Field Production

From growth to harvest in the field, and from there to packaging and transportation to the market, our pineapples receive the best treatment possible. This treatment preserves their total organoleptic and nutraceutical properties, provides an excellent presentation, and lengthens their shelf life.

Part of the growth system we use is based in the technology generated by INIFAP*. This is called: Producción Intensiva de Piña en Ambiente Protegido (System of Intensive Pineapple Production in a Controlled Environment) which embraces enhancement of pre-sowing soil, integral plastic mulch for water conservation and protection, a rational irrigation system, and crop and fruit protection against excessive solar radiation through using shading mesh.

(*National Forest, Agriculture and Cattle Research Institute, under SAGARPA).

We only grow on fields that have the highest potential for pineapple production, which we periodically enhance by incorporating, cyclically, the remains of the last pineapple crop, as well as green fertilizers such as Crotalaria juncea – cultivated exclusively for this purpose. In addition, in order to control rapid soil acidification, we apply dolomite substrate; and we inoculate each plant with mycorrhizae so the capabilities of the plants to absorb nutrients and water, increase. This approach allows for a 40% reduction in chemical fertilizers applied during each production cycle, yielding a more natural product.

Part of the growth system we use is based in the technology generated by INIFAP*. This is called: Producción Intensiva de Piña en Ambiente Protegido (System of Intensive Pineapple Production in a Controlled Environment) which embraces enhancement of pre-sowing soil, integral plastic mulch for water conservation and protection, a rational irrigation system, and crop and fruit protection against excessive solar radiation through using shading mesh.

(*National Forest, Agriculture and Cattle Research Institute, under SAGARPA).

We only grow on fields that have the highest potential for pineapple production, which we periodically enhance by incorporating, cyclically, the remains of the last pineapple crop, as well as green fertilizers such as Crotalaria juncea – cultivated exclusively for this purpose. In addition, in order to control rapid soil acidification, we apply dolomite substrate; and we inoculate each plant with mycorrhizae so the capabilities of the plants to absorb nutrients and water, increase. This approach allows for a 40% reduction in chemical fertilizers applied during each production cycle, yielding a more natural product.

Our irrigation process helps to reduce up to 70% of water consumption

Thanks to our technological package applied to farming, we emit 35% less CO2 into the atmosphere

The System of Intensive Pineapple Production in a Control Environment (SIPPCE) used in our fields, prevents a great deal of erosion, so that it preserves and progressively enhances the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. It also triples the water efficiency of both, rain and irrigation, dramatically lowering water consumption. Conventional, biological or organic pesticide effectiveness increases as well, allowing the amount and frequency of its application to be cut almost in half. Specifically, the plastic mulch employed in the soil controls weed proliferation; so we can limit the application of chemical herbicides to walkways and non-cultivated areas.

In order to harvest increasingly safer pineapples that contain less toxic residues, our Integrated Pest and Disease Management Program starts at the stage of field preparation by reducing populations of phytoparasitic organisms since the preparation of soil stage. As for our new plantations, we employ only our own planting stock, which has the highest genetic and phytosanitary quality. We keep our harvests under strict control measures, ensured through continuous monitoring at the work fields. We use only active ingredients approved by SENASICA-México and EPA-USA, and we favor the use of an increasing number of organic and biological alternatives as well.

The System of Intensive Pineapple Production in a Control Environment (SIPPCE) used in our fields, prevents a great deal of erosion, so that it preserves and progressively enhances the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. It also triples the water efficiency of both, rain and irrigation, dramatically lowering water consumption. Conventional, biological or organic pesticide effectiveness increases as well, allowing the amount and frequency of its application to be cut almost in half. Specifically, the plastic mulch employed in the soil controls weed proliferation; so we can limit the application of chemical herbicides to walkways and non-cultivated areas.

In order to harvest increasingly safer pineapples that contain less toxic residues, our Integrated Pest and Disease Management Program starts at the stage of field preparation by reducing populations of phytoparasitic organisms since the preparation of soil stage. As for our new plantations, we employ only our own planting stock, which has the highest genetic and phytosanitary quality. We keep our harvests under strict control measures, ensured through continuous monitoring at the work fields. We use only active ingredients approved by SENASICA-México and EPA-USA, and we favor the use of an increasing number of organic and biological alternatives as well.

All our plantations are protected under the protection of shading mesh

The technology that we use allows us to harvest fruits of better shape, quality and safety

In order to guarantee the volume, shape, and quality of the fruit demanded by our clients, we use relief irrigation, which is applied strictly as needed, and ensures the appropriate humidity conditions for the wellbeing of our plants and fruits. By combining the use of integral plastic mulch, shading mesh, and micro sprinkling, as well as drip irrigation, we have achieved savings of up to 70% in water consumption, with minimal impact to the local underground water mantle.

In order to avoid the negative effects of the solar radiation, that is extreme every day, and has an impact in the regions where this fruit is cultivated all over the planet; all of our plantations are developed in their productive phase under the shield and protection of synthetic shading mesh. This allows them to develop their maximum potential of yield, shape, and quality, as well as enhancing shelf lifespan.

