wa grower winter 12

$25.00 (inc GST)

SINCE 1948Vol. 47 No 2. Winter 2012

Nick TrandosHall of Fame Inductee

WA GrowerPotato GrowersAssociation Inc.

APC-VPCAPC-PPC

Agricultural Produce Commission

Caulifl ower pest management

Articles refl ect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Vegetable Growers Association

PresidentMaureen Dobra Gingint: (08) 9575 2086 m: 0417 174 110

Vice PresidentPaul Bogdanich Ginginm: 0421 575 124

TreasurerAnthony Marinovich Myalup/Bunbury m: 0417 907 910

CommitteeH. Shapland t: (08) 9845 1064 AlbanyK. Sue m: 0417 986 467 BusseltonR. Shain m: 0429 988 809 CarnarvonM. Jones m: 0438 418 384 CarnarvonK. Edwards m: 0427 724 243 Manjimup M. Lee m: 0417 962 427 MetroD. Rigali m: 0407 447 524 MetroA. Bogdanich m: 0419 248 422 GinginM.Grubisa m: 0413 050 182 Metro North S. Calameri m: 0418 957 236 Metro SouthP. Wauchope m: 0400 717 600 Gingin

Potato Growers Association

PresidentSam Calameri Metro m: 0418 957 236

Vice PresidentDarryl Smith Busseltonm: 0428 933 154

TreasurerAndrew Tempra Manjimup m: 0417 097 729

CommitteeC. Ayres m: 0428 451 014 AlbanyB. Russell m: 0429 318 216 DonnybrookP. Patane m: 0407 993 580 MyalupS. Calameri m: 0418 957 236 Metro SouthG. Bendotti m: 0427 569 903 PembertonD. Ryan m: 0427 731 066 Pemberton

Western Potatoes Pty Ltd

ChairmanRoss Taylor m: 0412 446 512

Executive Offi cer Georgia Thomas m: 0431 444 918

Non-Executive DirectorSimon Moltoni m: 0427 761 693

Retail and Consumer ManagerA. Kirou m: 0400 996 153

• APC- Vegetable Producers Committee

• Potato Growers Association

• Western Potatoes

• vegetablesWA

This issue of the WA Grower is brought to you by:

Cover photo: Nick Trandos

Contact details for Horticulture House vegetablesWA, Potato Growers Association, Western PotatoesHorticulture House103 Outram Street West Perth 6005t: (08) 9481 0834 f: (08) 9481 0024e: offi [email protected]

Executive Offi cerJim Turleym: 0410 697 842 e: [email protected]

Policy and Program ManagerJohn Shannon t: 0488 111 526 e: [email protected]

Finance/Administrator/Magazine AdvertisingRebecca Blackmant: (08) 9481 0834e: fi [email protected]

Communications Offi cer Hayley Wilsont: (08) 9481 0834 e: [email protected]

Field/Extentsion Offi cerSarah Houstonm: 0427 373 037e: [email protected]

Life MembersA.J. Anderson*, D.J. Arbuckle, J. Arbuckle Snr*, J.H. Arbuckle* (M.B.E.J.P), S. Calameri, G. Kiriros*, R.G.Leach*, F. Natoli, S. Sawle*, R.M. Schultz, C.P. Stevens, W.R. Stevens* (M.B.E.J.P), HR. Ashby*,

Amy Harris*, A. Ingrilli. * deceased

Produced by vegetablesWA

Management Committees

1WA Grower winter 2012

21 6634

Your IndustrY AssocIAtIons 3Fresh from WA campaign 4

vegetablesWA President’s Report 8

Potato Growers Association President’s Report 8

Water matters 9

Why isn’t horticulture better supported? 10

Coles Gluten Free Expo 11

Donnybrook Apple Festival 2012 12

Myalup talks — all things irrigation 14

HAL Field Walk 16

Your ProductIon 17Longer rotations may be key to spinach root rot problems 18

World class IPM practices in cauliflower crops 21

Correct usage of pesticides 23

Permits 112

Your IndustrY 25Grower profile — Nick Trandos 26

$8 million expansion for Market City 30

Grower profile — David Blakers 32

Land management practice trends 34

How does your business survive change? 37

Hydroponic conference 37

AUSVEG Convention 2012 38

Haifa software move enables ‘smart’ fertigation management 40

Grower profile — Aaron Natoli 42

Lowering costs and growing your business using food safety 44

Get a taste of rural life you may just get hooked! 45

Year of the Farmer Roadshow rolls out 46

WA GrowerVol. 47 No 2. Winter 2012

soil scientist, Dr neal Kinsey. the South west project has provided some real results by using of dripper tape.vegetableswA has recently taken the lead in rolling the ‘talking Business’ materials. the project gets vegetable growers to talk about their business with family, peers, consultants or in grower groups. vegetableswA is also working to advance the horticulture precinct concept, maintain water rights and address the failings of the Horticulture Code of Conduct.if there is something you need assistance with, please don’t be afraid to call myself in the office or our Field extension Officer, Sarah Houston.

