Several passionfruit varieties currently being harvested by the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry could soon help the fledgling sector to flourish.
Growers from New South Wales have travelled to the Top End to inspect the trial crop, which could potentially supply fruit to the southern market in the off-season.
Director of plant industries Bob Williams said researchers have put many years of work into the program at Berrimah Farm.
"We've been focussing on integrating some of the traits from the very sweet varieties out of the southern areas, into size and colour. There are now a range of varieties that have the visual appeal, which is a deep purple colour; size, so the consumer is getting bulk; and now we're trying to focus on the flavours as well."
Australian Passionfruit Association vice-president and northern New South Wales grower Tom Carey has been in Darwin inspecting the trials.
He said the northern growers would do well to target the off-season market in the south.
"One of the biggest obstacles for passionfruit growing is that there are spikes and troughs in the product hitting the shelves.mWe always have only a small amount of fruit hitting the shelves around October/November so that would be a possibility for these guys to hit the market down there."
NT Minister for Primary Industry Willem Westra van Holthe said he hoped the local industry could grow beyond the three small growers in Darwin's rural area.
"If we can work on finding varieties of tropical fruits like passionfruit, and adapt them to the climate up here and the growing conditions, it will be fantastic," he said. "The government is absolutely committed to making sure that we keep this research going and research into similar crops like this."
