Custard Apples Growth and Production in Australia (2020)

Overview

In Australia, the majority of custard apples, also known as cherimoyas, are produced in Queensland and also northern New South Wales. The exports and imports value of these custard apples are negligible. The unique variant of the custard apple that is grown in Australia is known as an atemoya.

Statistics of Custard Apples

As of June 2019:

1. 1,422 tonnes of this fruit was produced and valued at $5.9 million.
2. The supply per capita was estimated at 52 grams, based on the volume that was supplied.
3. A mere 6% of Australian households purchased this fruit as a part of their grocery trip. This amounts to an average of 245 grams per grocery haul.
4. The wholesale of this fruit amounted to $6.5 million. Out of this amount, $5.7 million was distributed into retail and $0.9 million has gone into food service.

Major Custard Production Areas

Predominantly, these fruits are grown along the eastern coast of Australia. This area pans from Queensland to northern New South Wales. Moreover, some of the major production areas include Atherton, Lismore in northern New South Wales and the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.

Health Benefits of Custard Apples

Custard apples are high in nutrients that help regulate blood pressure, such as potassium and magnesium. Notably, 1 cup (160 grams) of the fruit boasts 10% of the RDI for plenty of vitamins and over 6% of the RDI for magnesium. Both potassium and magnesium promote the dilation of blood vessels, which in turn helps lower blood pressure. High blood pressure may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

High-fibre foods like cherimoya can promote healthy digestion and protect against inflammatory digestive disorders. Cherimoya is rich in flavonoid antioxidants that have been shown to prevent the growth of cancer cells in test-tube studies. That said, human research is needed.