John shannon, Policy and Program Manager

Welcome to the latest edition of the Wa GroWer

it has been another interesting period for the west Australian vegetable industry with many positive things occurring, as well as the effects of some adversity.Unfortunately many wA growers have taken a battering from the recent fierce storms. in certain areas the strong winds caused untold damage by either sand blasting seedlings or snapping off older plants.

the vegetableswA Good Practice projects across the metropolitan, Carnarvon and South west regions continue to assist growers in different ways. the metropolitan project held an ‘All About irrigation’ field walk. the Carnarvon project has shown some very positive improvements in soil carbon levels and is hosting a visit from leading US

Importing plants is not that hard! 48

Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme 48

Benefits of industry-funded virus testing for potatoes 49

Tomato irrigation trial shows a win for growers 50

Growers chew over stable fly 52

Purple carrots catch the eyes 53

Activ Foundation 54

Your BusIness 55InnoVeg 56

Federal Budget 2012–13 wrap up 58

New small business commissioner and ADR initiative for businesses in dispute 59

Business plan help for farming families 59

Building a sound vegetable growing business 60

Developing a block of land for vegetable production 62

Your envIronMent 65Remote sensing catches bees in the act 66

Protecting bees: a guide for farmers and beekeepers 68

Your MArket 69Consumers and markets overview 70

Veginsights 74

Your self 99Centrelink assistance for farmers 100

Rural women come together to promote agriculture 102

Protect your farm’s most important asset... you! 103

Recipes 104

vIetnAMese trAnslAtIons 106

United Crate Co operative Ltd.

Servicing the Fresh Produce Industry For Over 48 Years

PH: (08) 9455 1540 Fax: (08) 9455 2376

Providing a low cost alternative. Hire and Sale of Bins and Crates. Hire from a low

40c per crate*ex GST.

Sale Stock available of

Crates & Bins.

Contact United Crate Co operative Ltd 1 Zanni Street Canning Vale WA 6155 Email: [email protected] Web: www.unicrate.com.au

Hire Stock available of

Crates and Bins.

Your industrY associationsYour industrY associationsYour industrY associationsYour industrY associations


YoUR industrY associations

4 WA Grower winter 2012

Your industrY associations

By JOHn SHAnnOnVEGETABLESwABy JOHn SHAnnOnVEGETABLES

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· Make sure you eat the whole of the stem as well as

the floret heads. The stems are sweet and tender –

and many regard them as the best bit - make the

most of them!

· Broccolini is a great way to get kids into vegetables.

Its sweet taste and tender texture appeal more to

kids. You’ll find they take to it quicker than other

vegies.

· It’s important to store the product correctly to

retain it’s sweetness and tender texture. Wrap in

a bag and store in the vegetable compartment of

the fridge.

DAVID’s top tips-broccolini

--broccolini

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David Blakers is from Capel Farms, the state’s

largest grower of Broccolini. A 3rd generation

farmer, David moved from Manjimup to

establish Capel Farms in 2000. Nestled just 2km

from the Indian Ocean, a mild maritime climate

and nutritious sandy soils provide perfect

conditions for Capel Farms to grow vegies all

year round.

Funded by the Agricultural Produce C

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You can buy WA grown Broccolini 12 months of the year.

Capel Farms supply around 90% of all the Broccolini grown

in WA and plant different varieties to take advantage of

the different seasons.

Broccolini is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. It is also

a good source of the essential minerals iron, calcium

and folate.

Broccolini has a slightly nutty, peppery, asparagus like

taste. It’s great for stir frys, steaming, baking or grilling!

David’s loves keeping it simple and serving in a bowl with

ground pepper. For the more creative cooks, he recommends

Broccolini grilled and covered in Asian sauces and spices –

create your own flavours!

campaign

In season fresh

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tastES great

Aaron grows beetroot 365 days a year, using different varieties in different seasons. The crop prefers the

spring and autumn temperatures and supply is more plentiful at these times. Perth is the

major growing region with some supplies from across the South West.

Beetroot is a source of many antioxidants and nutrients. They include magnesium, sodium, potassium, vitamin C and betaine.

Beetroot is super versatile. It can be juiced, grated raw in salads, roasted, steamed, boiled and microwaved; Use it to make other dishes like soup, gnocchi and risotto. Feeling creative? Great in desserts like chocolate cake. Aaron’s favourite? Eat it steamed – the skin just peels off and you can enjoy the natural flavours.

· When selecting beetroot you should look for hard, smooth bulbs which are round or oval; strong, firm, stick like stems (maroon in colour); and fresh looking green leaves, free from spots or holes. Store in crisper section of fridge.

· Beetroots are easier to peel once fully cooked.

· Don’t let beetroot juices run and stain the other items you are cooking. It’s best to prepare or cook beetroot separate to other items!

· Beetroot leaves can be great to cook with. Use in casseroles and soups for an extra hit of flavour.

AARON’s top tips

-BEETROOT--BEETROOT--BEETROOT--BEETROOT--BEETROOT--BEETROOT-

Aaron Natoli runs Natoli Produce Farms, based in Gnangara, 35 kms north of Perth. Operating since 1976, this family farming business grows all sorts of varieties of carrots, beetroots, parsnips, turnips and more. You can find their products at major supermarkets across Perth. Check out their Facebook page for more details: www.facebook.com/NatoliProduceFarms

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‘fresh from WA farms’ continues to roll out in the fresh section of the West

Australian every thursday. each week it features a seasonal line and links it to local

growers, health benefits and taste. the campaign will finish at the end of June.

