Unusual weather leads to Queensland pineapple glut

A COMBINATION of a prolonged summer heatwave and a mild winter has left the state with its biggest ever pineapple glut. And it is a big problem.

Taylah Scott, 7, on a pineapple farm in Beerwah. Picture: Liam Kidston

QUEENSLAND, we have a big pineapple problem.

A combination of a prolonged summer heatwave and a mild winter has left the state with its biggest ever pineapple glut.

While it’s good news for consumers, with prices at record lows, the glut means farmers are stuck with the excess.

“We have twice as much fruit this winter than what we want or expect,” said Joe Craggs, from Pure Gold Pineapples, a group of growers that produce about half the nation’s annual crop.

“We need to encourage people to eat more pineapples.”

(From left) Taylah, 7, and Sarsha Scott, 5, and Oliver Gannon eating pineapples on a farm in Beerwah. Photographer: Liam Kidston

Pineapple expert, agronomist Col Scott, said the early flowering phenomenon was the worst he had seen in his 47-year career.

Mr Scott said an unusually high number of days over 36C in summer had prompted plants on farms all the way along the Queensland coast to produce more flowers than usual, and too early in the season — leading to a surplus of fruit.

He said the state’s mild winter had then caused the pineapples to ripen too soon.

“It’s a phenomenon we don’t really want to see in pineapples, but we don’t have any control over the weather,” Mr Scott said.

“This year is particularly bad. It’s the worst I can remember.”