Trials of two purple-skinned pineapple varieties are underway in Queensland, with commercial availability expected to take up to ten years. Australian pineapples are typically green and gold, and the new material was sourced from Brazilian breeders for testing under local conditions.
One unnamed variety, described as having sweet, bright white, low-acid flesh, has shown early promise. A small trial harvest at Wamuran in south-east Queensland generated strong consumer interest. "I guess it's novel. People just haven't seen purple pineapples," said managing director Gavin Scurr.
© Piñata Farms
Pineapples have been cultivated in Queensland for more than 180 years. The crop can take up to two years to reach harvest maturity, as individual fruits form through the fusion of flower clusters. New plants are established from crowns or suckers that grow from the base of mature plants.
The Scurr family began with 12 purple-skinned plants, six of each Brazilian selection, and now has approximately 2,000 plants in the ground. Scaling up remains the primary challenge. "We've got a handful of plants that we then need to turn into millions of plants," Scurr said. "Each generation takes two years. We then need to make sure that it actually yields, the fruit size is OK, and that it can handle weather events that are becoming more and more extreme."
Queensland is the centre of Australia's pineapple production. The Horticultural Statistics Handbook reported 76,220 tonnes of fruit, valued at US$55.3 million, produced between the Sunshine Coast and Mareeba in the 2023–24 financial year.
Australian Pineapples vice-chairperson Sam Pike is also working on varietal development. He has spent 15 years selecting within "73-50," Australia's most widely grown fresh pineapple variety, with the intention of releasing improved material early next year. He welcomed the purple-skinned trials, saying, "I love the idea of it. I think it's great."
Pike noted that growers continue to face "skyrocketing" production costs and aim to deliver fruit at a price that remains accessible to consumers. He added that Australia does not import fresh pineapples, with all fruit supplied by domestic growers. "We take pride in what we deliver to the marketplace," he said.
Source: ABC News
