NT date farm resumes harvest after February rains destroyed last crop
February rains destroyed the crop, but the farm is preparing palms for next year's harvest.
The Northern Territory's largest date farm, Tamara Date Plantation 70 kilometres south-east of Alice Springs, was hit hard when heavy rains fell during the February 2026 harvest. The downpour destroyed much of the crop.
Workers have begun pollinating the palms to prepare for the next harvest. The manual pollination process started in June, earlier than usual because some trees flowered sooner than expected.
Farmers extract pollen from male plants, load it into pipes, and blow it onto female flowers when they open. Company director Kim McKay expects most dates ready by late February or early March next year.
The farm's main market has traditionally been Muslim communities buying for Ramadan. But as the Islamic calendar shifts earlier each year, the business is exploring other sales opportunities.
Why it mattersThe recovery shows how farms adapt when extreme climate events damage crops and disrupt traditional sales cycles.
AustraliaThe farm is one of Australia's significant outback agricultural producers, supporting regional employment and the local economy.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 9 h ago
