Pineapple Plant Harvester
Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, MOA
Associate Researcher Kuang-Yueh Pan
Tel：886-8-774-6787
Email： pan@mail.kdais.gov.tw
Dec. 23, 2025
Foreword
Pineapple is an important economic fruit crop in Taiwan. In 2023, the pineapple planting area reached 10,869 hectares, with a harvested area of 7,130 hectares. During pineapple production, post-harvest stems, leaves, and other residues are often mechanically shredded and left in the field as organic fertilizer. However, this practice contributes to carbon emissions and results in resource waste. In recent years, pineapple fiber and related products derived from pineapple stems have gained increasing attention from the textile and industrial sectors. To enhance the reutilization of post-production biomass, both the research community and industry have developed a wide range of practical technologies and products that support the circular use of agricultural resources. For instance, pineapple fiber can serve as a material for the furniture, decoration, and textile industries, as well as for yarn, sporting goods, aviation, and automotive applications. Extracts from pineapple stems can be used to produce enzymes or incorporated into health foods and treatments for burns. Leaf residues can be used as forage or processed into dried filler materials.
Despite the high utilization value of pineapple leaf fibers, there is currently no suitable machinery to replace manual labor in leaf harvesting. The work is still carried out by hand, with workers picking leaves one by one while facing risks from sharp pineapple spines as well as possible snake or wasp attacks (Figure 1). This results in low operational efficiency, high production costs, and increased risks of agricultural occupational injuries. Rural labor is becoming increasingly scarce and aging, with few young or middle-aged workers entering the sector. Rising wages and difficulties in hiring further exacerbate the problem. Although pineapple fiber has high economic value, the continued reliance on manual harvesting for both leaves and stems poses an unavoidable bottleneck for future development. Therefore, mechanization of the industry is essential. To address the challenges of pineapple leaf harvesting, the station has initiated the development of a “pineapple plant harvester” (Figure 2).
Structure and Performance Characteristics of the Machine
To cope with varying working environments, uneven roads, or complex farmland conditions, the pineapple plant harvester employs a tracked carrier. It harvests two rows per ridge in a single pass, with an operational efficiency of approximately 800 to 1,000 kg per hour, which is about 20 times higher than manual harvesting. The main mechanical components include (Figure 3): a tracked carrier, a lifting device, a cutting assembly, a clamping and conveying mechanism, and a collection mechanism operating in an integrated manner. The functions of each component are as follows:
I. Tracked carrier: Fully hydraulic-driven continuously variable transmission (CVT), powered by a 65 hp water-cooled four-cylinder diesel engine. Power is transmitted via belts and gear trains to drive the cutting disk and the clamping-conveying mechanism.
II. Lifting device: Mainly used to clear vines and weeds, straighten interwoven pineapple leaves, lift fallen plants, and raise the lower pineapple leaves to facilitate cutting and conveying.
III. Cutting mechanism: Mainly used to cut pineapple plants, with a cutting height of approximately 2–3 cm above the ground.
IV. Clamping-conveying mechanism: Mainly used to convey the cut pineapple plants and leaves.
Conclusion
Pineapple leaves account for the majority of residues in the pineapple industry. Each leaf is primarily composed of three parts: mesophyll, veins, and fibers, among which the fibers have high utilization value. Research has shown that pineapple leaf fibers are both soft and strong, making them suitable for extraction as a natural material for various practical products. The utilization, fiber extraction, and potential applications of pineapple leaves allow the reclamation of what was previously considered waste, promoting agricultural circularity, creating added value for pineapples, achieving whole-plant utilization, increasing farmers’ income, reducing carbon emissions, and preventing environmental pollution. However, due to the declining birthrate, the aging of the agricultural labor force, and a shortage of young and middle-aged workers, mechanization in agricultural production has become increasingly important and is rapidly developing. To meet farmers’ demand for mechanization, alleviate labor shortages, improve work efficiency, and reduce the risk of occupational hazards, the enhancement and improvement of mechanized operations is urgent.