Chloropicrin and its Benefits for Soil Health Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Chloropicrin is a soil fumigant that has been used commercially for more than 100 years. It has registrations in more than 30 countries, with new countries adding to that list. It is well recognised as an effective soil disinfestation tool, critical to […]
Fact Sheet on Bushfire Effect Released Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Water sources contaminated by dead animals during a bushfire hold serious implications for on-farm food safety. That is one of the points to come out of a new fact sheet released from the Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC). The FPSC’s latest fact sheet provides information […]
How does the Macadamia Plant Function in the Australian Landscape? Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Macadamia is a member of the family Proteaceae, native to Australia and among only a handful of commercially cultivated endemic Australian plants; it is grown for its edible nuts. Australia and Hawaii are the major producing areas with others […]
600 Sky Muster Satellite Faces Broadband Outage Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Nearly 600 remote satellite broadband users went without service throughout the Christmas period, thanks to an ‘incident’ that impacted NBN Co’s Sky Muster and Sky Muster Plus services. An NBN spokesman said on Thursday that the company had successfully restored services to […]
Drought Plan Made by Australian Organisation Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) While drought is most closely associated with livestock production, a program has been established to help those in horticulture weather dry times. Growcom has launched the Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP) which will support farmers to prepare for, manage and recover from drought. The […]
Risks Surrounding the ASEAN Agricultural Visa Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) After years of resisting pressure from the Australian National Party and the farm lobby to create an agriculture visa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has at last relented. A new agriculture visa for workers from ASEAN nations is currently being negotiated. Applications will likely […]
A Recurrence of the Mouse Plague? Vigilance Suggested Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The good news for farmers across the country is that a repeat of the horrible plague that ravaged Central West NSW in particular in 2021 is unlikely. However, CSIRO mouse researcher Steve Henry said there was no room for complacency and […]
Calypso Mango Breaks Records Despite a Tough Season Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) It has been a tough season for most of Australia’s mango growers, with what some call disappointing yields, combined with labour and input costs challenges. Mango growers expect to produce 7.9 million trays this season, down 20 per cent in some recent […]
BerryQuest International 2022 to be Held in Queensland Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) BerryQuest International 2022, the largest conference and trade exhibition for the Australian berry industry, will be held on Queensland’s stunning Gold Coast from July 25 to 28, 2022. Berries Australia Chair, Peter McPherson said hundreds of local and international berry growers […]
Grapefruit Brings Stability in Agriculture Grapefruit and the closely-related pomelo are somewhat unremarkable products. That is in the sense that they seemingly show little movement. There is therefore little interest in these products. Worldwide production is growing strongly. However, cross-border trade has been fairly stable in volume for years. There have, nonetheless, been some underlying […]
Demand of Mandarins to Exceed Supplies in 2022 Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Supplies of mandarins are anticipated to tighten up in the new year. At Trinity Fruit Sales in Fresno, CA, Levon Ganajian says that depending on the variety, mandarin production is generally down thanks partly to the heatwave seen this summer but more likely […]
Canola: Overview in the Australian Domain Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Production of canola in Australia has increased dramatically to an average of three million metric tonnes (MMT) per year. Canola is Australia’s major oilseed crop and is grown in the higher rainfall regions of Australia’s grain belt. The growing area extends from south-west Western Australia […]
Rapid Antigen Test Required to Avoid Omicron Outbreak Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Rapid Antigen Tests are set to become a key part of avoiding COVID-19 outbreaks in shearing sheds as Omicron variant cases surge across the country. Shearing Contractors Association of Australia secretary Jason Letchford said the association expected to receive just under […]
Gradual Global Heating Hampering Farm Productivity Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The climate crisis is already eating into the output of the world’s agricultural systems, with productivity much lower than it would have been if humans hadn’t rapidly heated the planet, new research has found. Advances in technology, fertilizer use and global trade have […]
Colourful Cauliflowers the New Trend in Australia Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Fresh Select grow purple cauliflowers in the Werribee food bowl. According to Chief Executive John Said, consumers want to try something different, and supermarkets are accepting that different colours would attract sales. Everyone is looking for that different product, and the rainbow […]
Almond Volumes Low Compared to the Supply Available Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The pace at which Californian almonds from the new harvest are being received by the huskers is slowing down. The consensus for the final size still remains around 2.8 billion lbs (-10%. vs. N-1). This figure will be confirmed in January […]
Shortages Feared Before the Victorian Harvest Season Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Victorian farmers have been warned the bottlenecks choking global supply chains are unlikely to be resolved before 2023, amid predictions the state’s harvest won’t be immune from the import and export headaches. The supply chain challenges, which are leading to widespread delays […]
Solving the Labour Crisis: Post Pandemic Battles Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) In 2022, putting boots on farms will continue to be a key challenge for growers across the country. This is also the key goal of a renewed employment initiative delivered by Growcom, through the Diverse Workforce Pathway Program. Migrants and refugees know […]
Australian Businesses Fight Food Wastage Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Simplot Australia has become the first organisation to sign up for the Australian Food Pact. It is one of several of Australia’s biggest food industry participants to join the new collaboration tackling Australia’s $36.6 billion food waste challenge. The Australian Food Pact is a voluntary agreement […]
Horticulture Leading the Australian Agricultural Domain Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) A review of the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics identified the Australian horticulture industry to have the highest water efficiency of all agricultural industries returning $6,200 of value per megalitre used in Gross Value of Production (GVP) terms. Horticulture generated […]
