Since pineapples flower erratically, forcing of flowers is a common practice. This is done chemically by use of a plant hormone which induces flowering and subsequent fruiting. Production is continuous in the tropics. In subtropics, harvest is usually during the summer months. An average diploid pineapple weighs 2.25 kg.
Larger cultivars yield more per hectare, depending on the variety.
Largest producers are Hawaii, Malaysia, Brazil, Ghana, Mexico, Philippines, in that order. Lesser amounts are produced by Taiwan, Republic of South Africa, and Puerto Rico. Capital requirements for trash use are minor compared with those of other energy sources, and the environmental impact is insignificant. If such is true in one of the United States, clearly it should not be written off as an energy resource in developing countries. The pineapple slightly exceeded the sugarcane, which in turn exceeded cassava.