A family-owned farm near Darwin has become the Northern Territory's largest producer of passionfruit. The Moon family has expanded production to the point where farming has become a full-time business.
Jason Moon, a fitter and turner by trade, said the shift to farming began after testing a variety suited to the Top End. "About 10 years ago, my good mate and I started mucking around with a few passionfruit vines, and all of a sudden, we got some awesome fruit come through. So we thought, 'Bugger it, let's have a go at this'. We planted 600 vines, and the fruit was unbelievable, so we planted another 1,200 vines. They're a massive fruit, full of pulp and very sweet."
Fruit is harvested daily, producing around 1.4 tons per week. The hybrid of the Panama variety averages 250 grams per fruit. Volumes are marketed locally in Darwin and shipped to Sydney and Melbourne, where demand is increasing.
Expansion is underway with the purchase of additional land. About 6,000 new vines are being planted. Mr Moon said that once in full production, the farms could produce up to 4 tons per week. "We're sending some fruit down now for trials in Coles and Woolworths, so we'll see how it goes and hopefully the customers love it," he said.
He added that the fruit is sold without a wax coating. "They taste great, and these fruits shine; we don't need to wax them, they just come off the vine like that, and you can see your reflection in them."
The farm has become a family enterprise. "My son is now working here full time, my grandkids come along and help pick, my daughter-in-law is flat out grafting, and that's what we want, I want this to be a family business," Mr Moon said.
NT Farmers Association chief executive Andrew Bourne noted, "NT Farmers are excited to see another grower who has started small, refined a great product, and is now successfully scaling up production. Jason is also supporting the local community. He's taking a local school on a tour of his farm in the coming weeks, which is great."
According to Hort Innovation, Australia produced 5,654 tons of passionfruit in 2023/24, valued at AU$28.9 million (US$19.1 million). About 60% of national production came from Queensland, while just 0.1% was from the Northern Territory. That share is expected to rise quickly as Darwin production increases.
Source: ABC News
