Stephen and Robert Pace's family operation has been basking in success in 2010, with cartons and trays of pineapples, weighing 20kg and 10kg respectively, selling to $26 after a tough season in the south.

Prices have remained stable since, due to high demand from Heinz, which has a quota of 7000 tonnes still to fill.

"Heinz is short of fruit because of poor growing conditions in the south," Stephen said.

The family produces pineapples 10 months of the year, but the Christmas season proved especially fertile compared to 2008, when too much rain fell too fast.

"You need to have sunshine for a good growing season," Stephen said.

"They get by on a bit of water unless it is very dry.

"You need warm months for the pineapples to taste best."

High prices there may be, but the Pace brothers said that commodities have severely cut into their returns.

Due to North Queensland's isolated position in relation to major markets, freight "has been a big killer" for fruit and vegetable growers having to pay high prices to get their produce down south, not only due to fuel costs, but also truck-driving regulations.

"It is harder for small freight companies to stay in competition," Stephen said.

"It will cost people more and more once the industry is left to big truck companies who know how to charge."

The Pace brothers' perspective comes from a lifetime of toiling the fertile soils at Rollingstone, where they also grow pumpkins, sugar cane, and watermelons.

Besides Stephen and Robert, their father John, uncles Roy and Colin Pace, and cousins Raymond and Allan Pace all work on the five farms that constitute Pace Farming.

With such an experienced contingent growing a variety of fresh produce, southerners are assured of quality produce for as long as Pace Farming is around.