Aaron McCloy, a tropical fruit tree grower from Far North Tropicals, has been distributing warmth-loving plants across New Zealand, witnessing an annual demand increase four-fold since the inception of his venture three years ago. McCloy highlights the expanding areas of the country now free from severe frost, facilitating the cultivation of tropical fruits such as pawpaw in Invercargill and bananas in Waikato.
Over the past two years, McCloy has established four orchards with banana plants and questions why there isn't a broader adoption of banana cultivation considering the financial returns. He notes, "We've already got two orders for whole orchards for bananas, people recognizing that they can make $60,000 per hectare of bananas, whereas off dairy or beef, you know, dry stock beef, they're making $1500 per hectare." A grower in Taranaki has successfully cultivated bananas, implementing frost protection measures during winter to ensure year-round fruiting.
McCloy's nursery, Far North Tropicals, has also supplied a temperate variety of pawpaw to a grower in Invercargill and pineapples to enthusiasts in Whanganui, indicating a demand for the fruit itself. He recounts, "We had a buyer fly up from Queenstown to find out what orchards we've supplied and to get some supply for New Zealand-grown papaya, New Zealand-grown bananas down for Queenstown and Wānaka for clients down there."
Source: Rural Life