In season freshAaron grows beetroot 365 days a year, using different

FFFrrrFrFFFrFrFrFFFrFHEALTHY for you

Broccolini is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. It is also


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gricultural Produce Com

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· When storing fresh produce in the fridge, make sure you separate fruit and vegetables in different storage compartments! Seal your cauliflowers into small bags and they will keep fresher for longer.· Cauliflower is super versatile to cook with and suited to a range of different cuisines. Baked, stir fried, fried, steamed – great any way you want it including raw! Don’t be afraid to try it in your modern Asian dishes, it is a great carrier for herbs and spices.· When selecting cauliflower in the shops, make sure you choose WA grown. Check the heads are tightly bunched (soft and flaky indicates dehydration). They can bruise easily, but this wont affect the taste.

ANTHONY’s top tips

-cAULIFLOWER--cAULIFLOWER--cAULIFLOWER--cAULIFLOWER--cAULIFLOWER--cAULIFLOWER-

Anthony Marinovich is from Lake Preston Produce in Myalup. He set up his 200 acre farm 16 years ago with his parents Dane and Betty. It’s a family business producing cauliflowers, carrots, onions, potatoes and award winning olive oil. Look out for their produce in specialist retailers and at the Perth Markets.


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Cauliflower is well suited to our mild Mediterranean climate, which means you can get WA grown product all year round! Look out for Wanneroo and Myalup grown product during the winter months. In the summer the majority of the volume comes from Manjimup.

Cauliflower is packed full of vitamins and minerals. It’s is a great way to stock up on your daily needs of Vitamin C and Folate.

Anthony’s favourite way to eat cauliflower is nice and simple. Cut into florets and boil gently for a short time (so they are still crunchy). Put in a bowl with some cooked broccoli and cover with extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper. Perfect as a side dish or healthy snack. It’s coming up to winter, so think about using it in soups, purees or as cauliflower cheese with your roasts.

In season fresh

HEALTHY for you

tastES great

Carrots are grown in WA all year round, with production

concentrated in the south of the state. Carrots love sandy

soils, so the Lancelin, Gingin, Baldivis and Myalup regions

provide the bulk of WA carrot supplies. WA is Australia’s

largest carrot producing state!

Carrots contain the super anti-oxidant Beta Carotene – which

means they are super healthy for you. Eat carrots for fibre and

vitamin A as well.

Fresh carrots should have a distinct sweet taste. Sonia’s

favourite way to enjoy them is raw. A great healthy snack on

their own or with dips. There is no shortage of ways to cook

with carrots, from traditional roasts to Chinese Stir Frys they

are super versatile! Check out our Facebook page for Sonia’s

Carrot Cake recipe. It’s not to be missed!

· All carrots go through a very selective grading

process before reaching the stores. They should

be hard and firm (not rubbery) and a nice vibrant

orange. Carrots that don’t make the grade are often

used in juicing or cattle feed.

· Carrots like cool dark storage conditions. Wrapped

in a plastic bag, you can store them in the fridge

for a number of weeks.

· Kids love carrots. Try Sonia’s favourite kids

recipe. Steam them, add a knob of butter

and drizzle with honey. Great for hungry little

mouths.

SONIA’s top tips-CARROTS--CARROTS--CARROTS--CARROTS--CARROTS--CARROTS-

Sonia and Joe from Castro Farms have been

operating from their 400 acre property in

Myalup for 17 years. They grow carrots, onions,

potatoes and parsnips. Castro Farms carrots are

so in demand that they are exported overseas.

You can find their delicious produce at your local

IGA and various other specialist retailers.

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· When selecting celery, look for a fresh pale green colour. Stalks should be thick and ridged with a firm, crisp texture – it should snap easily when broken.

· Celery needs looking after! For best shelf life, store in the fridge, slightly moist, in an air tight container.

· Celery leaves can be eaten and are often the tastiest and most nutritious part. Wash and include in your cooking for extra flavour!

ANDREW’s top tips

-CELERY--CELERY--CELERY--CELERY--CELERY--CELERY-

Bogdanich Farms is a family farming business based west of Gingin. Andrew and Michael Bogdanich are the third generation of the family to work in the business. With over 350 acres of land spread across several properties, they are one of WA’s largest suppliers of celery, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Look out for their super tasty produce in major supermarkets, specialist retailers and local restaurants.


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Most celery in WA comes from the Carabooda and Gingin region. Perth’s climate and the area’s sandy soils are ideal

for year round celery production. This means you can purchase fresh, locally produced celery all year round.

Celery has a high water content and is a great way to hydrate. It’s also packed full of great nutrients including Fibre, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.

Celery should not be bitter. It has a mild, sweet, watery taste which is very refreshing. You can eat it raw as a healthy snack, serve it with some dips at parties, or use it to bolster up your favourite salad. It also tastes great cooked. Add celery to soups, stews, casseroles and stir frys!

