Australia's Piñata Farms has initiated its annual pineapple harvest in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, transitioning from its primary site in Wamuran, Southeast Queensland. This shift ensures the continuous national availability of their pineapples throughout the year. Despite challenges from Cyclone Jasper and a subsequent cold winter, the quality and taste of the pineapples remain unaffected, according to Stephen Scurr, General Manager of Tropicals at Piñata Farms.
Over the past 28 years, Piñata Farms has adapted its cultivation techniques to the Mareeba region's specific conditions, implementing strategies for erosion control, underground drainage, and irrigation to mitigate the impacts of heavy rainfall. The Mareeba site, benefiting from the local climate, produces pineapples in 18 months—six months faster than in the Southeast. Harvesting occurs over 40 hectares, five to six days a week, peaking in November and December, and will continue until March 2025.
Piñata Farms remains the sole commercial pineapple producer in Mareeba, cultivating two low-acid, hybrid varieties, MD2 and 73-50. The company emphasizes manual processes for planting, picking, and packing, ensuring that their products reach supermarkets across Australia within two days of harvest. Following the end of the season in Wamuran, the focus shifts entirely to Mareeba for pineapple production.
Source: RetailWorld