FAR north Queensland is home to around 80 per cent of the national coffee growing industry.
Predominantly based on the Atherton Tablelands, the region is home to up to five commercial growers, among them industry pioneers and one of the largest growers, Skybury Coffee.
Business development manager Paul Fagg said the industry was stable. He said there had been a greater awareness of the quality of Australian coffee, in particular, specialty varieties in recent years.
“Eight to ten years ago no-one valued the quality of Australian coffee,” Mr Fagg said. “Now there is a realisation that it is as good as the coffee that you will find anywhere in the world, which is a subtle change but good for Australian producers because they are in that premium market.”
Skybury’s Mark McLaughlin, whose parents Ian and Marion pioneered the industry in the region, said the region’s tropical environment was ideal for coffee.
