News

Small, sweet and high in Vitamin C — Australian growers are backing the jujube

Specialty tree crops April 17, 2019



With an increasing international population and a big focus on healthy eating, some Australian horticulturalists are pushing to expand and establish plantings of a fruit barely known to most of the country — the jujube.

Read full story

Goulburn Valley farmer cuts power costs by $62,000 a year

Business solutions & labour Technology in agriculture April 15, 2019



A fruit grower in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley has cut its grid power consumption by one-third.

Read full story

New software boosts mango operation

Mangoes Business solutions & labour Technology in agriculture April 14, 2019



Software developed for Australian mango producer Piñata Farms, was instrumental in streamlining ripening and distribution operations during the 2018-2019 season.

Read full story

Demand for pistachios is going nuts giving growers good reason to smile

Nuts April 12, 2019



A cold winter and hot summer has given pistachio growers good reason to celebrate, with many farmers harvesting great volumes despite being in the "off-year" crop cycle — and demand for the green nut is rising rapidly.

Read full story

Detecting ethylene, the fruit ripening hormone

Post harvest April 11, 2019



National University of Singapore chemists have developed fluorescent probes for the detection of ethylene gas for fruit harvesting and storage.

Read full story


Industry blindsided by 15 April deadline

Pome fruit April 10, 2019



The apple and pear industry has been blindsided by a 14-day timeframe for the implementation of complex casual wage changes.

Read full story

Montague to open new Queensland facility

Pome fruit Stone Fruit April 7, 2019



Montague Queensland will increase its focus on third party logistics through its new warehouse and packing facility in Brisbane.

Read full story

Australian pecan industry set to take flight as interest swells

Nuts April 6, 2019



THE trees have no major insect pests or diseases, they can live up to 400 years and their produce is currently bringing the same money per kilogram as macadamias. They sound almost too good to be true. Welcome to the burgeoning world of pecan nuts.

Read full story

Research Impact: Management solutions for pest fruit flies in Australia and south-east Asia

Fruit Fly April 5, 2019



Pest fruit flies cause fruit and vegetable production losses, food shortages in developing countries, and severe trade restrictions preventing export of horticultural products.

Read full story

Door open for Aussie almonds to Chile

Almonds April 4, 2019



Australian almonds growers can now export to Chile.

Read full story


Avocado oil sales to be upheld by surging investments

Avocado April 4, 2019



Global demand for avocado oil is estimated to witness growth at a Y-O-Y of over four per cent in 2019, according to the Avocado Oil Market report put out by Future Market Insights. This growth can be ascribed to a cohort of factors, ranging from changing lifestyles to rising gravitation toward health and well-being. The ever-evolving dietary preferences aligned with the health and wellness trend is foreseen to boost growth of avocado oil.

Read full story

Robotic apple harvest under close scrutiny as world-first commercial harvest underway in New Zealand

Pome fruit April 3, 2019



Australia apple growers are watching closely as a world first commercial harvesting of apples using robotic machinery gets underway at an orchard in New Zealand.

Read full story

Chalkbrood fungal disease on the rise in Australian beehives — and poor nutrition could be to blame

Flowering, thinning & PGRs March 28, 2019



Beehives around Australia are succumbing to the deadly chalkbrood disease at a faster rate than their overseas counterparts, despite having better hygiene practices.

Read full story

Launch of Australian Fresh Produce Alliance

Marketing & export March 26, 2019



The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) brings together Australia’s key fresh produce growers and suppliers, with the common purpose of being the first choice fruit and vegetable industry group for government and retailers to engage with.

Read full story

Using high-tech cartography to count fruit trees 6,000 times faster than we can

Business solutions & labour Establishment & maintenance Technology in agriculture March 26, 2019



A new tech start-up is helping farmers take the guess work out of predicting the flowering and fruiting of their crops.

Read full story