A single pineapple plant typically produces two crops of fruit across its standard agricultural lifecycle. The primary plant yields its first major pineapple after roughly 18 to 24 months of growth. Following the initial harvest, the plant naturally generates side shoots known as rattoons or suckers; farmers can nurture one of these select shoots to produce a second, smaller generation of fruit—known as a ratoon crop—about 12 to 15 months later. After this secondary harvest, the plant's productivity declines, prompting farmers to clear and replant new fields.