Canned pineapple

Canned pineapple

　　    Zhanjiang is located at the southernmost tip of mainland China and falls within a tropical monsoon humid climate zone. Its climate and soil conditions are highly suitable for pineapple cultivation, making it the largest pineapple-producing region in the country, accounting for half of the national annual output. Since canned pineapples retain much of the flavor of fresh fruit, Zhanjiang’s canned pineapples have become a best-selling product in the international market.

　　    In recent years, the Zhanjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau has actively taken various measures to support the development of the export-oriented canned pineapple processing industry in Zhanjiang. The bureau strictly follows food production and processing standards to guide enterprises in planning and constructing factories, helping them establish and improve relevant quality and hygiene safety management systems. It implements health registration management for export-oriented canned pineapple processing enterprises, and currently eight such enterprises in the Zhanjiang area have obtained health registration certificates issued by the National Certification and Accreditation Administration. The Zhanjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau regularly dispatches inspection and quarantine officers to conduct on-site supervision in canned pineapple processing workshops. It proactively assists enterprises in resolving technical challenges related to quality control, quality management, hygiene and disinfection, processing techniques, packaging, and storage during production. The bureau also enforces electronic video surveillance throughout the entire production process to ensure the hygiene and safety quality of canned pineapples at every critical stage. Furthermore, the bureau emphasizes quality control at the source of production, actively guiding canned pineapple processing enterprises to adopt modern agricultural management models such as “company + base + standardization.” It provides technical guidance on pest and disease control as well as pesticide residue testing during pineapple cultivation, and strengthens the monitoring of pesticide residues in fresh pineapples upon arrival at factories.

　　    With the active support of the Zhanjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the export volume of Zhanjiang’s canned pineapples has been increasing at an annual rate of 50%. In 2001, the annual export volume of canned pineapples from Zhanjiang was just over 6,000 tons. By 2007, it had reached 63,400 tons, generating export earnings of $36.85 million, representing year-on-year growth of 35.18% and 50.86% respectively compared to 2006. The exported varieties include 13 types such as round slices, long blocks, fan-shaped pieces, crushed pieces, and crushed grain canned pineapples. These products are sold in 67 countries and regions across Europe and the Americas. Currently, the export-oriented canned pineapple processing industry in Zhanjiang has developed into another distinctive deep-processing sector following the aquatic product processing industry. It has become a pillar industry for the economic development of the Zhanjiang region, effectively promoting local economic growth and the construction of a new socialist countryside.