CARAMBOLA, also known as star fruit, is grown as a niche tropical crop in Queensland, however Northern Territory production is likely to remain limited.
Speaking as part of the Northern Food Futures farm tour, sponsored by ANZ, Calypso Mangoes, farm manager, Martina Maetzer said Queensland a better fit for star fruit.
“It has about 60 per cent shrinkage and return versus investment is not that great,” she said.
“I actually wouldn’t recommend growing it, we would be one of the last farms left.”
She said Northern Territory production had to compete with Queensland, who had the benefit of lower input costs and freight.
“Queensland can do lots of things cheaper as they have better infrastructure,” she said.
Ms Maetzer said the decision to continue to grow the crop under nets is based around managing labour units and cash-flow.
“I have held onto the net for mainly the reason that it does produce all year round,” she said.
“It enables us to hold more staff then we would if we were just mangoes.
“The ten staff we have here on a full-time basis, this is part of keeping them busy.”
Carabbola is a popular fruit throughout Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Micronesia, and parts of East Asia.
Ms Maetzer said the fruit is healthy and nutritious, though should be avoided by people with kidney problems.
“It is very high in vitamin C, it is known in Malaysia as having anti-cancer components,” she said.
“It also lowers cholesterol and it is considered very good fruit if you have diabetes.”
The carambola has distinctive ridges running down its five sides and when cut in cross-section, it resembles a star, the entire fruit is edible, including the skin.
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