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In season fresh



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· Onions are best stored in an unsealed bag in the

refrigerator. Do not store Brown Onions with

potatoes as it makes them spoil faster. Fresh onion

leftovers should be stored in a sealed container or

wrapped in plastic, but won’t keep longer than a

few days.

· Choose onions that are firm with a papery feel

to the skin. Avoid onions with skin blemishes

and green shoots.

· To help prevent your eyes from watering when

chopping onions: try refrigerate for at least

1 hour prior to cutting; chop under running

water; and avoid chopping into root area.

PETER’s top tips-ONIONS--ONIONS--ONIONS--ONIONS--ONIONS--ONIONS-

Peter Ivankovich is the third generation of

his family to be a farmer. He’s been growing

onions for more than 40 years and works

with his son, Anthony, at their property in

Myalup (just 120kms south of Perth). You

can find Peter’s onions at IGA stores and

specialist independent green grocers across

the metro area.


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WA grown onions are available all year round. They are

grown from Perth to Myalup and as far down as Manjimup.

Onions are a source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fibre

and folic acid. They also contain calcium, iron and have

a high protein quality. Onions are low in sodium and

contain no fat.

Brown onions are usually strongly flavoured

and are suitable for cooking. With a pungent

aroma and strong flavour it is a good all-round

onion. Lash them on your BBQ to go with your

steaks and sausages and try them in your

winter soups. White Onions are milder but

still flavoursome. Red Onions are mild and

suitable for use raw in salads and sandwiches.

In season fresh

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WA has a year round supply of the most popular potato varieties

(due to scheduled growing in different areas of the state). The

5 main varieties are Nadine, Royal Blue, Ruby Lou, Mondial and

White Star. Check with your local retailer to make sure they stock

local potatoes.

Potatoes are virtually fat free, contain no cholesterol and are a good

source of fibre and complex carbohydrates. They provide vital

nutrients such as Vitamin C, Folate, Iron and Potassium.

Go to www.feelgoodfood.com.au for more facts and healthy recipes.

Mick loves mashed potatoes. He recommends being careful

not to overcook them – this loses flavour and texture. Mick

adds butter and milk and serves with cabbage and sausages!

Winter is a great time for hearty food. What could be more

hearty than the family roast? The Foxes dig into baked potatoes

and roast lamb once a week!

· We get a great choice of potatoes in WA - last year over

30 varieties were grown. Developing new varieties is a

lengthy process and takes over 10 years. In the next

year or so, look out for 2 or 3 exciting new varieties

to be available!

· When selecting potatoes pay particular attention to

the colour. Good colour is the sign the spud is in

great shape. It will taste fantastic and be packed

full of nutrients.

· Royal Blues are the best all round potato and

are suitable for virtually anything – including

amazing mashed potato.

MICK’s top tips-POTATOES-

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Mick Fox grows potatoes at his family farm

in Dandaragan. With mild winters, beautiful

soils and good water supply, the region is

fantastic for potato growing. Mick grows a

wide variety of potatoes including Nadines,

Mondials, Royal Blues and Ruby Lous.

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· Select spinach with dark green leaves. To make sure the leaves are fresh, ensure they do not have a ‘limp’ appearance.

· Spinach is highly perishable and must be stored well. Seal and refridgerate in an air tight container. Spinach purchased in the supermarket can last for 7 days if stored correctly.

· Spinach has twice the fibre content of many other salad greens – great for filling you up! Cook with your spinach to bring out the best of the nutrients. Wilted spinach is considered one of nature’s superfoods.

TONY’s top tips

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Tony Colotti of Brook Rise Farms, grows baby spinach and other gourmet salad leaves. Based in Gingin, he has several properties spread over 100 acres. His baby spinach is washed, bagged and found in major WA supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths.


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You can purchase fresh spinach from WA all year round. In the summer months, spinach is grown as far south as Manjimup (November – March). The Perth and Gingin regions have a fairly constant year round supply. Spinach loves deep sandy soils. No wonder WA spinach tastes so good!

Spinach is a good source of many nutrients. Look out for fibre, the antioxidant beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Spinach is a versatile all rounder. Great for salads in the summer. Tony’s favourite is a spinach, fetta, roasted sweet potato and walnut salad. It also adds flavour and nutrients to your winter cooking. Try adding it to your soups, casseroles and curries. Want to be creative? Go Indian with a Chicken Palak Curry!

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In season fresh

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Zucchinis grow best in warmer climates. The Perth area is the main growing region from October to May. Production then switches to Carnarvon from May to October. Whatever the time of year, make sure you are buying from WA!

Zucchini is an excellent source of vitamin C, and provides some vitamin A, beta carotene and folate.

Zucchini is as versatile as it is delicious. There’s no limit to how you might cook it – great steamed, fried, BBQ’d, boiled, grilled, roasted and stuffed. Feeling creative? Try making soufflés, baking it into bread or deep frying in tempura batter!

· All zucchinis are hand picked which means they leave the farm in tip top condition. Select zucchinis that are a nice green colour with no scratches. They should be nice and firm, not soft.· Store product in the fridge immediately you return from the shop. Before cooking with them, remove both ends and prepare as desired.· Zucchini has a delicate flavour and is easily

overcooked. They only require quick cooking to warm through – try them heated with butter or olive oil for a great taste. It’s usual to cook and eat them with the skin, kids often prefer them peeled as well.

