[abgc_title title_left=”Key” title_right=”Facts” text_align=”1″ heading_type=”h3″]
The Australian Banana Industry
Consumers
96% of Australian households buy bananas
Consumption per head of population was 16kg[1]
Production
Queensland accounts for 94 per cent of Australia’s banana production, with almost all of that in North Queensland. Banana farming is centered around the Cassowary Coast region (Tully, Innisfail and Kennedy), the Atherton Tablelands, and at Lakeland, north of Cairns.
The Cavendish banana accounts for 97% of production. Lady Finger accounts for 3% with other varieties including Red Dacca, Goldfinger, Sucrier, Ducasse and Plantains accounting for much less than 1%.
Australian growers sold 388,000 tonnes of fresh bananas in 2017/18 (levy-based figures).
Production 2017/18
|
Banana Production |
HECTARES |
TONNES |
TONNES % |
|
Queensland |
11,280[2] |
364,970[3] |
94 |
|
New South Wales |
– |
15,530 |
4 |
|
Western Australia |
– |
6,800 |
1.8 |
|
NT |
– |
970 |
<0.1 |
|
TOTAL |
~12,500 |
388,000 |
|
Value
Farm production: $587m
Annual contribution: $1.3b (includes flow on economic benefits)
Employment: 13,400(includes flow on jobs)[4]
Further information, Jim Pekin E: jim.pekin@abgc.org.au or P: 07 3278 4786
[1] Hort Innovation, Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2017/18, p66
[2] ABGC estimate at June 2018
[3] Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2017/18, p66
[4] Hort Innovation, 2018 – Banana Enterprise Performance Comparison, p7
Read more about the industry’s economic contribution here