Australia's stonefruit industry has been through several difficult years
caused by seasonal variation and a lack of export markets, especially for peaches and nectarines. However, the opening of Asian markets in 2016/17 is expected to boost overall stonefruit exports from the country.
Cherry production in Australia is expected to remain at 16,000 MT in 2016/17 but to increase to 20,000 MT by 2020 due to maturing trees and gradually increasing export demand. Production of peaches and nectarines is forecast to be flat at 90,000 MT in 2016/17 because of low domestic prices and subdued demand. However, the opening of the Chinese market for Australian nectarines in mid-2016 is expected by Post to boost overall exports to 13,000 MT in 2016/17.
The stonefruit industry in Australia is dominated by cherry, peach and nectarine production, with smaller apricot and plum orchards. The industry is labor-intensive and mostly seasonal. It comprises many small-scale family farms, although there is a growing trend towards medium to larger scale operations.
Victoria, NSW and Tasmania are the major stonefruit producers. Most of
the harvest occurs during summer, with nectarines available from November to April, peaches from September to May and cherries from November to February.
Around 80 percent of stonefruit are sold fresh to the metropolitan wholesale markets in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Smaller quantities are marketed in Perth and Hobart.
A small but increasing quantity of stonefruit is exported at prices considerably above those in domestic markets. Counter-seasonal stonefruit imports from the United States began in mid-2013.
Between 2002 and 2015, apparent per capita domestic consumption of processed fruit decreased in Australia by around 40 percent, while per capita consumption of fresh fruit such as cherries, peaches and nectarines increased by over ten percent. Increased demand for fresh fruit in Australia instead of canned fruit has occurred as fresh fruit supplies increased due to better storage and transportation methods. The volume of stonefruit processed by the cannery industry has declined from over 60,000 MT in 2005 to around 10,000 MT in 2015.