Organic Pineapple Working Group

[Organic Pineapple Working Group <opwg AT lists.ibiblio.org>]

Dear Douglas:

Thanks for your reply and for jogging the group to try to pull a manual 
together.

Regarding Det's original email, I did a "reply all" because Det had 
copied to a colleague and the PWG email address was in the address list.

The only other comment I have is in regards to the "Contamination" item 
in the list of areas to be researched. The item isn't worth researching 
because cross pollination and "contamination" would only become an issue 
if pineapple were to be propagated from seed. Given the length of time 
required to produce a new and superior pineapple cultivar, I believe 
seed propagation is an extremely remote possibility. You may also know 
that there currently are no commercial pineapple cultivars that have 
been genetically engineered.

Best regards,
Duane

On 2/25/2011 3:12 PM, Organic Pineapple Working Group wrote:
> Dear Duane and Det:
>
> Friday, February 25, 2011, at 2:58:55 PM, Duane Bartholomew wrote to Det:
>
> > I am replying to your email because I did not see a reply from the opwg
> > to you.
> I never received it, and I subscribed myself via two separate
> accounts. Neither account received mail from either det AT tipco.net or
> from him via "Organic Pineapple Working Group"<opwg AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> Are you sure Det didn't write you directly? Do the headers of his
> email show he subscribed to the opwg?
>
> The opwg archives 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/opwg/2011-February/date.html#225
> show only two messages during the month of February and both are
> from you, Duane; this one and the Pineapple News No. 18.
>
> Further more, I just checked the Membership List and Det isn't
> subscribed.  I would be glad to subscribe him, if he wishes.
> Or he can navigate to http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/opwg
> and subscribe himself.
>
> > I wonder if the group is still active.
> The group is as active as it's 45 members want it to be.
> Anyone that has subscribed can email a post to:
>
> "Organic Pineapple Working Group"<opwg AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> And the ibiblio list-servers will send his or her message to each
> and every OPWG subscriber.
>
> > If you did get a reply then perhaps the group has stopped
> > functioning because there is no one to lead it.
> Just me Duane.  And this is what I suggest:
>
> Judging from your letter, Det apparently asked you for information
> regarding organic pineapple production - a reasonable request, since
> it was directed to the Organic Pineapple Working Group. The problem
> is, some of the information he seeks is available and some hasn't
> been fully defined as yet.
>
> You may recall that a few years back, an organization in Malaysia
> that had been commissioned by the FAO to draft an Organic Pineapple
> Production Manual asked us to help them do this. I suggested at that
> time that we invite OPWG members to collaborate in joint research
> project and tabulate the results, which would fill in the gaps and
> demonstrate which alternatives worked best under which conditions.
>
> However, the group in question responded that not enough time was
> available because they had made a commitment to have the document
> was ready by a certain date. But as far as I know, their Organic
> Pineapple Production Manual was never published.
>
> So (once again) I suggest that first of all, we (the 45 members of
> the Organic Pineapple Working Group), determine how many of us are
> interested in participating.
>
> This letter is going to all OPWG members and can serve an as
> Official Invitation.
>
> Those participating must either have access to existing data or
> access to land in an area suitable for pineapple production. (Any
> questions regarding the suitability of the area can be answered by
> sending them to "Organic Pineapple Working Group"<opwg AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> The OPWG information page mentions the following Areas of Research
> that should be dealt with:
>
>    Pest and Disease Control (including prevention);
>
>    Maintaining Soil Fertility and Providing for the Plant's and
>    Fruit's Nutritional Needs,
>
>    Natural (and certifiable) Means of Inducing Florescence;
>
>    Harvest and Postharvest Handling;
>
>    The Development of New Varieties;
>
>    Marketing:
>
>    Trade Barriers;
>
>    Organic Certification;
>
>    Contamination (and the loss of organic status) from external
>    sources (including cross pollination from neighboring genetically
>    modified pineapple crops); and
>
>    The Role of the OPWG in relation to these (and other relevant) issues.
>
> > Personally, I do not know anything about organic practices for pineapple
> > and so far as I know there is no literature on the subject.
> And that is exactly what I suggest we correct.
>
> > Lacking anything else, my recommendation would be to start with
> > the requirements for growing crops under the organic label and
> > develop practices from there.
> > As far as I know there is no list of approved practices for pest
> > and disease control so rotation would seem to be the best option
> > for nematode control if they are present.
> A lot of information is available but we need to determine who is
> interested in collaborating, then elaborate protocols and design an
> equitable way of dividing the workload.
>
> The OPWG is composed of Organic Pineapple Farmers, Researchers,
> Specialists in Sustainable Development, some (but not all) of whom
> have introduced themselves to the group in the past.
>
> A number of members are concerned about sharing information with
> possible competitors, a reasonable concern that we never-the-less
> may be able to overcome (and the ideas of all members about
> resolving this problem are welcome).
>
> For example: If the pineapple crop will be directed to a market for
> fresh pineapple, pineapple farmers in Asia have little to fear from
> those located in the Caribbean or the Americas, so separate research
> groups can be created to avoid conflicts of interest. (It may be
> necessary to create additional email list-server groups to implement
> that scheme among trusted members who have agreed to share
> information under specific terms).
>
> > In the United States there are a few products, e.g.
> > soaps, sold for pest control but I don't know how effective they
> > are on pineapple.
> Det is apparently in Thailand.
>
> Furthermore, the concept of agriculture supported by the OPGW is
> Biologically based. This means that each aspect of the Agricultural
> (in this case Pineapple) Production System will be based on one or
> more naturally occurring biological processes.
>
> Rather than an Agriculture of bottles, it's an Agriculture based on
> the labor of beneficial organisms, beginning with the presence
> activity and diversity of those found in the soil environment
> itself.
>
> Since these processes can (and should) be recreated on each and
> every pineapple plantation, the end result is to free pineapple
> growers from their present state of dependence on agrochemicals that
> cost too much, aren't very effective, contaminate the soil, water and
> air and perpetuate a state of farmer dependence by eliminating or
> diminishing the presence, activity and diversity of the soil
> microorganisms that are not only responsible for the soils
> fertility, but also produce substances with proven antibiotic
> activity against many of the pineapples pests and pathogens.
>
> > I wish you success as you explore this option for your pineapple operation.
> > With best regards,
> > Duane
> Thank you Duane for forwarding Det's letter to the OPWG.  I have
> been meaning to send out a proposal to OPWG for a few months now,
> so it was a timely act on your part. (Det, don't forget to subscribe
> or alternatively, I'll be glad to do it for you if you drop me a
> line).
>
> Douglas Hinds
> OPWG Chair
> Mexico
>
> > On 2/20/2011 4:35 PM, det AT tipco.net wrote:
> > > Dear collegues
> > > I am working in the Tipco Foods (Thailand) PCL. The company business
> > > is mainly processed and export pineappe. We are interested in growing
> > > organic pineapple. Could you pls share us the most effective and
> > > practical practices of growing organic pineapple.
> > > Look forward to hearing from you soon.
> > > Regards,
> > > Det Yoocha
> > > Senior manager Agriculture
> > > Tipco Foods (Thailand) PCL
> > > det AT tipco.net
>
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--
Duane P. Bartholomew, Ph.D.
Agronomist emeritus
Dept. of Tropical Plant&  Soil Science
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI 96822
Pineapple News at http://www.ishs-horticulture.org/workinggroups/pineapple/