“How much does MD2 pineapple cost?” has three different answers, depending on where you stand in the chain: the farm-gate price in Vietnam, the import and wholesale price in consuming markets, and the price of pineapple juice concentrate for processing plants. This article compiles sourced prices and states their dates, because pineapple prices swing sharply with the season and with world supply.
Key points
- The farm-gate price of MD2 in Vietnam in 2026 ranges from about VND 7,000–9,000/kg in areas with offtake linkages; at times it drops lower during the harvest peak.
- The average export unit value is about USD 595/tonne for Costa Rica and about USD 668/tonne for the Philippines (first 9 months of 2025, FAO).
- The average wholesale price of pineapple in the US is about USD 1.85/kg (first 11 months of 2025); the shipping-point price on 16 October 2026 was about USD 10–13 per single-layer carton.
- Pineapple juice concentrate stood at about USD 4,900/tonne in mid-2025, a record high caused by a shortage of fruit for processing (CBI).
Farm-gate prices in Vietnam
| Location, time | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nghe An (Hoang Mai), May 2026, harvest peak | MD2 VND 7,000–9,000/kg (previously about VND 17,000/kg); Queen VND 4,500–5,500/kg | Nghe An Newspaper and Radio-Television, 29 May 2026 |
| Can Tho, linked growing area, 2026 | offtake at VND 7,000–8,000/kg; grade 1 fruit over 1.2 kg about VND 8,000/kg | Agriculture and Environment newspaper, June 2026 (company statement) |
| Lao Cai (Ban Lau), research project model, 2026 | cooperative committed to buy at VND 8,000–12,000/kg | Lao Cai Newspaper, 3 July 2026 |
| Quang Ngai, MD2 growing households, 2024 | VND 12,000–15,000/kg | Van Hoa (Culture) Newspaper, 9 July 2024 |
Note: the price of VND 5,500–6,000/kg in Ha Tinh that is often quoted mainly refers to Queen and Cayenne, not MD2. Pineapple sold on the open market through traders in Thanh Hoa in June 2026 at times fetched only VND 3,000–5,000/kg (variety not specified), which shows the value of a contract with a floor price. A breakdown of the MD2 farm-gate price (planting material, fertiliser, labour, flower induction, harvesting) published by a government agency: not found. See how to calculate your own break-even price in the article economics of MD2 pineapple.
Export and import prices
According to FAO (preliminary results 2025), the average export unit value for the first 9 months of 2025 was about USD 595/tonne for Costa Rica, USD 668/tonne for the Philippines, USD 573/tonne for Ecuador and USD 560/tonne for Ivory Coast. FAO notes that export unit values are only an indicator of trends, not actual transaction prices. In 2025, pineapple prices rose sharply because of a global supply shortage, mainly due to lower output in Costa Rica.
Import unit values calculated from UN Comtrade data for 2024: the EU’s imports from outside the bloc averaged about USD 0.99/kg; US imports from Costa Rica about USD 0.74/kg; Korean imports from the Philippines about USD 1.05/kg. These figures are based on different valuation methods (the EU uses CIF), so they are not directly comparable. China imported at an average unit value of about USD 940/tonne (first 9 months of 2025, FAO), partly due to demand for premium MD2.
Wholesale prices in consuming markets
- United States: the average wholesale price was about USD 1.85/kg (January–November 2025), ranging from USD 1.15 to USD 2.91/kg during the year (FAO). USDA AMS report of 16 October 2026: sea-freighted Costa Rican pineapple, single-layer cartons, size 5–7 fruit, USD 10–13 per carton at South Florida and Philadelphia ports.
- EU: according to CBI (2022 data), sea-freighted pineapple was about EUR 6–9 per carton and air-freighted EUR 2.20–3.50/kg; retail prices were usually EUR 1.50–2.50/kg. EU wholesale prices for 2025–2026 from an official source: not found.
Pineapple juice concentrate prices
CBI (updated 2 December 2025) reports that in mid-2025 pineapple juice concentrate stood at nearly USD 4,900/tonne, higher than orange concentrate, and remained at a record level even as orange juice prices fell, because of a shortage of fruit for processing: Thailand and Costa Rica cut supply, weather reduced fruit size, and many plants did not run at full capacity. This figure was given by an industry source interviewed by CBI. A Vietnamese company stated that Japanese buyers pay about USD 4,000/tonne for pineapple concentrate, USD 1,000–1,200/tonne more than EU and US buyers (company statement, August 2025). See the pillar article pineapple juice exports and MD2 growing areas.
What companies should do
AgrifoodV recommends:
- Track prices by date and by named source (FAO, USDA AMS, CBI); do not rely on a single price found online.
- Sign contracts with a floor price and a market-linked adjustment mechanism; plan staggered harvests so that you do not have to sell everything at the harvest peak.
- For processing plants, consider concentrate when world prices are high due to short supply, but model a scenario of falling prices once Costa Rica and Thailand recover.
AgrifoodV helps companies monitor markets and build pricing strategies. See also: exporting MD2 pineapple to the US.
References
- Nghe An Newspaper and Radio-Television. Article on pineapple prices during the harvest peak in Hoang Mai, 29 May 2026. truyenhinhnghean.vn.
- Agriculture and Environment newspaper (English edition). Article on MD2 pineapple partnerships in Can Tho, 18 June 2026. van.nongnghiepmoitruong.vn.
- Lao Cai Newspaper. Article on the VietGAP pineapple model in Ban Lau, 3 July 2026. baolaocai.vn.
- Van Hoa (Culture) Newspaper. Article on MD2 pineapple growing households in Quang Ngai, 9 July 2024. baovanhoa.vn.
- Agriculture and Environment newspaper (Nong nghiep va Moi truong). Article on pineapple prices in Thanh Hoa, 9 June 2026. nongnghiepmoitruong.vn.
- FAO. Major Tropical Fruits Market Review – Preliminary results 2025, 2026. fao.org.
- United Nations. UN Comtrade, HS 0804.30 data for 2024 (API query of 17 October 2026). comtradeplus.un.org.
- USDA AMS Market News. Miami Shipping Point Fruit Prices, 16 October 2026. ams.usda.gov.
- CBI (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Entering the European market for fresh pineapples, 10 October 2022. cbi.eu.
- CBI. The European market potential for pineapple juice, updated 2 December 2025. cbi.eu.
Article by AgrifoodV, compiled from the sources above (accessed 17 October 2026). Prices fluctuate with the season and the market; figures reflect only the dates and sources stated. Cover image: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Pexels.
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