Social media and cultural taste sparks demand for exotic fruits

Demand for exotic tropical fruit has increased substantially in the past year.

Retailers believe increased awareness and social media have contributed to the boom.

Farmers report more inquiries for their produce as demand outstrips supply.

Rare tropical fruits grown in Far North Queensland have become highly sought-after treats in capital cities as more of the unusual produce reaches grocery store shelves.

The exotic foods, including jackfruit, rambutan and mangosteens, have been gaining attention through social media, word of mouth, and cultural demand.

As growers aim to boost production and demand increases, markets in major cities are trying to order even more for their customers.

Melbourne grocer Daniel Perogiannis has been selling exotic fruit for the past two years and has been ordering more in recent months due to growing interest.

"I think the increase in demand has come due to a lot of internationals coming into Australia. They're looking for something they can find in their hometown or their home country, and it's something that breeds familiarity for them.

"Because of that, I think a lot of Australians are starting to hear the words and the names of these fruits, and they're doing their own research into it and looking for it themselves."

It is a similar story in Brisbane, where fruit seller Michael Nguyen has also noticed more people on the hunt for the tropical treats.

"As long as [farmers] can grow more produce, I think some of these tropical fruit lines will become mainstream," Mr Nguyen said.

Mr Perogiannis said social media also helped build interest in the quirky varieties.

"There's a lot of exotic fruit popping up from around the world, and it's led to people being curious," he said.

"The most recent one was black sapote. It was all over Instagram as a chocolate pudding fruit. Since that happened, we've had flocks of people coming in to find out what it was."