Cyclone Crop Damage to Hit Supply as Farmers Count Cost

Mangoes, bananas, papaya and avocados are among produce destroyed in far north Queensland as producers assess damage from Cyclone Jasper. Consumers are likely to face shortages of produce from the region and may have to pay more for fruit such as papaya. The agricultural powerhouse far north was inundated by rain with one property receiving 1.2 metres at Mareeba, near Cairns, in five days. Skybury Farms is Australia’s biggest papaya producer and supplies Australia with up to 40,000 kilograms of the fruit per week. Skybury’s Candy MacLaughlin said at least 20 percent of their trees at Mareeba had been ruined. “There will be supply shortages because the region is the primary papaya growing region for Australia,” Ms. MacLaughlin said. ...