Tree Crop News

Almonds

Going nuts: Plans for $14 million almond processing plant

PLANS for a $14 million almond processing plant near Hattah have been lodged with Mildura Rural City Council.

Pome fruit

Growing juice company squeezes more from premium market

A juice company that began a decade ago with fruit, dreams and no customers has become a national premium beverage brand and is eyeing export markets. The recent success at Ashton Valley Fresh is being driven by siblings Joyce and Joseph Ceravolo, the fourth generation of Ceravolos to be involved in the fresh fruit industry in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills.

General

Report reveals fruit and nuts as star performers of Queensland’s agriculture industry

New report reveals that the fruit and nuts sector in Queensland was a star performer during 2017-18.

Citrus

Lemon shortage and high demand for fresh fruit sends prices skyrocketing

Summertime means seafood and cocktails with fresh lemon for many across Australia, but prices for the fruit have skyrocketed. A shortage of Australian-grown lemons has caused supplies to fall and prices to spike.

Citrus

Seedless mandarins to hit supermarket shelves

SEEDLESS mandarins could hit supermarket shelves in the next two years. One of Australia’s biggest fresh produce companies, Freshmax, has planted 20ha of Tangold Seedless mandarins at its Swan Hill property, with a further 20ha planned in the next 18 months.

Citrus

Orange Juice Vending Machines Have Landed in Sydney

Did you know that almost half of all fruits and vegetables grown in Australia don’t make it off the farm because their skin is blemished or they’re of “imperfect” size? That’s a lot of produce going to waste – produce that could be turned into, say, fresh juice.

Stone Fruit - Fruit Fly

Fruit fly restrictions lifted in Tasmania but markets yet to recognise status

Tasmania has officially clocked over into fruit fly-free status but Australia's trading partners will not automatically recognise the change.

Fruit Fly

New fruit fly crackdown means a $375 fine for anyone bringing fruit into South Australia

Motorists caught bringing fruit into SA will no longer receive a caution, but will instead be slapped with a $375 fine. It’s part of a zero tolerance approach by the State Government to keep the state fruit-fly free.

Avocado - Insect & mite control

Smashing success for avocados

The WA avocado season ends in February and the region’s growers have indicated this season fared well compared to previous years. Growers put the success down to the mild weather conditions which allowed a higher volume of produce to grow.

Pome fruit

Summer management for quality

As the temperatures in the orchard start to rise, AgFirst’s John Wilton looks at how to minimise sunburn, avoid nutrition-related problems and improve colour towards lifting quality and packouts at harvest.

Marketing & export

Tariff cuts and better access for Aussie farmers on Jan 1

Tariff cuts and better overseas access for Australian farmers from Jan 1, giving farmers choice when they want to sell their produce.

Avocado - Marketing & export

Aussie avocados now exported to Japan

AUSTRALIAN avocados are to be exported to Japan, cementing new trade relations and market opportunities for horticultural products. The “Aussie Avo” was ceremoniously launched at a high-profile event at the Australian embassy in Tokyo recently.

Insect & mite control

Biobest and Australian company Bugs for Bugs team up through equity deal

Biobest Group NV and Bugs for Bugs Pty Ltd have announced on 20 Dec 2018 the finalisation of an equity transaction whereby Biobest Group NV acquires a stake in Bugs For Bugs Pty Ltd. Bugs for Bugs is a leading player in the Australian market for beneficial insects and other biocontrol products.

Nuts

Pecan nut industry expects phenomenal growth in years ahead

Consumer demand for all nuts continues to grow, in part due to Asia's appetite for them, but the pecan variety in particular is set to experience strong growth in coming years. The pecan industry's peak body, the Australian Pecan Growers' Association (APGA), estimates the number of trees in the ground to increase by 500 per cent over the next five years.

Macadamias

Why is Mistletoe killing our Macadamia trees?

Mistletoe, has become famous in the Australian macadamia industry but for all the wrong reasons.