Rich in vitamin C and only appearing for short periods during warmer months, the quandong has become something of a delicacy, fetching up to $100 per kilogram.
But quandong farmers Sue and Bob Tullock say the market potential for the native bush fruit, which has been growing in South Australian orchards since the 1970s, remains untapped.
The pair, who have been selecting and propagating quandongs to establish orchards in the arid regions for decades, say there is export demand for the fruit but they can’t meet the supply.
From sourcing the fruit and propagating trees to running the Quandong Café in the Flinders Ranges at Quorn, they’ve been involved in every aspect of the industry, even picking and cutting the fruit by hand.
Sue and Bob Tulloch visit the orchard they established in the late 1980s near Quorn. (ABC Rural: Kate Higgins)
“We ended up doing 25,000 little pies a year, plus the jams and sauces,” Mrs Tullock said.
“Along the way, we bought a farm at Quorn and established our own orchard because the supply of the fruit is always a problem.”
The Tullochs began supplying a high-end restaurant and even had an offer to start exporting to America.
“There was demand in America for our family quandong pies … and there was demand for a container full,” Mrs Tullock said.
“And, of course, we didn’t have the supply or the manufacturing centre to do it.”
Bearing fruit?
Charles Sturt University quandong researcher Joe Moore has been looking at the best way to maximise production while drawing on Indigenous knowledge about the versatile fruit.
Through market analysis he saw huge potential in the industry.
Joe Moore is researching all aspects of quandongs. (ABC Rural: Kate Higgins)
“[We] definitely could establish an export market but there is a problem with the irregularity of supply, Dr Moore said.
“We just can’t get the trees producing every single year.”
He said a lot of fruit trees generally had alternate bearing.
“So if we can work out how to get a tree to produce every year we’re going to be miles in front,” he said.
Dr Moore’s research project has been welcomed by supporters of the industry who have long been calling for more consistent investment in research and development.
Endilloe quandong orchard was established near Quorn in 1975. (ABC Rural: Kate Higgins)
“[The industry] definitely had a lot of momentum … but I think the drought in the early 2000s sort of stopped a little bit of the production,” Dr Moore said.
“Not much research has occurred in the last 15 years and that’s harmed the industry by not having continual sort of feedback.”
He said there had not been a lot of “connectedness” between growers since then but if everyone could be brought together again and share knowledge, the industry could get going.
And with dried quandongs fetching up to $100 per kilogram and retailing for $600 per kilogram, there is incentive to give the fruit some more attention.
Taste of the bush
Flinders Gin co-owner and distiller Alby Troppa was keen for increased investment in bush foods, including the quandong.
His growing business has started exporting some products.
“Our quandong [gin is] actually a flagship for us,” Mr Troppa said.
“It’s the tartness combination with the sweetness … people really like that.”
The business turned to community members to help grow the fruit, putting the word out and offering to buy as much dry quandong as people could provide.
Alby Troppa sources fruit from the community to make his product. (ABC Rural: Kate Higgins)
“An 80-year-old woman around the corner … has three trees in her backyard,” Mr Troppa said.
“She’ll pick three or four kilos and dry them and bring them in.”
But with business continuing to grow, he knew the backyard quandongs wouldn’t be enough for long.
“There needs to be a bit more research … and a bit more of an emphasis on native foods,” he said.
Mrs Tulloch said she was optimistic about the industry’s future as younger generations started farming bush foods.
“It won’t be too long before wheat, sheep, cattle and barley are going to be out of the picture for us,” she said.
She said the success of the annual Quorn Quandong Festival was also a positive sign for things to come.
“Seeing people cooperate with each other and learn off each other, it’s beautiful,” she said.
