Industry Development Manager ReportIndustry Development Manager Report

• DP07001 Development of the Australian Prune Industry through technology transfer and innovation

• DP08001 Planting survey for the Australian prune industry

• DP8002 Attendance at the 2009 International Prune Association Congress

Development of the Australian Prune Industry through technology transfer

d i tiand innovation

DP07001

How is the project funded?3 years

• Funds from industry $52,155.00

• Matching funds (HAL) $52,155.00

• NSW DPI $54,000.00 (salary 1 day per week)

The ProjectThe Project

• Commenced 1.1.08• Finishes 30.8.10• The project’s aim is to help the Australian prune industry• The project s aim is to help the Australian prune industry

• Improve efficiencies & decrease costs• Identify issues of concern in regards to production

F i i l l i h h IPA• Foster international relations through IPA• Examine whole of production and offer ways to reduce costs and increase

profitability, sustainability and qualityDetermine and helping implement best practice g idelines• Determine and helping implement best practice guidelines

• Industry newsletters3 editions of the Shaker have been distributed in 2009

• Conferences

Attendance at the 11th International Prune Association Congress in Agen France

• Updating Industry’s Prune ManualNo further additions have been added this year, but by the completion of this project a section on dehydration and irrigation will be added. All information will be checked and updated as required. The Prune Manual will be available online, through a link to the DII external websitethrough a link to the DII external website

• Liaising with industry representativesg y pPlans are about to commence for attendance at the 12th IPA congressOver 30 individual grower requests have been dealt with

• Facilitating grower forumsg gUnfortunately the planned field day in September was cancelled. Another field is planned for April.Organising this conference is one of my roles

• Articles for the Vine5 i l h b i f h Vi hi d5 articles have been written for the Vine this year to dateTopics covered include:Fruit tree borer

California reportPlanting survey & resultsHistorical

• Managing HAL projects for the prune industry

Final reports for projects DP08001 and DP08002 have b d d b HALbeen written and accepted by HAL

Project DP07004 is progressing as per contract despite t d li tiunexpected complications

A submission to HAL for attendance at the 12th

International Prune Congress in South Africa will be International Prune Congress in South Africa will be written soon.

• Fostering international relationshipsFostering international relationships

California June 2009California June 2009

France June 2009

Planting survey for the Australian prune industry

DP08001DP08001

The ProjectThe Project

• The aim was to provide accurate planting statistics and produce an accurate mailing list

• Old mailing lists indicated there were about 130 growers in Young, South Australia and the MIA

• Information was collected in person, posted, emailed or by phone to the IDM

• Some growers were unable to be contacted

• Information obtained from packers and other industry members indicated that 58 producers had left the industry

ResultsResults• There are 46 growers in the Riverina

• There are 21 growers in Young

• There are 5 growers in South Australia

• 84% of known growers responded to the survey

I 2001 46 7% f d ti i th Ri i 43 4% i Y • In 2001 46.7% of prune production was in the Riverina, 43.4% in Young and 10% in South Australia

• In 2008 the Riverina produced 91.6%, Young 8% and South Australia 0.4%

ResultsResultsArea planted to prunes

Age of trees Riverina Young South Australian

Australia Total

0-5 343.48 38.1 0 381.58

6-10 356.63 40.43 0 397.06

11-15 81.85 40.77 3 125.62

16-20 47.31 28.84 0.2 76.35

21-25 25.63 37.63 0 63.27

26+ 11.79 127.81 11.6 151.2

Total 866 69 313 58 14 8 1195 08Total 866.69 313.58 14.8 1195.08

Distributions of plantingsDistributions of plantings

1,000

800

600

(hec

tare

s)

RiverinaYoungS th A t li

400Are

a ( South Australia

200

0

Age of prune treesAge of prune trees35

30

35

20

25

ge

15

20

Perc

enta

g

RiverinaYoungSouth Australia

10

0 5 6 10 11 15 16 20 21 25 26+0

5

0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26+Age of trees (years)

Varieties plantedVarieties planted300

250

200

hect

ares

)

d'Agen303

150

a pl

ante

d (h 303

698707Van der MerweMoyer

50

100

Are

a

0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20+0

50

0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20+Age of trees (years)

Prune production figures 2007/08

2,500

2,000

ric to

ns)

1,500

ion

(dry

met

r

500

1,000

Prod

ucti

0

500

SouthRiverina Y AustralianRiverina SouthAustralia

Riverina Young Australiantotal

Riverina

Attendance at the 2009 International Attendance at the 2009 International Prune Association Congressg

The congressThe congress

• Objectives

• Information sharing• Awareness• Technology transfer• Networking• Promoting international co-operation

PresentationsPresentations

• Production statistics

• Individual country reports

• Research reports• Climate change• Glycaemic index• Glycaemic index• Prunes and health• Global warming

Farm visitsFarm visits

• INRA (French National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Razac de Saussignac DordogneRazac-de-Saussignac Dordogne

Levignac de Guyenne (Lot et Garonne)Levignac-de-Guyenne (Lot-et-Garonne)

Post congress tourPost congress tour

South Africa October 2010South Africa October 2010

The futureThe future

• The IDM project will be completed in September 2010

• The variety trial will continue until 2011

• If the IDM project is refunded then some international research projects with the South Africans will be investigated

• Many thanks to all the growers I have met and worked with i J 2008 Y i d f i d hi i since January 2008. Your co-operation and friendship is

greatly appreciated