Production of Terminalia ferdinandiana Excell. (‘Kakadu Plum’) in Northern Australia

Abstract

This chapter seeks to outline the opportunity resulting from the exceptional properties of Terminalia ferdinandiana species. It provides a brief summary of the story of commercialisation thus far. The chapter explores some of the potential co-benefits that could be achieved in areas such as Indigenous health, employment and training and environmental management. It outlines some lessons learned from wild harvest and enrichment planting; and some of the challenges that need to be met. Terminalia ferdinandiana is endemic to the monsoon tropics of northern Australia and has a long history of medicinal/nutritional use by Indigenous Australians. The fruit and other parts of the tree have exceptional chemical properties including extraordinary high content of vitamin C and antioxidants. Commercial attention was drawn to this species as a source of vitamin C over 20 years ago, but commercial wild harvest only began in 1996.