ANTHONY’s top tips

-ZUCCH IN I --ZUCCH IN I --ZUCCH IN I -

T Radich & Co is a family business and has been operating for over 30 years. Anthony runs the business from their 30 acre property in Wanneroo. They grow zucchinis, capsicums, gourmet lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli. You can find their produce in specialist green grocers across Perth.

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WA has one of the best climates in the world for growing apples. Sensational local produce is available all year round. Lucinda’s favourites? Look out for Royal Gala’s from late Feb to June and Pink Ladies from June to January. Choose apples which are firm, undamaged, with a bright colour. Avoid waxy, dull skin.

Apples are an antioxidant powerhouse - more antioxidants than half a punnet of superfood blueberries! They are also high in dietary fibre, low GI, contain potassium and essential vitamins (including B&C). www.aussieapples.com.au for more.

Apples are super versatile and can be used in a range of tasty sweet and savoury dishes. Try classic apple recipes such as hot home-made apple pie, to gourmet apple and pork tagine. Lucinda’s favourites? A simple snack; grated in morning muesli; sliced on a cheese platter; or a modern twist to the classic Waldorf salad. www.aussieapples.com.au for more.

· Store your apples in the crisper section of the fridge. This protects the flavour and keeps them firm and crunchy. Please don’t leave your apples in a fruit bowl – they’ll go soft and floury very quickly!

· Different types of apples have different flavours. Sweeter types include Fuji and Braeburn. Sharper types include Pink Ladies and Fujis. Try some fantastic new varieties like Jazz, Kanzi and Green Star.

· Apples keep you going for longer. They are low GI and are a perfect snack to give you long lasting energy. Fantastic at breakfast for extra energy in the day. Need a mid afternoon pick me up? Carry an apple as your healthy way to get an energy boost.

LUCINDA’s top tips-APPLES--APPLES--APPLES--APPLES--APPLES--APPLES-

Newton Orchards is a thriving family business based in Manjimup. Established in 1929, it is now run by the second and third generations of the family. The orchards cover 400 acres, grow 10 varieties of apples and a delicious selection of stone fruit. Lucinda works with her father, Harvey, to supply product to Perth supermarkets and specialist retailers. Their product is so in demand it even reaches the UK!

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· When selecting Spring Onions, look for firm, crisp

green leaves. Choose onions that have a base 8-18mm

thick. Larger Spring Onions will last for longer and tend

to be more flavoursome.

· Spring Onions are best stored in the fridge. The fridge can

dry them out, so they are best stored in the crisper section

slightly wet, wrapped in a plastic bag.

· Spring Onions are fantastically versatile. They are locally

grown and available all year round. They are perfect for

adding a little bit of extra flavour and spice to all your

traditional favourites. Give them a go!

VINCE’s top tips-SPRING ONIONS--SPRING ONIONS--SPRING ONIONS--SPRING ONIONS--SPRING ONIONS--SPRING ONIONS-

Vince Cavallaro has been farming Spring Onions

with his wife Margaret for over 15 years. Since

2001 they have been based at their 6 acre property

in Baldivis, which provides perfect year round

growing conditions and soils. Their produce can

be found in major retailers like Woolworths and

smaller specialist independent green grocers.


omm

ission

In season fresh

HEALTHY for you

tastES great

Spring Onions grow in WA all year round. They love the summer

climate so volumes are higher in the summer months – meaning

you can get great value. Volumes decrease in the winter, but WA

grown product quality remains very high. The bulk of the produce

comes from the Perth and Gingin regions.

Spring Onions contain Vitamin A, Vitamin B and Vitamin C.

They also contain Selenium.

Raw Spring Onions have a sharp, tangy and slightly

bitter taste. When cooked they develop a sweeter, more

delicate flavour. They are highly versatile. Perfect raw

for all types of salads (Vince recommends a tomato or

potato salad); fantastic in Asian stir frys; as a base flavour

for dips; or to spice up an omelette. Vince’s favourite?

Try them on the BBQ with some mushrooms and steak.

FFFrrrFrFFFrFrFrFFFrF

In season fresh

In season fresh



A new season has arrived

Last season our potato growers were really tested in their production and marketing of fresh potatoes due to the severe climatic conditions and over supply of potatoes in the Eastern States.

As this new season arrives, I have adopted a positive attitude towards what our Potato Industry in Western Australia can achieve in this new season. Consumers can expect a couple of new varieties and quality potatoes

that certainly match potatoes from South Australia.

The development implementation of the McKinna report will bring renewed confidence to our growers particularly, in certain procedures of our supply chain. I believe price setting for DME potatoes will be far more responsive with the new emphasis on obtaining up to date market intelligence supplied by WPPL and the PMC’s consultant.

WPPL moving into the PMC office is positive in that, the communication will be far better and therefore having a beneficial effect for our growers. Another area WPPL can assist the PMC is consumer satisfaction. This area needs to be monitored all the time to report on consumer changes in their demands.

