"Growing pawpaw in Invercargill and bananas in Waikato might become common", a tropical fruit tree grower says.
Aaron McCloy of Far North Tropicals is sending his low-chill plants around the country and has seen demand grow every year since starting the venture three years ago. "The range of the country now that doesn't get frost is big."
He has set up four orchards with banana plants over the past two years and wonders why more farmers are not getting into banana growing, given the returns.
"We've already got two orders for whole orchards for bananas, people recognizing that they can make $60,000 per hectare of bananas, whereas off dairy or beef (dry stock beef) they're making $1500 per hectare.
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