AUSTRALIAN fruit growers have a better understanding of what international consumers are looking for when purchasing fruit, thanks to a series of surveys carried out in China, Thailand and Indonesia.

Agriculture Victoria research scientist Bruce Tomkins said there were huge opportunities to grow the market for Australian pears and stone-fruit in all three countries.

“To do this, however, marketers need to understand what shoppers want and prices they are willing to pay,” Mr Tomkins said.

“Australian grown’ was identified as a key driver for sales in all markets, but we need to provide the right cultivar, with the right characteristics, at the right price,” he said.

Mr Tomkins said one survey looked at two new pears Deliza and Lanya in Thailand and Indonesia and compared them to the well-known Packham pear.

Read more of this article.......

The fees are flagged to come into effect on July 1 and will over-recover more than $3.5 million during the next four years.

Eight major industry associations — Apple and Pear Australia, Australian Horticultural Exporters’ and Importers’ Association, Australian Mango Industry Association, Australian Table Grape Association, AusVeg, Cherry Growers Australia, Citrus Australia and Summerfruit Australia — have called on the Federal Government to re-engage with stakeholders before introducing a new cost recovery model for horticulture export services. Read more of this Weekly Times article.....

• A fact sheet for growers: How the Horticulture Code helps you
• Answers to questions which have been posed by growers and other stakeholders are in the Horticulture Code FAQs.
• Having a Horticulture Produce Agreement is an integral part of compliance with the Code. To make it as straightforward as possible we have produced sample HPAs, depending on whether growers sell their produce to an agent or a merchant (as defined in the Code):

• Sample Horticulture Produce Agreement - Merchant
• Sample Horticulture Produce Agreement – Agent

• Questions relating to packing houses are some of the most frequently raised with the ACCC: We recently sent out a newsletter on this topic. If you would like to receive future newsletters, with the latest news and events relevant to the horticulture sector, please sign up to our Agriculture Information Network.
• While the Code defines horticulture produce as unprocessed fruit, vegetables (including mushrooms and other edible fungi), nuts, herbs and other edible plants, it does not define ‘unprocessed’. The ACCC’s web page provides some clarification, and an example, about how this is defined.
• One of the parts of the Code which is new (i.e. was not in the previous Code) is the obligation to deal in good faith. Our website provides an explanation, and examples, of good faith.
• Traders have to give growers a regular statement about how they dealt with the grower’s produce. The ACCC website has information outlining what these statements need to tell growers.
• The full range of ACCC information is at: Horticulture code guidance materials

That’s the stark warning from one of Australia’s biggest horticulture players..... Read more