PHUKET: A social enterprise on the southern island of Phuket has successfully turned cheap, widely available “Phuket pineapples” into a highly sought-after gift believed to bring luck and prosperity during the Chinese New Year, generating substantial income for local farmers.
Pracharath Rak Samakkee Phuket Ltd’s pineapples made national headlines in 2017 for being priced at 1,500 baht (US$44) each as a gift set for the Chinese New Year festival, despite the average price of Phuket pineapples being 15 baht (44 cents) per fruit.
Two years later, after the campaign’s success, the company priced its Chinese New Year gift sets at a whopping 15,430 baht. There were only nine sets available and buyers also got a gold pendant with their pineapples.
The number 15,430 signifies the total length of Phuket (in metres), company manager Kwannapatsorn Charnthalay said on Monday, adding that it is a little gimmick to present the province’s identity.
The campaign, “Ong Lai Po Pi Peng An”, has been running for eight years, aiming to provide a premium gift for Chinese descendants to give to their families during the Chinese New Year, which is around late January or early February each year.
Ong Lai, a Hokkien word meaning fortune or luck, is coincidentally the term that Phuket locals call pineapples, Kwannapatsorn said.
“Pineapples are grown all over the Southern region and are generally cheap,” she said. “However, we promote the real ‘Phuket pineapple’ grown exclusively on the island, selecting the breed that features the iconic sweet and sour tastes that everyone loves.”
Dubbed “The Queen of Andaman Fruits”, Phuket pineapple is renowned for its unique and mellow flavour, crisp texture and pleasant aroma.
The company’s initial strategy was to sell pineapple gift sets at a limited amount and high prices to create demand and interest among customers during the Chinese New Year festival.
This year, however, the gift sets are sold at only 235 baht each, containing two pineapples, with plenty of supplies to attract wider crowds.
“We decided to sell the pineapples at a more affordable price, and will also hold the Phuket Pineapple Festival to promote sales,” she said.
With initial funding of only 2.7 million baht, mostly from public donations, Pracharath Rak Samakkee Phuket paired up rubber farmers in Phuket with pineapple growers to use leftover space in rubber plantations to grow pineapples.
Under this system, pineapple growers will take care of plantation maintenance in lieu of rent for rubber farmers.
“Phuket pineapples can be cultivated along with rubber trees for up to three years, after which the tree will become too large and block most of the sunlight, signalling that it is time to find new places to grow pineapples,” Kwannapatsorn said.
The company coordinates with local communities to find suitable locations for growing pineapples, thus ensuring that growers earn maximum profit of this geographical indication (GI) product.
With continued cultivation of Phuket pineapples, the company partnered up with community enterprises to produce pineapple juice, as well as soap and cosmetics from pineapple, she added.
With Chinese New Year drawing close, why not consider buying a gift set that represents the pride of Phuket locals for your loved ones, now at a more affordable price than ever. - The Nation/ANN
