Fingerlime Grower Awarded Nuffield Scholar

A recent horticultural Nuffield Scholar’s goal will be to achieve consistent fingerlime fruit quality. AgriFutures Australia has awarded Jade King, director and owner of Green Valley Fingerlimes on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a scholarship. According to Ms King, consistency is critical to developing the market for the native Australian fruit both nationally and internationally. On the family’s commercial finger lime farm, there are over 1700 trees, including 1200 Champagne Red trees, 400 Chartreuse trees, and 100 Emerald trees. The company intends to increase its production to around 2000 trees.

“We distribute to key markets across Australia and export to places like Italy, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The season for fresh finger limes is from December to July “Ms. King explained. The Australian finger lime sector is still very new, and there hasn’t been much study done to support it. She intends to visit Italy, Spain, Japan, and the United States, where the fruit known as “lime caviar” for its small balls of juice that burst in people’s mouths has a burgeoning industry and market. “As a Nuffield Scholar, I will be able to conduct in-depth study on a unique and amazing native Australian product, share what I discover with others in the sector, and promote Australian agriculture and produce,” Ms King said.

Green Valley Fingerlimes was named the New Exporter Award winner at the Queensland Horticulture Export Awards 2021 last year. The most recent group of Nuffield scholars was revealed in a virtual event in October. Each Nuffield Scholar in 2022 will get a $30,000 stipend to spend on travel in the coming years. Ms Redcliffe added that the team admires the passion and ideas the new 2022 Scholars demonstrated in their applications. Finding and sharing ideas that can make Australian agriculture and its associated value chains more robust to changes in the environment, legislation, markets, and consumer expectations is a key priority among the cohort. She opined, “As we navigate a globe recovering from the pandemic, we look forward to working with this group of people who are dedicated to helping their business and industry prosper today and in the future.”

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)