The King of Fruits

The pineapple played an important role in the history of Ponta Delgada in the Azores. Images of the fruit appear in the mosaic pavements in the eastern part of the city where it is still cultivated.

 

Orange farming was a staple industry of the Azores in the 19th century and the fruit was exported in large quantities. When the citrus groves became decimated by concave gum disease, plantation owners sought an alternative crop.

The pineapple had been introduced to the islands in the 17th century, brought from central America by Portuguese navigators. They were grown for the landed gentry as a curiosity but gradually farmers  perfected methods of cultivation.

The first commercial greenhouse was built in 1864 and was able to support 800 plants. By the early 20th century, 4300 greenhouses had been built and the pineapple was Sao Miguel Island's main export crop.

The Azores are too far north for outdoor cultivation and the greenhouses of whitewashed glass are used to re-create the natural conditions for growing the fruit. 

First the soil is prepared to create a "hot bed" using a mixture of firewood, earth, sawdust and ground incense. Natural decomposition produces the heat inside the greenhouses that the plants need to grow. Four months after planting, the smoking process begins. Wood chips and leaves are burned each evening producing a thick smoke. The following morning the houses are ventilated and this process continues for 8 to 10 days. The result of this cycle is that the plants all flower simultaneously. Growing a Sao Miguel pineapple takes between 18 and 24 months.





A number of the remaining plantations now depend upon tourism to support their business. Visitors are offered free tours and have the opportunity to buy pinapples and related products from the gift shops. There are still hundreds of greenhouses on the island, mostly in the south which has the warmer climate.