Blue agave pine-cone harvesting ( pina ), known as jima - blue agave ( agave azul ) or tequila agave or Agave tequilana is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco State in Mexico, due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila, a popular distilled beverage - the high production of sugars, mostly fructose, in the core of the plant is the main characteristic that makes it suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages - tequila is produced by removing the heart ( pine-cone or piña) of the plant in its twelfth year – harvested piñas normally weigh 80–200 pounds (40–90kg) - this heart is stripped of its leaves and heated to remove the sap, which is fermented and distilled. Tequila Valley, Jalisco State, Mexico.