NT Farmers are asking the public to help them out and buy more mangoes as seasonal conditions have lead to an oversupply, pushing prices to three-year lows, but also meaning some fruit is not making it to market, the media have reported.

The ABC reported mango growers saying the Far North Queensland harvest commenced earlier because of a hot and humid spring, at the same time the Northern Territory and Burdekin regions’ harvest seasons have been later.

“Volume in the market is going to be stronger than we would like to see as north Queensland is typically separated by a few weeks from the other regions… It has been a strong crop in all regions,” Far North Queensland grower John Nardi told the ABC.

“Prices have come back probably $10 a box in the past week.”

He said the price drop may signal disaster for many mango growers who are reliant on the domestic market, and send some out of business.

“It’s very disappointing, especially on top of the increase in costs that we’ve had to endure over the past couple of years. It’s a struggle, it really is.

“The good thing for consumers is that there will be a strong supply going into Christmas. Those strong numbers will then have an impact on prices,” he said.

While NT Farmers chief executive officer Paul Burke told The Guardian, some NT fruit was being juiced instead of being sold to eat.

“There’s a lot of fruit not even making it to market, it ends up in the juicing markets, which is a very last resort because of the return growers get,” he said.

“Our message would be: go and get yourself a mango daiquiri tonight and support the little blokes up here.”

According to NT Farmers figures Territory mango farmers produce 40,000 tonnes annually, or 52 per cent of Australia’s crop, and supply the first crop of the season to Australian consumers.

Based on Northern Territory government figures from April, 11 per cent of Territory mangoes are exported.

The Territory, last month, started exporting mangoes to Hong Kong using a modified Boeing 777 from Cathay Pacific. The fruit was then to be also sold in South Korea, and Dubai.

Cathay Pacific has dedicated a weekly freight service out of Darwin for five weeks, with an estimated 285 tonnes to be shipped by the end of the period.

Seaway Logistics NT general manager Rob Hall told the NT News, the Pak Fresh Handling facility at Darwin Airport, which opened more than two years ago, uses vapour heat treatment that allows the fruit to be exported.

“One of our big developments for this year’s mango season was the company’s VHT facility allowing us to meet international protocols and ensuring that the mangoes won’t be carrying any disease or fruit flies. The treatment process permits NT produce to go direct from Darwin to customers around the world,” Mr Hall said.

He said there’s no other facility in Australia that has a VHT plant.