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  Dragon fruit market price: Comparison of Australian-grown and imported fruit (2014-2020) quantity

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The Australian horticultural industry plays a significant role in the national economy and employment. In 2019-2020, Australian horticulture had a production value of more than $15 billion and about 60,000 employees. The tropical horticulture industry, including dragon fruit, is labour intensive and has a high cost of production and unit price in the marketplace. The introduction of dragon fruit imports from South East Asia in 2017 impacted demand for local fruit, and the average price dropped from about $10/kg in 2017 to about $8/kg in 2020. The limited demand for comparatively expensive Australian fruit is a potential threat to the local industry.

This study compared wholesale market price data between Australian growing regions and imported fruit for the seven years from 2014 to 2020. It provides insight into market trends that can inform strategies to expand domestic and export demand. The report highlights the pressure fluctuating prices put on small growers, the role marketing plays in promoting domestic consumption, particularly for off-season production, and how this links to the need for the Australian dragon fruit industry to have strong governance.