The changes in the staff at the PMC will bring fresh new ideas that will add value to our industry and growers. The PGA will certainly assist and encourage the new staff members

Potato Growers AssociationPresident’s Report

By SAm CAlAmeri PRESIDENT, PoTATo GRoWERS ASSoCIATIoN

vegetablesWAPresident’s Report

By mAUreen DOBrAVEGETABLESwA

to become involved with the growers individually or collectively at zone meetings.

Talking of zone meetings it is my strong desire that Jim and I attend at least one or two of your local zone meetings this year. We are all together in this regulated system therefore, as your president I must be confident when I speak on behalf of our Potato Industry that I know what the growers require.

Finally, as the new season progresses I am confident growers will have the opportunity to increase their business income (given the weather is kind). It will also be interesting to witness consumer reaction relating to new varieties and changes in marketing trends. The APC Potato Producers Committee approval of grower driven projects in Manjimup Pemberton is to be applauded. This drive from our growers to increase their production yields through improving their soil will certainly be watched with great interest.

Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Nick Trandos inducted into the Royal Agricultural Hall of Fame for Western Australia.

The Agricultural Hall of Fame gives lasting recognition to Western Australians, past and present, who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture. Well done Nick!

As growers, we sometimes accumulate chemicals — for many different reasons. During April/May more than 100 farmers

cleared their lands and storage facilities of toxic and dangerous chemicals. This was by using the ChemClear program during its state-wide collection this year. The collection run covered 10,700 square kilometres, visiting 38 council sites and collecting more than 18 tonnes of obsolete agvet chemicals from 104 waste holders in April and May. This year’s collection was ChemClear’s third in WA with 57 tonnes of agvet chemicals being handed over to be disposed of over the past five years. Local councils gave their generous support by providing suitable sites for locals to drop off their chemicals. The ChemClear program is an industry funded program that provides a pathway for eligible obsolete agvet chemicals at the end of their life cycle. These chemicals are collected free of charge under the program. Since the program

commenced in 2003 we have collected in more than 337 tonnes.

I also recently attended the AuSvEG National Awards for Excellence in Tasmania. Congratulations to all those from WA that were nominated and were finalists. A special well done and congratulations to Joyce Babun — from Carnarvon — who was the winner of the Industry Impact Award. The next AuSvEG Convention will be held in Adelaide. Mark it in your calendar!

The Department of Water has put out a notice of winter sprinkler bans. Whilst this predominantly applies to users of scheme water and garden bores, it still does apply when we are using water for household purposes. Our beautiful autumn weather has now come to an end — and right on time — the rain arrived!

Potato GrowersAssociation Inc.



The Water Policy Horticulture/Agriculture Industry Reference Group held its first meeting on April 27, 2012.

The group is made up of: growers from Carnarvon to the south coast; peak industry organisations; water cooperatives; the Department of Water’s Acting Director General and Director of Strategic Policy; plus the Department of Agriculture’s Executive Director for Irrigated Agriculture.

The Group is convened by the DoW to assist in the development and review of water policy as it relates to that sector. Its primary purpose is to facilitate open dialogue on matters pertinent to current and future water policy, share expertise and assist the delivery of excellent water policy for Western Australia.

The Group will not take over the roll of local regional advisory groups. It will take a whole of industry state-wide approach.

I believe this Group covers the horticulture/agriculture industries through its representation of peak industry organisations, individual growers and cooperatives. Already the Group has commenced to discuss some of the serious issues (but not in fine detail yet) that are

related to the collection of water, the use, compliance, national water initiative and the future state legislation.

This Group will give our industry a far better opportunity to work with the DoW on policy based on a shared understanding between the Department and our industries.

There should be clarity of rights and responsibilities for water users.

As a member of the Group this arrangement we have now (engage and work with the Department) is far better than a few years ago when we had the most elaborate consultation with decision makers not listening to our industry water users.

Water mattersWater Policy Horticulture/Agriculture Industry Reference Group

By Jim tUrleyVEGETABLESwA

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For years I have witnessed a steady decline with treatment of the horticulture industry by both of our main political parties. Everybody, growers and stakeholders, know this decline is happening and yet nobody can claim success in halting or even slowing down the pace of this decline.

So what does this declining treatment really mean? “Horticulture-agriculture is out of favour.” Decisions adopted by governments

Why isn’t horticulturebetter supported?

appear to be without consideration of the collateral damage impacting on our growers/farmers businesses i.e. steep increase in input costs, energy, transport, regulation and general administration, labour etc.

Also Governments appear ambivalent towards improving legislation that would have a positive impact for our growers — farmers i.e. food labelling, the powers of the duopoly in retail chains, horticulture code of conduct, incentives to export, investment allowances, regional incentives including transport subsidies and development in horticulture precincts areas. Plus extra Government resources.

Therefore, in an election year how can our horticulture/agriculture industry turn this decline around?

Obviously the peak industry organisations and others will lobby individual politicians, political parties etc. However this action has

By Jim tUrleyVEGETABLESwA

not stopped the decline in the past. Therefore a different strategy must be developed to achieve our goal of turning this around.

