Growers who are producing three of the latest locally-bred commercial pineapple varieties are receiving significantly higher returns, according to the fresh produce company responsible for distributing and marketing the fruit.
Even though there is an added cost to grow the varieties in the form of a royalty payment to Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF), Favco's Business Manager - Pineapples, Tropicals, Todd Parker says those farms who have planted the Aus-Jubilee, Aus-Carnival and Aus-Festival are getting more than their money's worth back.
"Having a look at last year's returns, after the royalties, the crops performed over and above the standard Gold variety, which is again over and above the standard smooth variety," he said. "I think it depends on the month, as to what the difference in evaluation on price, but some months it is 28 per cent higher. We try to always have it as a premium product and the Aus-Jubilee is probably the most popular (and the first released), especially through winter and we are getting good traction, although agronomically we are getting some issues regarding the size. Those issues are being worked on now through things like decreasing density and regular feeds. Overall, we found they were more of a winter-specific variety, they are consistent and can handle colour compared to other varieties, which is a consumer benefit."
Photo: Polsoni Pines farm in Wamuran
One of the farms growing the varieties is Polsoni Pines, which is a family-owned business in South-East Queensland, and delegates of the recent Australian Pineapple Field Days toured the farm and got to taste the fruit. It started growing pineapples in 1991 in Wamuran near Queensland's Sunshine Coast, beginning as a cannery, with only a small amount of fresh fruit sold locally. After originally packing from a harvester in the field, 12 years ago the company built its own packing shed. Today, all the fruit goes to Queensland-based, fresh produce company Favco for distribution nationwide - and this partnership helped breed the three varieties, along with the expertise from QDAF.
"Favco received a significant number of new varieties, more than three, and we had to work our way through them," Mr Parker said "In 2008, on the Polsoni's farm, we had a nursery for tissue culture products, with different varieties and trial pots. So, it has been a slow process to multiply and evaluate those varieties and work out which ones will perform. Each variety has its own pros and cons as we move along; from a commercial reality point of view to an agronomic point of view, different farmers have different things that they look for and obviously, there are different farms and different climates."
Photo: Favco's Todd Parker explaining the three varieties at the Australian Pineapple Field Days.
The first plants were put into Yeppoon, in Central Queensland, on a very small scale. Mr Parker says the amount of plants has grown from only 16 to over two and a half million today. The plan with the three varieties is to create a point of difference in the market so that consumers look for the fruit by name and allow growers and wholesalers more pricing power.
"In terms of commercial reality, we know the cost of planting is quite high, and getting harder for anybody in any industry," he said. "So, the commercial reality is always at the forefront, but current growth of the varieties are around 22 per cent each year. Another variety that we have is Aus-Carnival, which was one that we originally discarded due to the fact that it has a thin skin and can have some visual downgrades, but generationally it is getting better, so we are seeing better returns for this variety. It is consistent in how it cuts with a thin stalk. The Aus-Festival is a variety that we have got some reasonable numbers of, and there is a coconut flavour. It's the wrong time of year in Australia to demonstrate that but when you get into summer, the coconut aromatic really comes out of the fruit, and we are getting some good consumer feedback."
Photo: Taste testing the varieties at the Pineapple Field Days.
Garth Sanewski from the QDAF was awarded the Col Scott Award, at the Australian Pineapple Field Days for his outstanding contribution to the Australian pineapple industry. The Senior Horticulturist worked in the industry for over 40 years and is recognised as a leading pineapple agronomist internationally - his many career achievements including the breeding of these three varieties.
"The breeding program that developed these started back in 1990," Mr Sanewski said. "When we released these varieties, we weren't just releasing varieties, but bundled into the whole process, we were exploring a new marketing system. So, it was a single desk control system where the varieties were branded because they are subject to Plant Breeders Rights (PBR), they have to have a label on them by law. We were exploring varietal branding, trying to develop a name for high-flavoured varieties that resulted in repeat sales. That is still unfolding as things are still happening, but it has already been very successful."
For more information
Todd Parker
Favco
Phone: +61 407 612 459
toddp@favcoqld.com.au
www.favcoqld.com.au