A shipment of Queensland bananas and melons to Japan aims to support an analysis of how shipping conditions impact the fruits. 

Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has been working with industry partners for four years to analyse the impact of shipping and supply chain conditions such as storage temperature and ripening conditions on the appearance and flavour of the fruit.

Pacific Coast Produce has shipped red-wax-tipped Ecoganic bananas to Japan as part of the trial, and Daintree Fresh has shipped Emperor's Pearl melons.

The banana shipment was airfreighted directly from Cairns instead of transported to Sydney before export. The state government claims this was a first for Australia. 

According to DAF, direct air travel makes it easier to maintain optimum supply chain conditions, reducing the risk of food waste and ensuring the fruit arrives in the best condition. Data from this shipment will examine the possibilities and obstacles of exporting bananas as airfreight from Cairns.

DAF horticulturists will also conduct blind  tastings with the Japanese public to identify consumer preferences and compare Australian-grown bananas with imported fruit. The project results will be fed back to the Australian fruit-growing industry, with a view to local growers tapping into the Japanese market.

According to the state government, there has yet to be a large-scale Australian banana export market to Japan.

More than 99% of Australian-grown bananas are consumed locally, and our high relative wages mean Australian growers have been unable to compete with exports from Southeast Asian countries.

But, eco-friendly and organic fruit can fetch a premium price in Japan, offering a potential inroad for Australian growers.