Overall Orange Conditions Remain Similar to Last Year’s Article by: Hari Yellina As a result of recurring outbreaks of Covid-19, importers have faced significant hurdles in recent years. Importers face a great deal of unpredictability in terms of distribution, labour, and resources. Flexibly adjusting operating procedures, properly observing changes in market demand, and constantly ensuring […]
Zespri Global Revenue Exceeded by Leaps and Bounds Article by: Hari Yellina Zespri achieved a milestone accomplishment for the 2021/22 season, with total global fruit sales income topping NZ$4 billion for the first time, thanks to a record crop, continuous investment in brand-led demand development, and the industry’s capacity to respond and harness its scale […]
Pomegranate Demands Exceed Supply Article by: Hari Yellina In its first season of commercial production, a Western Australian pomegranate grower was unable to meet the high demand for the fruit. Bassam Al Haify, co-owner of Gingin Pomegranates, notes that due to several unfavourable weather events, volume was lower than expected, but quality was still excellent. […]
Potato Growers Say Rising Costs are Exposing them to Risks Article by: Hari Yellina Costs are spiralling out of control, exerting pressure on Tasmanian potato producers who may have to switch crops. Leigh Elphinstone, a farmer from Sisters Creek, Tasmania, and head of the Simplot potato grower committee, agrees. He claimed that the cost of […]
Mushroom Meatery Showcases Special Combinations Article by: Hari Yellina Instead of handing out mushroom cheerios to youngsters, a butcher in New South Wales opened the world’s first “mushroom meatery” last month to help promote the fungi. To emphasise the marriage of the two meals, Coogee-based Kingsmore Meats collaborated with Australian Mushrooms and renowned chef Adam […]
Supporting Tasmanian Produce Growers with the Cost of Netting Article by: Hari Yellina The Tasmanian government released the following statement: “As a government, we are delivering a number of initiatives to future-proof Tasmanian agriculture and manage primary industry risks.” New awards have been established to assist Tasmanian fruit and vegetable growers in covering the expenses […]
Remote Packhouse Solutions now a Done Deal Article by: Hari Yellina Following the recent successful adoption of its packhouse solutions, a renowned New Zealand fresh produce software supplier claims it is experiencing record demand for its services. Raffa Fields, a renowned Australian asparagus producer and distributor, hired Radford Software earlier this year to deploy a […]
Upcoming Changes in the Salmon Industry? Article by: Hari Yellina Under a state government that has encouraged and promoted the industry’s expansion, a legislative probe into Tasmania’s disputed salmon business identified difficulties with environmental protection and transparency. The salmon industry in Tasmania generates a billion dollars per year, but disease outbreaks, biosecurity concerns, and suspicions […]
Return of the Mouse Plague in Queensland Article by: Hari Yellina In Queensland’s North Burnett, a mouse infestation has reached epidemic proportions, with residents apparently being attacked in their sleep and produce businesses being invaded by hundreds of rodents every night. Susie Capewell, who lives near Gayndah, claimed she had caught around 1,000 mice in […]
Lockyer Valley Farmers Battle to Retain Workers Article by: Hari Yellina Farmers in the Lockyer Valley are looking for methods to keep their farm employees while they rebuild after the recent floods. Farmers tally their highest cost: labour, as earthmovers thunder across the fertile black soil of Lockyer Valley in southern Queensland, restoring and re-leveling […]
Wage Costs and Labour Issues Force Agencies to Sell Article by: Hari Yellina Mark Allison, CEO of Elders, believes that generational transition in the farm services industry, combined with growing wage costs and labour shortages, will force an increasing number of independent agents to sell up. In the first half of current fiscal year, the […]
Riverland Fruit Fly Outbreak Not Over Yet Article by: Hari Yellina A new fruit fly infestation was declared last week, dealing more devastation to the Riverland fruit business. Following the discovery of a pregnant female Queensland fruit fly in a monitoring trap by PIRSA, the outbreak was announced at Murtho. This comes after fruit fly […]
Livestock Methane Emission Tackled with Inorganic Bioactives Article by: Hari Yellina A business in Western Australia claims to have developed bioactives in the lab that could lower livestock methane emissions by up to 95%. Rumin8 intended to make livestock supplements with lab-made bioactives that were found naturally in red asparagopsis seaweed. David Messina, the business’s […]
Second Half of Onion Season Must Have a Quota Article by: Hari Yellina Is it still possible for the Dutch onion season to end on a positive note? “That would be fantastic; we don’t have any new onions yet,” Waterman Onions’ Wim Waterman says. “The local fair was a disaster. Growers intended to hit bale […]
New Zealand’s Labour Constraints See a 12% Drop Article by: Hari Yellina New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI), the industry group representing the country’s pipfruit growers, presented a crop re-forecast today that expects a 12 percent drop from the group’s pre-season expectation. The 2022 apple and pear crop was anticipated to provide the equivalent of […]
Aussie Ag Tech Helps Farmers Produce Carbon Article by: Hari Yellina A cooperation between GrainCorp and Australian biotech startup Loam Bio is incentivizing Australian grain growers to boost soil carbon. A strong alliance linking farmers to soil carbon technologies is encouraging Australian grain growers to participate in the carbon market. GrainCorp and biotech business Loam […]
Independent Grocers Prove their Resilience Article by: Hari Yellina Growers have more ways to sell their products than ever before, thanks to the internet, Facebook marketplaces, farmers markets, and distribution partnerships. However, there are still advantages to the tried-and-true central market structure. The fresh produce supply chain handled the various city lockdowns, food service disruptions, […]
Elders Reap Profits from Vast Expansion Article by: Hari Yellina The stock of Elders soared nearly 10% after the farm services firm announced a $91.2 million six-month profit on Monday, predicting two more years of good times for the agricultural sector. The net profit after tax was up 34% from the previous year’s $74 million. […]
Local Coffee Beans Supplied by Howe Farming Group Article by: Hari Yellina Howe Farming Group, a coffee farmer on the Atherton Tablelands, will sell 10 tonnes of local coffee beans to Hunt and Brew, an Australian boutique coffee maker. The specialised Arabica coffee beans will be utilised to make an Australian first cold brew coffee […]
Minimum Wages Driving Workers out of a Job Article by: Hari Yellina A drive to improve working conditions in the country’s orchards appears to have backfired, with the Fruit Growers Victoria industry organisation stating that slower pickers are being pushed out. Workers who are normally paid per bin picked must now be guaranteed minimum hourly […]