Muvattupuzha: An unexpected dry spell and soaring temperatures during the month of Chingam have left pineapple farmers in Kerala deeply worried. With the harvest just days away, growers are working round the clock to shield their crops from severe heatwave conditions to prevent widespread damage.

The intense direct sunlight and high ambient temperatures pose a severe threat of sunburn to the ripening fruit. When exposed directly to the harsh sun, the pineapples develop severe burns on one side, causing the outer skin to lose its natural yellow colour, turning white or completely charred. This heat exposure dries up the inner juice, destroying the fruit’s natural aroma and flavour. Furthermore, as the internal temperature of the fruit rises, it begins to rot from the inside, making the entire harvest completely unfit for the market.

Battling the heat with makeshift shields
To mitigate the damage, growers are employing various methods to cover the delicate fruits. While small-scale farmers are using traditional materials like straw, dried grass, dry leaves, and coconut fronds to wrap individual pineapples, larger plantations are turning to commercial shade nets that provide 35% to 50% shade. Implementing these protective measures just before the harvest has placed a heavy, unplanned financial burden on the agricultural community.

Escalating costs erode profit margins
According to local farmers, encountering such extreme heat during Chingam—a month traditionally characterised by monsoon showers and moderate weather—is highly unusual. Although the current market price for green pineapples is relatively strong at over ₹40 per kg, the steep overheads associated with intensive irrigation and installing shade nets mean that even a price of ₹50 per kg would yield very little profit. With climate unpredictability on the rise, farmers are calling for better support systems to survive these shifting weather patterns.