News

Procurement for beginners

Pome fruit May 2, 2019



Drowning in a sea of supplier contracts, rising costs and process inefficiencies? Dr Hugo Britt outlines seven reasons why it might be time to hire a procurement professional.

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Science backs plum's blood pressure benefits

Stone Fruit May 1, 2019



Researchers have found that daily consumption of nectar from the Queensland-bred Queen Garnet plum decreases blood pressure and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome.

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Coles Nurture Fund lets pear growers invest in new cool room technology

Pome fruit May 1, 2019



A VICTORIAN pear-growing business will regulate fruit humidity and limit water use by introducing new cool room technology. The Damianopoulos family of Masalki Pty Ltd have received a $400,000 Coles Nurture Fund grant which will allow the Shepparton-based operation to reduce its water use by up to 80 per cent. The family is among 16 farmers and food producers across Australia who will share in $5 million from the Coles Nurture Fund to help combat drought.

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Australian pears land in Indonesia

Pome fruit Marketing & export April 30, 2019



New season shipment of Australian pears complemented by promotional ‘Love Australian Pears’ campaign.

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Walnut genome sequencing opens door to new protections

Nuts April 28, 2019



Researchers seek breeding that could provide better resistance to pathogens.

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Bravo apple harvest commences

Pome fruit April 26, 2019



WA’s 2019 Bravo apple harvest has kicked off, with the premium apples now available in retail outlets.

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Mulch-in cherries

Stone Fruit April 24, 2019



Researchers are studying how mulch affects yield and fruit quality in a mature sweet cherry orchard, including packout, cherry size and flesh firmness. The study also is examining how mulch affects soil quality — physical, chemical and biological factors.

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Olive growers face challenging season with limited water supply, extreme heat

Olives April 23, 2019



Multiple hot spells with day temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, and little to no seasonal rainfall, are just some of the challenges olive producers have had to battle this season.

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Scientists invent a sniffing method to detect rotten avocados

Avocado April 22, 2019



UK scientists are working to invent a type of portable sniffing device that can detect whether avocados are rotten without breaking the skin and damaging the fruit.

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Impressive sales of Australian Kanzi apples

Pome fruit Marketing & export April 21, 2019



Sales of Kanzi apples in Australia is growing at a significant rate.

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Ricó pears ready to roll

Pome fruit April 18, 2019



New red-blush pears being grown in Australia's Goulburn Valley, with sales to begin in July.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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