This odd-looking pineapple with multiple crowns is driving onlookers and of course sales to a fruit stall in Saac Market in Lapu-Lapu City. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – An odd-looking pineapple is drawing customers, curious onlookers, and selfie fans to a fruit stall in Saac Market in Lapu-Lapu City.
People stop at the stall and take photos of the rare pineapple with multiple crowns. After satisfying their curiosity some would then buy the regular-shaped fruits.
Vendor Elmor Español, 40, said that many customers offered to buy the odd-looking pineapple but he refused to sell it. He said he would just offer them the regular pineapples at P100 for three pieces.
Español said that he enjoys the reaction of the customers whenever they see the odd-looking pineapple.
And he admits that the attention the weird fruit generates is immensely helping his business since multi-crowned pineapples are not common.
Español has been selling Hawaiian pineapples in Saac Market in Lapu-Lapu City for about a week now.
They originally sell their harvest in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental but because the sales there decreased, they decided to bring their fruits to Cebu. He and his two helpers transport the pineapples using his multi-cab. He said they would usually bring two tons or about 2,000 pineapples per travel.
A woman customer beams as she places the multi-crowned pineapple on her head like a crown. The odd-looking pineapple can be seen in Saac Market in Lapu-Lapu City. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino
Español is from the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental where he has a three-hectare pineapple plantation. About 30,000 pineapples were harvested a year, he said.
Of this number, only about three multiple-crowned pineapples are harvested.
“Same ra man (nga type Hawaiian), same ra lasa, murag abnormality na sa pinya, murag sobrahan sa abuno, sobra sa edad,” said Español.
He said that they may leave Saac Market when the sales start to drop. But as of now, he is enjoying the brisk sales and extra attention their odd-looking pineapple generates. /rcg
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