Queensland pineapple growers warn imports from Asia could carry crop-killing
Queensland pineapple growers are challenging a federal plan to allow fresh imports from India and Indonesia, citing inadequate pest risk assessment.
The Albanese government is considering opening Australia's market to pineapple imports from India and Indonesia after a Department of Agriculture draft report found proposed safety measures would protect local crops.
But Queensland's 42 growers say the assessment missed serious threats, including bacterial heart rot and exotic mealybug strains that could devastate the industry if they arrived. The proposed controls include fumigation and irradiation but growers argue no evidence shows these work on pineapples.
Australia produced 68,373 tonnes of pineapples in 2025, worth 78 million dollars, mostly for the domestic fresh market. The industry has already shrunk to a third of its former size due to competition from imported canned fruit.
- 42
- Queensland growers
- 68,373 tonnes
- 2025 production
- 78 million dollars
- Market value
- India and Indonesia
- Source countries
Why it mattersA single pest incursion could force crop destruction and movement restrictions; for a small industry with few control options, the economic and biosecurity stakes are extremely high.
AustraliaIf pineapple imports proceed and exotic pests arrive, Australian farmers could face eradication campaigns and lost markets, while shoppers may see less local fruit and higher prices.
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