Giant Australian cattle property, Tipperary Station, has planted 3500 lemon trees as part of a major horticultural development for Australia’s Northern Territory.

The planting is the first stage of what the owners of the property, 170 KM south of Darwin, hope will become a 10,000 tree orchard over the next three years, according to an ABC rural news report.

The Northern Territory’s largest commercial citrus producer, Nutrano Produce, has been supportive of the Tipperary project, as Nutrano continues to expand its own citrus operation near Katherine.

The move is likely to won support from the Australian supermarkets who have been shifting to clearly have an Australian-first policy, whilst also filling a supply gap and meet demand for Australian lemons over the Australian summer, months of December to February.

Despite planting the lemons in a paddock previously used to grow bananas, it took two years to obtain the necessary NT government approvals for the project, Tipperary General Manager, David Connolly, told ABC News.

He added that a more streamlined process was needed to help drive new agricultural investment in the north.

Read the full ABC article here.