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However, competition and disease pests, like the Oryces beetle, threatened plantations. By the 1930s, rubber plantations declined as Singapore shifted focus to other industries, yet the remnants still linger in parks such as Polo Uben and Bedok Town Park, serving as ecological time capsules.
The Shift to Industrialization: Pineapples and Beyond
Following the decline of rubber, Singapore shifted towards pineapple canning—an industry that thrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Pioneers like Tankaki from Fujian established canneries that supplied Europe and beyond. The popularity of canned pineapples cemented Singapore’s reputation as a tropical food processing center, fueled by innovations in steam-powered canning technology and the opening of the Suez Canal.