25 September 2025, Darwin – Delegates of the 2025 International Symposium on Tropical Fruits (ISTF 2025) had the opportunity to experience firsthand how tropical fruits are cultivated in Australia’s Northern Territory during a field trip organized by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Northern Territory Government, and the Northern Territory Farmers Association Inc.
Fifteen participants from six countries joined the excursion, which featured visits to research facilities, training sessions, and a commercial rambutan farm.
The first stop was the Coastal Plains Research Farm (CPRF), the principal horticultural research facility in the Darwin region, managed by DAF. Covering 140 hectares, CPRF supports research, development, and extension projects. Current tropical fruit initiatives include the evaluation of new varieties from the national mango breeding program, research on rambutan and jackfruit varieties and production methods, passionfruit trials, as well as banana varietal testing for resistance to Tropical Race 4 (TR4) Panama disease.
Participants then attended a training workshop on carbon farming, led by Dr. Upendra Shekhawat, Ms. Dakshina Yadav, and Dr. Emily Hinds. Part of the Carbon Farming Outreach Program, the session provided insights into strategies that farmers and land managers can adopt to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance carbon storage.
The final stop took participants to Dr. Kerry Eupene’s rambutan farm, established 35 years ago. A practicing dentist by profession, Dr. Eupene has developed innovative techniques to adapt rambutan production to local conditions. Unlike in Southeast Asia, rambutan in Darwin are grown under netting to protect against birds. His practices include boosting pollination by increasing the proportion of male trees to 20%, applying naphthyl acetic acid to influence flower gender, integrating stingless bees, and trialing different planting systems to improve yield and fruit quality.
At the end of the program, TFNet CEO Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali expressed his gratitude to all participants, organizers, and hosts especially Dr. Muhammad Sohail Mazhar and his dedicated team for their invaluable support, noting that the field trip had provided meaningful insights and strengthened collaboration among tropical fruit stakeholders.