Instead of concentrating all our efforts on trying to influence the final decision made by Governments. It is my view we should also be concentrating on the consequences of those decisions on our growers businesses. These consequences in isolation may affect only a small percentage of a growers business. However accumulating, they will slowly test a grower’s viability.

Therefore, I believe for this declining trend to be turned around our Governments must fully understand the consequences of their decisions, philosophies and policies. Our job as a peak industry organisation and individual growers/farmers etc. We must convince our Governments that Australia’s ability to produce quality food products will be severely affected if our viability in business is not there.

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SMART software WA Grower June 2012.indd 1 18/06/12 11:44 AM



We used the opportunity to do a consumer sampling on five potato varieties, the expo-goers were then asked to fill out a simple questionnaire with positive responses for all varieties.

potato information, Bud the Spud colouring sheets and stickers. WPPL also sold the Melanoma Showbags which were extremely well received by the expo-goers.

The expo was a great success with an excellent response to our gluten free dressings and also our other value adding products — microwave capsules, scrub buddies, lunch boxes, pencil cases and cooler bags. We also had on offer a showpack which consisted of all of our products at a special Expo price.

Once again, Western Potatoes received a really good response from the general public with regard to not only our products but also to the message about the health benefits of adding potatoes to your diet.

It is definitely worth being a part of it again — even if only to get the message across that potatoes are a healthy option to add to the menu of gluten intolerant diets.

The expo was a great success with an excellent response to our gluten free dressings and also our other value adding products.

By Anne KirOUWESTERN PoTAToES

Coles Gluten Free Expo

once again, Western Potatoes had the pleasure of being a part of the Coles Gluten Free Expo which was held on March 17–18 at the Convention Centre.

This year there were fewer exhibitors than in previous years. Despite less stands, the support from the public was good. Sunday morning was quieter than expected which I believe was due to the freeway being closed for part of the day to make way for a charity bike ride. The expo attracted over 4,000 people this year which is on par with last year. But as stated, the numbers might have been larger had the freeway not been closed.

The Expo promotes an understanding of the importance and benefits of a gluten free diet. It encourages a healthy lifestyle by offering information about diet options, food intolerances, allergy awareness and alternative health approaches especially to sufferers of Coeliac disease.

The expo offers heaps of gluten free recipes and shopping tips all designed to make living with gluten intolerance as simple and appetising as possible.

During the expo, we used the opportunity to do consumer sampling on five potato varieties from the Field Trials. The potatoes were dry baked, cut into quarters and handed out for sampling. The expo-goers were then asked to fill out a simple questionnaire with their responses on the potatoes. The potatoes that we sampled were the Sifra, Red Lady, Nicola, Laurene & Challenger. The response has been quite positive for all of the varieties.

Our cubicle displayed our banners, Low GI cards, POS header cards, variety posters and also other point-of-sale material. The visitors to the expo were also given our free showbags which consisted of a variety of FGF recipe magazines, potato variety chart,



The Donnybrook Apple Festival is a major event in the calendar of the Donnybrook community to promote the town, the district and the diverse array of produce they grow.

The Festival is a bi-annual event, held over the Easter weekend. Easter appears to be the ideal time for the festival, when there is an abundance of fresh produce available such as apples, pears and plums. This event attracted over 10,000 visitors to the town over the weekend. WPPL were fortunate to participate in this year’s Apple Festival which was held on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th April at Egan Park.

This years’ theme was ‘Home Grown and Healthy’. The idea was to encourage the general public to gain a better understanding of how and where their fresh food is produced.

There were over 50 stalls many of which were either tasting or selling items such as fresh organic beef, local preserves and pastries, olive oils, dukkha and spicy condiments.

The response to our stand and products was excellent. Festival goers had the opportunity to sample the different varieties of potatoes over the duration of the two days — Royal Blue, Ruby Lou, Nadine, Kifler and Sapphire.

The response to the barbequed wedges was excellent with many showing a great interest in the Sapphire due to its unique colouring.

During the weekend, WPPL gave away free sample dressing sachets for the festival-goers to try at their leisure. We also handed out our showbags which consisted of past editions of our FGF magazines, recipe cards and potato information.

WPPL enjoyed being a part of this event as it allowed us to be more personal and informative. The festival saw an excellent opportunity to provide information and advice on all aspects of potatoes to the community.

Once again, Western Potatoes received a really good response from the general public with regard to not only our products but also to the message about the health benefits of adding potatoes to your diet.

Donnybrook Apple Festival 2012

An abundance of fresh produce was available such as apples, pears and plums.

The unique Sapphire potato created a great deal of interest at the festival.

By Anne KirOUWESTERN PoTAToES




Myalup talks— all things irrigation



‘All things irrigation’ were discussed in Myalup at the latest in a series of field walks and workshops that are part of the APC/VPC and HAL-funded Continuing on-farm improvement through Good Practice Demonstration project.

Held at Joe and Sonia Castro’s Rigg Road property on 3 May, two case studies of good irrigation practice were discussed and guest speaker, Colin Campbell, a certified irrigation designer and board member of Irrigation Australia also spoke. Tracy Martin from the IAL also provided details of services provided by Irrigation Australia and irrigation suppliers Nelson, Netafim and Toro each had tables of products for growers to look at and feel as an extra point of interest.

