Exotic fruit growers in Far North Queensland are facing the prospect of their worst harvest for years, according to press reports in Australia.
An early wet season has dampened the initial optimism that came following good early signs at flowering time, according to a report by ABC Rural.
Trees, including rambutan and mangosteens, have produced low volumes of fruit, with some not picking at all according to Tully-based grower Peter Salleras.
'It's a bit of a hard one, rambutans and mangosteens need a bit of a dry spell around September and October to flower well and they did get that stressing,' he told ABC Rural. 'We should have a better season than we did, but the early wet season threw a spanner in the works.'
