants. Maintaining the crops is routine work and can be done early morning to avoid working while the sun is at its hottest in mid-day,” Mohan said.

On Saturday, Mohan sold over 1,200 pineapples at the NAMDEVCO Farmers Market, in Couva, at the wholesale price of $4 per fruit.

This market opened on Saturday and will continue until June 17.

Buyers can capitalise on getting wholesale prices on many fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market.

There are eight similar markets throughout Trinidad.

With the start of the rainy season, there were lots of plants on sale for people who do kitchen gardens and flower gardens.

Mohan, who is health conscious, said he chose to grow pineapples because they have a unique taste and it is known for miraculous health benefits.

“The health and medicinal benefits of pineapple include boosting the immune system, and respiratory health, aiding digestion and strengthening bones,” he said, adding that this fruit also helps in reducing inflammation, and accelerating weight loss. The good news is pineapple has an ability to reduce the inflammation of joints and muscles, particularly those associated with arthritis. It contains a rare proteolytic enzyme called bromelain, which primarily aids in breaking down of complex proteins and has anti-inflammatory effects as well.

Pineapple is rich in Vitamin C which makes it one of the richest sources of ascorbic acid. Vitamin C helps in stimulating the activity of white blood cells and acting as an antioxidant to defend against the harmful effects of free radicals.

Mohan said it is known that eating pineapples regularly can protect a person from many health conditions, including constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, atherosclerosis, and blood clotting as well as high blood pressure.

Pineapple, he said, is rich in fibre and it promotes the passage of food through the digestive tract at a normal rate and stimulates the release of gastric and digestive juices to help food dissolve