SOME Queensland strawberry growers forced to dump tonnes of fruit amid a needle scare last year are bouncing back.
But others have dropped out of the multi-million dollar industry since fruit was spiked with needles, Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner says.
"The damage was significant and I guess to some extent it was good that it was toward the end of the season," he said on Tuesday.
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What started as one woman allegedly planting needles into the fruit became a health crisis with copycats hiding needles in punnets of fruit across Australia.
It caused an eight per cent produce loss to the industry, worth $12 million.
"A lot of concern was around needle contamination," Mr Furner said.
"(Farmers have) actually brought in scanners themselves and made moves to make sure they as an industry are providing the best and safest produce around the nation."
Some Sunshine Coast growers have since chosen to leave the market.
Australian Associated Press
