Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG), Media Release, 24 July 2023
Yeppoon in Central Queensland will host Australia’s pineapple industry this week for their annual Pineapple Field Days.
Organised by Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) on behalf of Australian Pineapples, the two-day event brings together growers, government, researchers, and supply chain members to showcase the latest research and development occurring within the industry.
Australian Pineapples Chair, Sam Pike said the pineapple industry continues to show commitment to making improvements in the way in which it farms to demonstrate to consumers that we are striving towards more sustainable farming practices.
“While the R&D is concentrated on pineapples, the event is designed to educate all horticultural growers on ways in which productivity and environmental outcomes can be improved across the sector,” Mr Pike said.
“What we want is for attendees to leave the event armed with new practices they can implement in their own operations, allowing the best financial and environmental outcomes for those businesses.”
On display at this year’s event will be biological crop enhancers; land preparation and pre-plant use of composts; Redmite screen trials; new fertiliser products; and industry breeding trials.
“All of the trials have progressed really well and are showing some exciting results which will be available to industry at the event,” Mr Pike said.
Mr Pike added the industry had faired reasonably well following the natural flowering event that occurred earlier this year.
“In 2022 we saw unseasonably warm weather combined with double the average monthly rainfall. This combination triggered a mass natural flowering event,” Mr Pike said.
“Industry was forecasting 60 per cent – 80 per cent of the crop flowering too early. This number has since been revised and while production numbers will be down over the next 12 – 24 months while industry recovers, many remain optimistic.”
The South-East Queensland region was the hardest hit with a 40 per cent loss in production for the 2022/23 financial year and an anticipated further 40 per cent loss in the 2023/24 financial year.
Other regions impacted include the Wide Bay and Central Queensland regions with an average loss of 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for the 2022/23 financial year and an anticipated further loss of 15 per cent and 10 per cent for the 2023/24 financial year.
North Queensland growers were not impacted by the natural flowering event.
The Tropical Pines 2023 Pineapple Field Days will be held in Yeppoon from 27 – 28 July.
Pineapples are produced predominantly in Queensland (99 per cent) and the Northern Territory (1 per cent), with production valued at $50.6 million for the year ending June 2022. The fruit is grown year-round with major growing regions including South-East Queensland, the Wide Bay, Yeppoon, Rollingstone, and Mareeba.
