Australia’s Passion for Passionfruit

Passionfruit is a popular fruit in Australia that is predominantly grown in Queensland. Nonetheless, since they are subtropical plants, they may be grown in all parts of Australia. However, in colder areas, they need to be provided with a warm and sunny sheltered spot so that they are able to thrive properly. If one wants to plant a passionfruit vine, then it is best to do so between spring and early fall so that the warmth will allow it to flourish. In fact, the majority of Australia’s passionfruit is destined for the fresh market.

Some of the significant passionfruit growing areas are identified in northern Australia.  Moreover, some of the major production areas include Cooktown, Daintree and Mareeba. In addition to these locations, these exotic fruits are also discovered in the Wide Bay region and the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland. The Tweed Valley, in New South Wales, also houses the production of passionfruit.

Passionfruit is mostly produced in the state of Queensland. Almost 60% of the total production comes from this area. Five per cent of the passionfruit that is found in the fresh markets are originally from Western Australia. Lastly, less than 1% of the total production comes from Victoria. In fact, the majority of Australia’s passionfruit is destined for the fresh market.

If the data from 2019 is scrutinized, then it may be discovered that over 4,743 tonnes of passionfruit were produced in this nation. Furthermore, the valuation of this was recorded at $20.6 million. Additionally, the wholesale value of the fresh supply was estimated at $24.4 million. Out of this figure, $19 million was reserved for retail, while $5.1 million was spent on food service. Moreover, the supply per capita was approximately 178 grams, based on the volume supplied. Another interesting fact to note is that 19% of Australian households purchased passionfruit while on their shopping trip. Therefore, they bought an average of 308 grams per shopping trip.

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)