Demand for rare tropical fruits rises in Australia — ABC News Australia
In Australia, rare tropical fruits from the far north of Queensland are becoming increasingly popular among shoppers in major cities. Jackfruit, rambutans and mangosteens are attracting attention through social media, customer recommendations and cultural demand, ABC News Australia reports.
Stores increase orders
Melbourne fruit seller Daniel Perogiannis, who has been selling exotic fruits for two years, said that in recent months he has started ordering more produce. According to him, all the goods he purchases are sold out every week, while demand continues to grow.
Perogiannis believes the interest is partly linked to the growing number of foreigners in Australia: shoppers are looking for fruits familiar to them from their hometowns or countries. At the same time, more and more Australians are hearing the names of these fruits, looking up information about them and taking an interest in them.
Brisbane seller Michael Nguyen has noticed a similar trend. He said that over the past 12 months, the popularity of mangosteens and jackfruits has increased noticeably. In his view, some of these fruits could become more mainstream if farmers are able to increase production.
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Farmers respond to customer interest
Both sellers buy produce from farmer Warren Orsmond, who grows 14 types of exotic fruit near the town of Tully, between Cairns and Townsville. He reported an increase in inquiries from small stores and intermediaries over the past two months.
Rambutans and mangosteens are in the greatest demand on his farm, but customers are also interested in the lesser-known rollinia and sapodilla. Orsmond explained that the climate and humidity of far north Queensland are similar to conditions in Southeast Asia, South America and Central America, where such fruits originate.
The farmer is working to increase harvest volumes, taking into account the farm's capabilities and market demand. Perogiannis also linked customer interest to social media: after black sapote became popular on Instagram, where it was called the chocolate pudding fruit, people began coming to his store wanting to learn about the fruit.
