Vietnamese company after NT land for dragon fruit megafarm

By Matt Brann and Carl Curtain, ABC Rural

A Vietnamese company has revealed plans to grow up to 10,000 hectares of dragon fruit in the Northern Territory.

A Vietnamese company wants 10,000 hectares in Australia to grow dragon fruit. Photo by Matt Brann/ABC Rural.

If it goes ahead, it will be the biggest dragon fruit farm in Australia.

The CT Group, which has a diverse portfolio that includes retail and education, has met with members of the Northern Territory Government to outline its plan of expanding its dragon fruit empire to Australia.

The CT Group is already a major producer of the bright pink fruit and, through a network of small farms across Vietnam, the company last year produced around 460,000 tonnes.

Speaking to ABC Rural in Vietnam, the NT’s Primary Industry Minister, Willem Westra van Holthe, says the CT Group wants to become one of the world’s biggest exporters of dragon fruit.

“Here in Vietnam, the CT Group have got lots of small farms and it makes the logistics a bit difficult,” he said.

“So what they’re looking for is a big-scale farm, and the Northern Territory is a place they’re seriously looking at, and they’re looking at something like 10,000 hectares of dragon fruit in the NT.”

Mr Westra van Holthe says a number of details still need to be sorted, but his department will be helping and providing advice to the CT Group on where land is available.

“I think it’s a terrific idea,” the minister said.

“We’ve got lots of available land, arable soils, water is available.

“It would provide jobs for Territorians, I have no doubt about that.

Read the full story by Matt Brann and Carl Curtain from ABC Rural.