STRONG domestic consumer demand for berries on the back of health benefits, combined with the ongoing farmgate price squeeze for bananas, has seen the make-up of NSW’s subtropical fruit industry change significantly in recent years.
Blueberries have now become the main player in fruit production from the Mid North Coast to the Queensland border and hot on their heels is the raspberry.
Australian blueberry production has quadrupled in the past seven years to be an $85m industry this winter, with 88 per cent coming out of the North Coast.
Extensive variety development has seen high quality North Coast-grown blueberries now available from May to October.
NSW Department of Primary Industries blueberry industry development officer at Wollongbar Phillip Wilk said demand for the ‘superfood’ had outstripped supply for several years running, with the market probably able to take double what is now being produced.
That has meant the 170-odd berry growers in the region have been able to command prices of between $25 and $40 for a tray of 12 punnets, weighing 125 grams.
With cooler conditions this winter slowing production slightly, prices have consistently averaged towards the higher end of that bracket.
Most blueberry specialists were originally banana growers who have now reduced bananas to about 10pc of their operations, Mr Wilk said.
These growers have also expanded into raspberries in the past two years and that industry has quickly grown to have a farmgate value of $20m, which puts it on par with bananas, once an industry worth three times that in NSW.
With raspberries currently retailing for up to $9 a punnet, growers are receiving between $40 and $80 a tray (12 punnets of 125g), which will likely prompt even stronger growth throughout the next 12 months.
In the banana game, Lady Fingers hold the most promise for NSW growers who have struggled to compete with large-scale Cavendish farmers in Queensland, said Richmond Banana Growers Association president Jeff Larsson.
With ample Queensland supply currently hitting wholesale markets, Cavendish are this week making a traditionally low return of $10 to $14 for a 13kg carton.
Lady fingers are selling better because of big losses in NSW in the early-year storms. This week, they are making $35 to $40, up 20pc on what they were prior to the storms.
Other tropical fruits such as mangoes, passionfruit and low chill stone fruit have been plagued by tough seasons and below-average farmgate prices in the past three years.
Low Chill Australia president Mark Napper, Bangalow, said the region’s stone fruit production had decreased 25pc in the past three years, with the recent decision to curtail usage of the main control agent for fruit fly also playing a role.
He said returns on fruit hitting the market after November, when it competes with southern stone fruit, had been below the cost of production.
Passionfruits Australia vice president Ian Constable said passionfruit production had declined 20pc in the same time to about 30 growers from Coffs Harbour to the Qld border and about 120ha.
Prices, however, have been up 10pc this winter with 7kg boxes averaging $25 each, due to storm events in Queensland tipping the balance of supply so that NSW, which normally supplies about 40pc of the market, taking on the lion’s share since January.
“Frustratingly, passionfruit is selling for $1 a piece in supermarkets, equating to $100 a box,” he said.
