Pineapple—Taiwan's Varieties, World's Finest

Taiwan boasts the world's greatest variety of pineapples, primarily grown in Nantou, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. Varieties include Sugar Apple Pineapple (Tainung No. 4), Apple Pineapple (Tainung No. 6), Mango Pineapple (Tainung No. 23), Milky Pineapple (Tainung No. 20), and Golden Diamond Pineapple (Tainung No. 17)—with Golden Diamond leading production.

Taiwan's pineapples fall into three categories: indigenous varieties first brought to the island, improved foreign varieties introduced from abroad, and hybrid cultivars developed through crossbreeding. The finest varieties are designated with Tainung numbers—short for Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute—such as Golden Diamond Pineapple (Tainung No. 17).

Taiwanese pineapples deliver a tender, juicy texture with a nuanced sweet-tart balance. Superior varieties combined with advanced cultivation techniques have propelled pineapples to the top tier of Taiwan's fruit export rankings.

Export Success in Japan, Hong Kong, and Canada Creates a Sensation

In 2021, Taiwan's Council of Agriculture opened export channels to Japan and Hong Kong, sparking a Taiwan pineapple fever in Japan. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even posted photos of himself with Taiwanese pineapples on social media. That same year marked Taiwan's first pineapple exports to Canada—despite each container holding only 672 boxes and individual pineapples priced at CA$20 (roughly NT$460), they sold out immediately upon hitting Toronto supermarket shelves.

In 2008, SunnyHills sparked a new pineapple cake craze using local Taiwanese pineapples. By 2011, Taiwan Panorama dubbed pineapple cakes little golden bricks of foreign exchange, as they had dominated the top souvenir spot for consecutive years.

A single pineapple, in countless forms, carries Taiwan's most authentic flavors to the world.