Dragon fruit
Information on current partnerships and research activities with the dragon fruit growers.
Dragon-fruit industry development
Pitaya, or dragon fruit is a climbing cacti which produces an edible fruit. The Australian industry is located in Queensland, northern New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
In 2017 the federal government approved the importation of fresh pitaya into Australia, causing concerns amongst growers about the economic impact to their industry from cheaper imported products as well as the potential for exotic disease.
2020 domestic market prices valued the fruit between $7- 15 per kg (AusMarket). The AgriFutures report “New opportunities in new and emerging agricultural industries in Australia”, lists dragon fruit as a crop with potential for growth in Australia given its visually striking appearance and “super food” status.
Some of the critical gaps identified were the need for new genetics (sweeter varieties). The Australian emerging tropical fruits strategic RD and E plan listed a lack of local agronomy information as a key issue for this industry.
Funding body
This is an internally funded project.
Objectives
- Source and establish 30+ pitaya varieties in a field trial.
- Assess the growth and yield of different varieties.
- Assess the fruit quality for the purpose of commercial production.
- Engage with the local industry to extend information on agronomy.
Further information
Read about the:
- current dragon-fruit industry in the Australian emerging tropical fruits strategy RD&E plan (2021), funded by AgriFutures Australia, by Greg Owens
- new opportunities in new and emerging agricultural industries in Australia (2017) in the AgriFutures funded report by Coriolis
- new opportunities 2020: the next wave (2020) in the AgriFutures funded report by Coriolis.
Establishing Industry Standards and the Competitive Advantages of Australian Grown Dragon Fruit (Selenicereus undatus)
The dragon fruit industry in the Northern Territory is currently threatened by cheap imports, which has a significant impact on the local dragon fruit business.
This doctoral research project will differentiate the native fresh produce from the imports through food chemistry, analysing physical appearance, nutritional compounds, shelf life and food safety hazards to generate a nutrient profile of the dragon fruit as well as provide a scientific guideline for establishing industry standards and labelling.
This project will provide a comprehensive approach to the nutritional information on the Australian dragon fruit and, most importantly, provide a scientific guideline for Australia's dragon fruit industry.
The project proposes to lead consumers to distinguish between cheap imports and locally grown dragon fruit, eventually benefitting Australian dragon fruit farmers.
This will assist the expansion of the current dragon fruit market and create more employment opportunities.
Contact: Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au
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