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Spiky pest is back, but won't go pear-shaped
1 Mar 2004
The prickly pear, which destroyed millions of hectares of farmland and led to special laws for its destruction, is making a comeback in parts of south-west Sydney. It is being farmed for its fruit, which tastes like a cross between a peach and a mango. One grower has been so successful he has landed a contract with Woolworths.
Growers say there's no chance of the plant spreading, as its biological controller, the cactoblastis caterpillar, is still ready to swoop.
The fruit is in season from late January until early April. It's plentiful and cheap - about $10 for a box of up to 40 fruit. It needs little water but the crop has to be sprayed with insecticide at least four times a year to protect it from the caterpillar.
Sydney Morning Herald, 1/3/04.
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