Growing pawpaw in Invercargill and bananas in the Waikato might have seemed unusual in the past, but not anymore, says Aaron McCloy, a tropical fruit tree grower. McCloy, who owns Far North Tropicals, has been shipping his warmth-loving plants across New Zealand, and demand has quadrupled each year since he started his business three years ago.
“There are now vast areas of the country that don’t experience harsh frosts,” McCloy explains.
In the past two years, he has established four orchards with banana plants and is puzzled as to why more farmers aren’t considering banana cultivation, given the potential profits.
“We’ve already received two orders for entire banana orchards,” McCloy says. “People are starting to realize they can earn $60,000 per hectare with bananas, compared to just $1,500 per hectare with dairy or dry stock beef.”
“There’s a grower in Taranaki who has planted an entire orchard of bananas. Although he needs to protect them from frost during the winter, the plants are thriving and producing fruit all year round,” says Aaron McCloy.
McCloy, who runs Far North Tropicals, has also supplied a cold-tolerant variety of pawpaw to a grower in Invercargill and pineapples to tropical fruit enthusiasts in Whanganui. He notes there’s a growing demand for the fruit itself as well.
“We recently had a buyer fly up from Queenstown to learn which orchards we’ve supplied and to source New Zealand-grown papayas and bananas for clients in Queenstown and Wānaka,” McCloy explains.
Running the nursery is a side venture for McCloy, who is also a science and horticulture teacher at Taipa Area School. He encourages his students to explore tropical fruit growing by revitalizing an old community garden at the school.
“We’ve noticed that temperate fruit species aren’t doing as well up here anymore, so we’re adapting to the warmer temperatures by focusing on tropical varieties,” he says.
McCloy’s journey into commercial fruit tree growing was spurred by a stroke, which led him to reevaluate his career path. His partner, Elle Montgomery, plays a crucial role in the business, handling potting, weeding, and marketing while McCloy is busy teaching.
Extensive research is involved in selecting the right plants, which McCloy cultivates in a greenhouse on his two-hectare property overlooking Doubtless Bay.
“I consider several factors,” he says. “Can it grow in New Zealand? Is it suitable for our environment? Could it potentially become an invasive species?”
McCloy prefers to collect seeds and cuttings from orchards within New Zealand, as he has found that imported tropical fruit seeds often have poor germination rates.
McCloy has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about growing tropical plants, which he eagerly shares with his customers. This includes tips on dealing with weather conditions, managing different soil types, and handling pests like pūkeko, which have a habit of digging around the trunks of banana trees.
“A few pūkeko can bring down a fully grown banana tree,” he explains. “They just scratch at the base until it topples over. They’re like little wood choppers.”
He is passionate about the idea of New Zealanders enjoying locally grown tropical fruits, just as he does. Even in the middle of winter, he has a fruiting pineapple ready for harvest.
“You experiment, you grow it, and realize that it not only works but thrives all year round,” says McCloy.
