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 

Hortgro has released its latest stone fruit estimates, a downward adjustment for plums, nectarines and peaches while apricots performed better than was expected a few months ago. Their new estimates reflect lower volumes (smaller fruit) and lower packouts as a result of wind, sleet and hail marks in many cultivars. In general most cultivars’ harvest is about a week later than other years but the brix levels of plums are higher this year.

Plums
Exports on early plum cultivars are 9% down, expected to drop to 13% on the mid and late cultivars, bringing the estimate for the entire season to -12% (estimated at -4% at the start of the season). Wind and hail have played a role in lower packouts, as has sunburn and a decrease in cosmetic appearance of some red and black plums, like Fortune (22% down YTD by week 3, which brings it back to the volumes of two years ago) and Lady Red (32% down YTD week 3). Ruby Sun has bucked the trend with an increase of 45% compared to last year, primarily because of new orchards coming into production, Hortgro says. - Read more of this Fresh Plaza article....