Pineapple Growing

Ciskei, Peddie · 1982-08-20

Official

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front

Cachet: The cachet on this cover shows a single ripe pineapple rendered in full colour, its golden diamond patterned skin sitting beneath a crown of grey green leaves. The illustration takes up most of the left side of the cover, giving the fruit itself the starring role rather than any surrounding scene. Beneath the illustration the words "Pineapple Growing in Ciskei" curve along the base in bold type, with a small springbok-like bird silhouette and the series marking "CPT 1.3" sitting to one side. Four stamps fill the top right corner in a block, each illustrated by A H Barrett and showing a different stage of pineapple production, from spraying through to packing. Two Peddie postmarks, each shaped around a stylised pineapple crown, cancel the stamps.

Info card

PINEAPPLES The pineapple, Ananas comosus, was introduced in Southern Africa from Java in about 1660. It is a delicious fruit with a distinctive flavour and a decorative appearance. The cultivation of the plant requires a subtropical climate, well-drained subsoil, regular fertilizing and efficient weed control. The Peddie-area is Ciskei's most important pineapple-producing region. 8c stamp Spraying of pineapple fields Mobile boom sprayers are used for the application of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, as well as fertilizers and growth regulators. 15c stamp Harvesting The pineapple fruit consists of more than 100 small, coalescent, berrylike fruit on a central axis. It is cone-shaped and owes its name to its superficial resemblance to a pine-cone. Pineapples bruise very easily and must be harvested with great care. 20c stamp Despatch to cannery Pineapple production in Ciskei is mainly concentrated on the large, juicy Cayenne variety, which is exported to canneries and juice factories in the Eastern Cape. 30c stamp Packing Pineapples are packed in cartons for the local fresh-fruit market. They are much in demand for their flavour, as well as for the valuable vitamins, minerals and fruit sugar they contain.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 20 August 1982 in Peddie. It carries a set of four Ciskei stamps illustrated by A H Barrett, tracing pineapple production from spraying through to packing for market. The pineapple itself is not native to the region. It was introduced to Southern Africa from Java in around 1660, and by the time this cover was issued the Peddie area had become Ciskei's most important pineapple-producing district.

Theme: Flora

Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.63 (ZAR)

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.