But it is back! Rohan Bicknell from Valleyfresh Australia has been involved in distribution and promoting the Feijoa in Australia for the last three years. "While it is still popular in New Zealand it was mainly the expats living in Australia who sparked the interest in the Feijoa in Australia, they remembered eating it as kids and couldn't get enough of it."
This in turn aroused Australian interest in the exotic fruit. By mid 2000 growers were struggling to keep up with demand, it is now grown on 30-40 acres in New Zealand and the Australian acreage is growing.
"Since 2012 we have been set up to supply Australian fruit non-stop through the season as well as using our fruit from the New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association. The supermarkets have been preferring the Australian grown fruit however this year unusually the NZ fruit has been preferred," said Bicknell.
One issue facing the industry in Australia is the amateur growers and traders that are pushing a product in hope of a quick buck. "Already this season we have seen inferior product enter the market in a way that a lot of us in the industry believe is detrimental to the sensitive newly developed scene. If we don't get it right with providing the customer with a quality product at a affordable price then we will lose their interest. This should be a long term approach," explained Bicknell.
There are plans to expand cultivation in Australia and export to Asia, US and the Middle East.
For more information:
Rohan Bicknell
Tel: +61 7 3848 1299
Email: rohan@valleyfresh.com.au
www.valleyfresh.com.au