News
How to make pears blush:

Pears have been declining in popularity in recent years, but new blush varieties offer opportunities for an image makeover and a revival in fortunes.
Read full storyManaging climate risks

Climate risks to pomefruit crops come in many forms. The main ones are frost, hail, wind, flooding, drought and high temperatures. These are the obvious ones.
Read full storyAustralian pears show promise in Indonesia

Marketing a mix of pear varieties under a broad Australian Pears brand has the potential to boost sales in the rapidly-expanding market in Indonesia, a levy-funded export marketing pilot has shown.
Read full storyCider expansion supported by new supply

The burgeoning local cider industry is set to benefit from a new cider apple supply block at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Orange Agricultural Institute.
Read full storyConstruction of new packing and export facility commences

Montague have commenced construction of a new packaging facility at Narre Warren North.
Read full storyNew state-of-the-art, produce facility in Rocklea, Queensland

Montague open world-class produce and packing facility opens at the Brisbane Markets.
Read full storyN&A Group and Plunkett Orchards join forces

The N&A Group & Plunkett Orchards are joining forces in a new partnership that will expand their existing alliance to become one of Australia’s largest growers, packers and marketers of all tree fruits.
Read full storyResearch under way to strengthen the safety of apple and pear packhouses

Australian apple and pear packhouses have the opportunity help build industry wide knowledge of absolute microbial risks, and a develop a risk assessment model to best manage them.
Read full storyProtective cropping crucial for apples and pears

Flying foxes are considered keystone species in the Australian landscape. However, they have significant impact on orchards – even with netting. Incursions can result in near-total or total losses to crops.
Read full storyAn effective/organic alternative . . .

Organic Crop Protectants’ latest innovation in plant protection - Ecocarb PLUS - is a dual action fungicide combining the curative powers of potassium bicarbonate with the protective and systemic barrier properties of potassium silicate.
Read full storySoil characterisation in Australian apple orchards

By calibrating new data with soil moisture data, growers can know when, how much and for how long to irrigate to supply enough water to meet tree demand, writes Marcus Hardie and Nigel Swarts from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (UTAS).
Read full storyAn apple carries about 100 million bacteria

A new study shows that organic apples harbor a more diverse and balanced bacterial community - which could make them healthier and tastier than conventional apples, as well as better for the environment.
Read full storyNew thinning agent shines in first season

A new fruit thinning agent - Brevis - has passed its first season with flying colours offering a more flexible application window than currently available options.
Read full storyRed Rich Fruits secures Australian rights to Cosmic Crisp apples

Cosmic Crisp apple is set to take off in Australia thanks to an exclusive agreement between Australian fruit grower, packer, and marketer, Red Rich Fruits, and varietal managers Proprietary Variety Management (PVM).
Read full story$5M pollination grant

Key crops will receive a pollination boost under a new research project that investigates novel technology and practices for optimising pollination.
Read full story