Growers also Suffering from Rising Fruit and Vegetable Prices Article by: Hari Yellina Prices are rising, consumer confidence is declining, and some consumers are speculating as to whether farmers are suddenly collecting huge paychecks. The family of Allan Fong has been engaged in the horticulture industry for about 60 years. He claimed that the situation […]

Increased Prices of Snow Peas Leaves Consumers Baffled Article by: Hari Yellina It appears that no fruit or vegetable is exempt from price increases as we try to get through the current cost of living crisis. The cost of the little snow pea has now risen to $42.80/kg at Woolworths, following the price hike of […]

Apple Chip Product Encourages Healthy Snacking Article by: Hari Yellina With its Chippy Apples product, a Victorian food production company is promoting a balanced diet and decreasing the waste of fresh produce. The improvement of nutrition in youngsters, who are known for being “picky eaters,” is the company’s primary focus, according to Phil Gomizel, managing […]

Coles Now Partnering with Produce Growers Article by: Hari Yellina Following the impact of floods and cold weather on their supply in south east Queensland, supermarket behemoth Coles is collaborating with its fresh produce suppliers to offer a temporary alternative for customers seeking to buy iceberg lettuces. Customers in South East Queensland will be able […]

Prince Pinch Blamed on Labor’s Labour Plan Article by: Hari Yellina David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals, is blaming worker shortages for Labor’s decision to abandon the fledgeling agriculture-specific visa programme of the Morrison-Joyce administration amid extraordinary problems with the fruit and vegetable supply chain and warnings that crops risk rotting on fields. However, […]

Farmers in Demand for Horticulture Business Study Article by: Hari Yellina Producers of horticulture in Victoria are being urged to sign up for a new farm monitor programme. According to Agriculture Victoria, its Horticulture Farm Monitor Pilot will give farmers vital business information to better understand their profitability, speed up recovery, and spur future expansion. […]

Abundance of Lettuce Found in Canberra Article by: Hari Yellina While major food chains may be feeling the squeeze, Pialligo Estate growers are thriving with availability as they believe that the future will revolve entirely around growing locally. Only 15 minutes from Canberra city, executive chef Mark Glenn and head gardener Peter Anderson manage a […]

Cautious Buyers Keeping Prices Under Pressure Article by: Hari Yellina The majority of food waste in Australia, according to Curtin University supply chain specialist Dr Elizabeth Jackson, does not occur at the basic production level. “The other end of the supply chain is where — unfortunately — roughly 51 percent of our food waste and […]

Unsellable Fruit now being Used in Beer? Article by: Hari Yellina Two passionfruit farmers in Western Australia’s south west are minimising food waste by buying unsellable fruit from local farms and turning the puree into beer. Several high-profile brewers in the region, including Eagle Bay Brewing, Funk Cider, and Tall Timbers Manjimup, have employed the […]

UK Industry to Tackle Wireworm Damage Article by: Hari Yellina Following an increase in wireworm damage in root vegetable and cereal crops across the UK, industry leaders have banded together to co-fund a Fera-led R&D initiative to provide an end-to-end solution. Enigma I brings together representatives from Syngenta, Frontier, G’s Fresh, Elveden Estate, Pearce Seeds, […]

Calls to Cap Prices of Fresh Produce Rampant Article by: Hari Yellina As the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables continues to rise, small-scale grocers are demanding for an urgent price cap in supermarkets. Monique Lunn, who owns a fresh produce business on her family’s mushroom farm in Ballarat, Victoria, said they were operating at […]

Strawberry Prices to Soar after Rainy Weather Article by: Hari Yellina After lettuce, strawberries are now being sold at exorbitant costs, with a 250g punnet costing $11.99 in a Canberra store.To put it in perspective, in August of last year, the same grocer selling the costly Victorian-grown punnets was offering three for $2 on fruit. […]

Robot Picker to Aid Tackle Labour Shortages Article by: Hari Yellina Winter has arrived, and the apples in Ardmona have been harvested for the year, with the exception of one row set aside for Eve. Eve is a fruit-picking robot prototype developed by Ripe Robotics over the course of three years. As the horticulture sector […]

Top Organisations to Host Soil Conservation and Farm Resilience Field Day Article by: Hari Yellina With the recent heavy rains and flooding throughout the eastern seaboard, there’s never been a better moment to evaluate contours, whoa-boys, headlands, and cover cropping strategies to prevent valuable topsoil from vanishing into the neighbor’s paddock. Growcom has teamed up […]

Images of Frost Covered Produced Surface at Permaculture Operation Article by: Hari Yellina Many people in the north have been feeling the effects of the current cold spell, with producers in the Mackay region being particularly hard hit. HillBilly Farm Co in Eungella’s Adam Burrows and Alicia Kidd recently published photos of frost-covered produce from […]

Popularity of Finger Limes Continue to Grow Article by: Hari Yellina Green Valley Fingerlimes, a major Australian fingerlime grower, has witnessed a rise in demand for the fruit, not just from domestic customers but also from overseas consumers. Fingerlimes are an Australian native rainforest tree that grows as an understory tree, and owner Jade King […]

Side Salads in Pubs Optional to Cut Down on Waste? Article by: Hari Yellina On the pub-meal plate, the simple side salad generally takes a back seat. For many people, it’s an unavoidable part of a pub lunch, sandwiched between the chips and the schnitzel. Even if we don’t eat our greens, the option of […]

Potential Blackouts as Energy Crisis Looms Article by: Hari Yellina As power supply concerns loom, farmers in New South Wales say they are doing everything they can to prepare for blackouts, but some believe it may not be enough. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has issued a warning about potential power outages, with the […]

Former Wallaby Supports PALM Labour Scheme Article by: Hari Yellina A former high-profile dual-code football international is assisting in the resolution of Australia’s labour shortage. Lote Tuqiri, a former Wallaby and Kangaroo, has been named the new Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) cultural ambassador for Agri Labour Australia, one of the country’s leading dedicated agricultural […]

Can Queensland Ease Global Fertiliser Shortages? Article by: Hari Yellina Crop growers all around the world are suffering from a global fertiliser shortage. With its invasion of Ukraine, Russia, as one of the world’s largest exporters of phosphate fertiliser, has wreaked havoc on the worldwide supply chain. The impact can be felt all across the […]