Late bloom gives needed boost to Deane Farms

Located 15km south of Giru, Deane Farms, was preparing for its lowest yields on record, but a late bloom might provide a needed boost.

"The outlook for this season was looking pretty poor, we were heading for our worst season we've ever had in terms of yield, by a long shot," manager Daniel Le Feuvre said.

"Two years ago we had unprecedented low-yield and this year was looking to be the same, however we did get a very late flowering in September which has pushed it towards a more normal yield.

"There will still be early fruit, however bulk of the crop will be much later than usual."

Deane Farms consists of 24,000 Kensington Pride mango trees and has an average yield of 2000 tonnes.

Mr Le Feuvre said his markets included selling to supermarkets, processors and its own side-business, The Mango Fundraiser.

In 1999, Deane Farms established The Mango Fundraiser to create a market for its blemished fruit, enabling schools and community groups to purchase crates of mangoes to fundraise for their organisation.

"It started because we wanted a market for fruit that was marked, but still good quality eating... supermarkets would only take fruit with no blemishes," Mr Le Feuvre said.

"While our main market used to be predominately supermarkets, our business is getting closer to 50/50 with a large chunk going to our fundraising customers.

"This percentage has changed over the years, it's increased a lot and it has just grown on its own and it is a large portion of where our fruit goes now."

Mr Le Feuvre said The Mango Fundraiser enabled a more reliable business model.

"It's not necessarily more profitable in terms of returns but it is more reliable," he said.

"We won't have as big wins but we avoid big losses, a more steady and reliable source of income.

"And anything that doesn't go on a tray will go to the processor for juice, there is very little wastage because they have such good flavour.

Me Le Feuvre said The Mango Fundraiser had grown on its own over the years.

"It started off as just something on the side to a few schools up and down the east coast and now it has grown into a significant part of our business," he said.

"We deliver up and down the east coast, we go to schools in every major region on the east coast.

"People really enjoy it too, we have some people say they aren't about making a big profit they just like the mangoes, so it's good that everyone likes them.

"We had our first two orders north of Rockhampton, ever, last year we had one in Townsville and one in Richmond.

"Customers are coming from further north and we will service customers from anywhere as long as they're in the eastern states.

"However, further north the novelty of the mango just isn't the same when everyone has one in their backyard."

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