Australia Considered Pineapple Imports From Asia
The federal government is evaluating allowing new imports despite strong pushback from domestic pineapple growers.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Organic Food
Live Poll
Should the government restrict pineapple imports to protect local farming jobs and industry biosecurity?
The Australian federal government is weighing a proposal to allow pineapple imports from India and Indonesia. Local growers are lobbying against the plan, citing fears that imported fruit could introduce dangerous bacterial heart and fruit rot disease to the nation.
Why it matters
Domestic producers worry that the disease, which causes liquid and gas buildup in fruit, could devastate the local industry. This comes as the government balances biosecurity risks with broader trade expansion objectives.
The Australian pineapple industry is valued at $80 million, while the federal government has earmarked $2 billion for biosecurity and frontline defences. Bacterial heart and fruit rot disease, which can survive in soil for months, remains the primary concern for growers.
The players
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
This federal agency is responsible for national biosecurity risk assessments and the oversight of imported agricultural products.
Canavan
This individual is a political figure who has been actively lobbying government members to abandon the proposed pineapple import expansion.
The details
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has released a draft report on import risks and plans to permit pineapples under strict biosecurity requirements. Producers in Queensland have been particularly vocal, as the bacteria was previously detected in the state and the Northern Territory in 2015.
Timeline
Strains of the bacteria were detected in Queensland and the Northern Territory in 2015.
Canavan lobbied against allowing pineapple imports from India and Indonesia in October 2026.
Culture Shift
The push for new pineapple imports follows the established Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry biosecurity risk assessment protocols. This move reflects a larger tension in Australia between globalized trade expansion and the protection of domestic agricultural heritage.
Consumers could potentially see an increase in the availability of imported pineapples in supermarkets if the federal government finalises the proposed policy. However, shoppers may also experience shifts in local produce supply chains if biosecurity restrictions require changes to domestic farming practices.
The takeaway
Growers remain focused on preventing the spread of bacterial heart and fruit rot disease to protect their livelihoods and the quality of domestic fruit. The government continues to weigh the economic benefits of international trade against the potential long-term risks to local agriculture.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory standards for produce, explore the Organic Food section.
Live Poll
Should the government restrict pineapple imports to protect local farming jobs and industry biosecurity?
