31 Oct 2016
Ken Vowles
Minister for Primary Industry and Resources
The Northern Territory has developed a number of promising new varieties of passionfruit for commercialisation.
Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Ken Vowles, said these new lines of passionfruit will help drive growth in the NT passionfruit industry.
“The market price of fresh passionfruit peaks in October and November due to limited supply from traditional Australian production areas,” he said.
“By targeting this high price window and developing better quality fruit with longer vine life - such as these new varieties - NT passionfruit production has scope for expansion.
“The new hybrid varieties will help NT passionfruit producers take advantage of the high price period and expand their production windows throughout the year.”
Minister Vowles said these new varieties will help increase the Territory’s small passionfruit industry and, ultimately, create jobs and business opportunities.
“These new varieties are being trialled on six commercial farms in the Darwin and Katherine regions and it’s an exciting time for the industry,” he said.
“Passionfruit trials have been conducted in the NT since 2007 and today is one of the really good new stories from these trials.”
Mark Hoult Senior Research Horticulturist at Department of Primary Industry and Resources said the passionfruit industry in the NT is small and primarily focuses on supplying local markets.
“NT growers typically produce Panama Red passionfruit as this variety suits the tropical climate,” he said.
“The dark purple Edulis type passionfruit grown in eastern states attract considerably higher prices at market.
"Since Edulis types do not fruit in tropical climates, a breeding program was established to develop a new hybrid of the two types that is better adapted to the Top End environment.
“With stronger rootstocks and uniform high quality fruit, the NT passionfruit industry has potential to expand in the future.”
Minister Vowles said the NT has a big advantage over eastern production areas by being free of many passionfruit viruses that cause loss of productivity, poor fruit development and premature vine death.
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