Speciality Queen Garnet plums will arrive in stores around the country from this Australia Day long weekend, and will be the biggest crop since commercial production began in 2014, harvested from growers in five states.
Queensland-based Nutrafruit has the global licence to produce and distribute the plum, with the premium-positioned fruit containing seven times the antioxidants found in other plum varieties.
The company expects to double the volume sent to market last season, despite the impact of drought on the Queensland crop.
Nutrafruit CEO Luke Couch said it is the first season including the South Australian crop, with around 30 growers are contracted to grow the plum under the licence. At least five new growers from Victoria’s Goulburn Valley would also begin production.
“About two thirds of Queen Garnet trees will produce a crop this year with the Goulburn Valley accounting for about 70 per cent of volume,” said Couch.
“Queensland's crop at Stanthorpe and Inglewood has been severely impacted by the ongoing drought and is down about 90 per cent on last season.”
Couch said around 40 per cent of the crop is exported, with China representing Nutrafruit’s key export nation, as well as Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
“It will be the second season we've sent Queen Garnets to China since the protocol for stonefruit was established. This market continues to rise year-on-year in line with demand from a vast population and helped by our proximity to Asia,” he said.
Nutrafruit says the national crop will reach full production in 2022.
Queen Garnet plums will be available in stores around the country from 26 January to mid-March.
