You know what we don’t spend enough time talking about?
Pineapples.
In case you missed it, Australian pineapple growers are concerned about the possibility of fresh pineapple imports from India and Indonesia.
It comes after a federal department draft report found imports from those countries could be allowed (though no agreements have been made).
Nationals Leader Matt Canavan has also raised concerns about a disease that could cause ‘exploding pineapples’.
Background
Almost all of the fresh pineapples we consume in Australia come from Queensland farms.
While Australia does allow some imports from places like Thailand and the Philippines, very few fresh pineapples sold here originate from overseas.
In 2025, Australia’s only pineapple imports were about 18 tonnes of fresh pineapples from Taiwan.
Biosecurity
In 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry began reviewing whether fresh, decrowned pineapples (with the leafy top removed) could be imported from India and Indonesia.
Its draft report, released in July, found they could be permitted if biosecurity conditions are met.
It identified eight pests that need risk management.
The bacteria linked to ‘exploding’ pineapples aren’t among them.
Nationals Leader Matt Canavan says the Government “should be looking at these diseases”.
Exploding
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“Exploding pineapple disease” is a nickname for bacterial heart rot and fruit collapse, which are caused by bacteria called Dickeya.
It can make pineapples ferment and release gas, sometimes causing the fruit to explode.
In Malaysia, for example, crop losses of up to 40% have been reported.
A mild strain of Dickeya was found in Australia in 2015.
Canavan says the Government isn’t looking at “the more serious strains that do devastate pineapple industries in India and Indonesia”.
Impact
Separate to the disease concerns, Aussie growers say imports could hurt the local industry.
The National Party launched a petition against the proposal, which now has more than 14,000 signatures.
Rebecca Scurr, from family-run Pinata Farms, told TDA the cost of production in Australia is “so high that already farming is really, really challenging.”
Response
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told TDA her department is running a “rigorous, science-based process”.
She said it “does not mean that trade will occur, or that it is imminent”.
However, she did not rule out potential deals with Indonesia and India, calling Australia “a proud, two-way trading nation”.
The department will now work towards a final report.
It’s expected in the second half of 2027.
