The Urea Crisis may Lead to a Shortage in Wheat Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Just as one crisis appeared to be over, another reared its ugly head. Indeed, there were times when crises overlapped each other. As the new year began, people found themselves queuing up for flour and sugar, while their brethren […]
Urea Smuggling: A Current Global Challenge Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The production of the chemical peaked at an all-time high of 6.3 million tonnes in 2021 thanks to the uninterrupted gas supplies to the urea plants last year on revised government policy. This compared with an annual average demand of around six million […]
Do Farm Subsidies Harm the Planet and its People? Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Almost 90% of the $540bn in global subsidies given to farmers every year are “harmful”, a startling UN report has found. This agricultural support damages people’s health, fuels the climate crisis, destroys nature and drives inequality by excluding smallholder farmers, […]
Climate Change Affects the Farming Domain Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) While the global food system is a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, some agriculture experts contend that the solutions to climate change can be found through revolutionizing the way we farm. A new study published in Nature Food revealed that more than […]
Fresh, Roasted Nuts Still in High Demand Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) There’s been an increasing demand for unroasted nuts in recent years. This Dutch company focuses on dried fruit and sales to not only independent supermarkets and speciality stores. They also sell to greengrocers, farm stores, and hospitality businesses. Despite what Marijn would have […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
DroneDeploy Beginning to Aid Farm Owners Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) What does the future of farming look like? For DroneDeploy CEO Mike Winn, he imagines a world where drones are able to autonomously monitor farms from the sky and collect data. This data can be compared to previous days in order to identify […]
Global Shipping Delays to Haunt Australia in 2022 Australia’s reliance on global imports is set to leave the country vulnerable in the wake of further supply chain delays, with industry expert, David Aherne, Managing Director and CEO of Across the Ocean Shipping, predicting more pain is yet to come, as shipping hold-ups are expected to […]
Carbon Offset Impacting Welsh Communities Last month, Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West, quizzed Welsh farmers about how it helped the climate crisis when British Airways bought up Welsh farms to put trees on them in order that they could fly more planes. He was referring to an example in Carmarthenshire, where a dozen […]
Australia Looking for Quick Fixes for AdBlue Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) According to trusted sources, Australia is prepared to increase the manufacturing of a key diesel exhaust fluid ingredient vital to keeping the country’s freight and logistics sectors on track. The federal government and fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot have struck an agreement to […]
Changes to Export Rules Completed Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The amendments to the Export Control Rules 2021 have been finalised. A representative of the official committee has said that the amendments were a result of the department’s commitment to listening to stakeholder feedback. According to him, “the industry told us what needed to […]
Strawberry Growers Struggle due to Inconsistent Weather Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Saying that many Aucklanders growers are frustrated by the weather might be an understatement. Summer’s had a staggered start in Auckland, and scattered showers at the start of December have made growing the fruit a challenge for local farms. Anthony Rakich, a […]
Rising Farmland Prices Becoming a Cause for Concern Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Farmland prices are soaring at quadruple the rates of median growth in Australia’s capital cities – as 30-year price highs across agricultural commodities combined with low-interest rates and generally good seasonal conditions. Experts are beginning to warn that the “exorbitant” price […]
