Dole Australia Working Hard to Meet Organic Banana Demand

"THE Far North is poised to tap into the growing demand for organic produce with Dole Australia gearing up to increase production of organic banana.

The international company, which is growing plots of organic banana in Walkamin on the Tableland and in the Daintree, said demand was outstripping production.

Production manager Marc Jackson told The Cairns Post organics was a healthy and sustainable industry to be in and the company planned to expand production.

In April/May, trials in organic pineapples will also get under way and already its bananas are selling in Woolworths stores and through organic wholesalers in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

"At the moment, we are getting about $20-24 a box and it costs about $30 a box to produce organic bananas but we see it as a long-term project,'' he said.

"It's the future we have to look at and we are looking at setting up a niche market and if we can get to the point to where we are producing excellent quality bananas 52 weeks of the year, then people will pay for them.'"

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