We economize in the fields thanks to the production technologies we adopted. They include savings in field labor, reductions in the amount and frequency of fertilizer application, minimal use of pesticides and other supplies; also, we diminished the risks of help, and workers’ transportation. All of this translates into less pollution, more energy savings, and less CO2 emissions.

Our technology has yielded crops of superb shape, quality, and harmlessness while being more environmentally friendly. As a team, our technical staff and field workers feel proud for being part of this process from its inception. We have applied strong principles, validated goals, and successfully transferred our vision to the production fields.

As a part of the search for new production alternatives in the field, and for the professional training of our sowing specialists, Kiana Produce supports several researchers from some institutions as INIFAP (along with professors, university students and technicians from agricultural supplies companies) to develop experimental, validation and technological transfer works that are related with the production of pineapple.

In order to guarantee the volume, shape, and quality of the fruit demanded by our clients, we use relief irrigation, which is applied strictly as needed, and ensures the appropriate humidity conditions for the wellbeing of our plants and fruits. By combining the use of integral plastic mulch, shading mesh, and micro sprinkling, as well as drip irrigation, we have achieved savings of up to 70% in water consumption, with minimal impact to the local underground water mantle.

In order to avoid the negative effects of the solar radiation, that is extreme every day, and has an impact in the regions where this fruit is cultivated all over the planet; all of our plantations are developed in their productive phase under the shield and protection of synthetic shading mesh. This allows them to develop their maximum potential of yield, shape, and quality, as well as enhancing shelf lifespan.

We economize in the fields thanks to the production technologies we adopted. They include savings in field labor, reductions in the amount and frequency of fertilizer application, minimal use of pesticides and other supplies; also, we diminished the risks of help, and workers’ transportation. All of this translates into less pollution, more energy savings, and less CO2 emissions.

Our technology has yielded crops of superb shape, quality, and harmlessness while being more environmentally friendly. As a team, our technical staff and field workers feel proud for being part of this process from its inception. We have applied strong principles, validated goals, and successfully transferred our vision to the production fields.

As a part of the search for new production alternatives in the field, and for the professional training of our sowing specialists, Kiana Produce supports several researchers from some institutions as INIFAP (along with professors, university students and technicians from agricultural supplies companies) to develop experimental, validation and technological transfer works that are related with the production of pineapple.

OUR PRODUCTION
FIELD CONDITIONING
We only grow on fields that have the highest potential for pineapple production. We periodically enhance our soils’ properties and organic material content by incorporating the remains of the last pineapple crop, as well as green fertilizers.
ANTI-EROSION SYSTEM
All our production parcels have a runoff control system, consisting of blocks, sowing beds, primary and secondary drainages, fords, and irrigation ditches. Such a runoff control system guarantees that all rain-produced water surpluses are properly directed, and leave the production batches efficiently, preventing soil erosion.
INTEGRAL PLASTIC
We obtain the maximum benefits that the integral plastic mulch offers to the soil, to humidity and to the crops throughout continuous production cycles. The plastic mulch materials are removed at the end of their duty cycle and are deposited at ecological recycling centers.

Production, seed selection, and sowing.

On all our new plantations, we employ only our own planting stock, which has the highest genetic and phytosanitary quality, which is classified by uniform batches of type and weight, according to the date of sowing.

CHEMICAL FERTILIZATION
In order to opportunely and sufficiently complement the needs and nutrients that the crop has, we apply a balanced formula, at different stages and appropriate amounts during the cycle, by using the most appropriate doses and sources, thus, we obtain pineapples of only the highest standards.
IRRIGATION AND FERTIGATION
We provide Relief Irrigation to out plantations during their growing to guarantee the volume of fruit production demanded by our clients. It is applied strictly as needed throughout in order to guarantee appropriate humidity conditions. In order to increase the considerable water saving that we achieve with the combination of integral plastic mulch and shading mesh, our Company is migrating towards micro sprinkling and drip irrigation systems, which are much more efficient and versatile than the sprinkling guns. This means we have achieved savings of up to 70% in water consumption and that we obtained the possibility of fertilize plantations via those systems.
HARMLESS/PESTICIDE APPLICATION
Our holistic Pest and Disease Management Program uses only active ingredients approved by SENASICA-México and EPA-USA. To obtain fruits that even safer, we applied pesticides only as strictly needed, and favor the use of an increasing number of organic and biological alternatives.
SHADING MESH
During the growth production phase, all of our crops are protected by a shading mesh. This measure allows our plants and fruit to reach their maximal potential, acquiring an ideal shape, supreme quality, and a longer shelf life.
BEST AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
As we are aware of the tremendous environmental impact of food and agricultural industries, one of our fundamental business principles is maintaining the utmost respect for the ecosystem. Therefore, on all of our farms we respect nature by avoiding soil spoilage, protecting bodies of water, and underground water mantles, replanting non-productive areas, and applying the best agricultural practices whenever possible.
TECHNICAL STAFF TRAINING
In order to remain a leader in the business, our technical staff is continuously taking part in training seminars and technological exchanges that are organized with experts from other latitudes, mainly Central America.