The first case study involved Baldivis Market Garden (BMG), and the recent sprinkler upgrade. Several sprinkler uniformity tests with the existing sprinklers and a variety of potential replacements were run with Sam Calameri at BMG over a two-week period.

Several wind conditions and pressures were assessed before Sam decided which was the most suited to his situation based on the sprinkler testing performance, sprinkler quality and economics. With over 1,000 sprinklers on his property Sam knows the importance of making the right decision when investing in new equipment.

“The testing did not take that long and gives me peace of mind that the money is being well spent on the most suitable sprinklers for my spacing and pressure within my budget,” Sam commented.

Sam also found his local irrigation supplier to be helpful and the some suppliers will provide sprinklers to test for no or little cost which also encouraged him to test as many sprinklers as feasible.

The good practice at BMG not only comes from the testing done to make the right decision about sprinklers, but the fact Sam also used evaporation as a reference to schedule his irrigation. Through these two practical methods BMG is ensuring they are using water efficiently on the farm.

Colin Campbell talked about the importance of knowing the right questions to ask and providing the right information to ensure that what you get from your irrigation service provider meets the needs and specifications required to do the job.

By having a little knowledge about the velocity of water in pipes and the minimum acceptable figures for pump efficiency, pressure variation and distribution uniformity, growers are able to ensure they are getting the right equipment for the job. Colin also suggested that a brief of system specifications required and performance criteria expected is written up so that comparisons between different suppliers’ quotes are possible and you can measure if what has been requested is performing as it should. This makes a lot of sense as it is often difficult to compare the cost of systems without knowing what components are being supplied.

The second case study covered irrigation and nutrient practice on Castro Farms’ Rigg

Road property. Irrigation was monitored using manual and automated tipping bucket rain gauges, soil moisture probes and catch can lysimeters. Over the season Joe used the SMS weather service from the nearby Myalup weather station combined with personal experience to schedule the irrigation of his crop.

Results showed that there was very little drainage and nutrient leaching from the site with only 18 per cent of water applied passing 1 metre and 40kg/ha of nitrogen leached over the entire crop.

These figures are excellent for WA’s sandy soils and Joe was happy with his carrot crop from the monitoring area.

Joe also compared figures emailed from the vegetable Irrigation Scheduling Service (vISS) and believes some fine-tuning can be made to the recommendations to better suit his property. Fortunately this is easily done by creating your own custom crop in the vISS system in the crop stages page. For help with this, contact Rohan Prince, DAFWA, or Sarah Houston, vegetablesWA.

Healthy discussion was followed by a sundowner BBQ with refreshments, hamburgers with of course salad, and sausages with plenty of onions. The event was well received and plans for the next one are coming together.

more information

if you wish to know more about the day or be notified of the next event to be held north or south of Perth, please contact rohan Prince, phone: 0429 680 069 or email [email protected].

rOHAn PrinCeDEVELoPMENT oFFICER, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA



WPPL coordinated the Field Walk on March 8, 2012 as a part of the PT10006 project. There were 20 potato varieties of differing colours and sizes for viewing and assessing in both the G1 and also the MT trials. There were over 30 attendees at the Field Walk from all sectors of the industry, ranging from growers, wash packers, PMC and WPPL.

The attendees were asked to rank the potatoes. Both highest ranking varieties other than the Nadine are white skinned creamy fleshed potatoes — White Lady with a score of 19 received top score followed by the standard white skinned variety Nadine with 12. Next came Inova with 8. Sifra closely followed with a vote of 7, Dutch Cream scored 6, Ruby Lou and Smile with 5, Eva, Mozart & Canberra 3 and Atlantic and Red Rascal scored 2. Red Lady, Horizon & Flame received no votes at all. Nadine, once again, gathered a reasonable number of votes due to its high yield and known characteristics.

HAL Field Walk WPPL would like to give a special thanks to Kon Peos for providing the land for the variety trial once again. David Took and his team from the Department of Agriculture and Food managed the site and will also be collecting and testing the potatoes for further analysis and selection.

The Field Walk was a great success. WPPL provided refreshments at the end of the day and many growers stayed for networking.

The harvested potatoes are now being tested and analysed by the cross-industry variety Development Steering Group (with representatives from the PMC, WPPL and PGA). The next stage of the Trials — the retailer and consumer tasting, was organised for Saturday March 17. WPPL had organised in-store demos in four independent stores — Livingston Fresh, Tony Ale’s F&v, The Herdsman and Mr Fresh Carine to coincide with the Gluten Free Expo where consumer sampling was held with the expo-goers.

The results will be published as soon as they become available.

The harvested potatoes are now being tested and analysed by the cross-industry Variety Development Steering Group.


ProductionYoUR

Your Production


Your Production

There are no easy answers to the baby leaf spinach root rot problems that have been plaguing Perth growers during summer. It seems that tight rotations may be the main reason behind the problem which is not well controlled, if at all, by currently available practices.

Spinach is a member of the same family as beetroot and both are recognised to produce chemicals that can inhibit the germination and growth of subsequent crops. As the crop has become more popular, the frequency of repeat cropping has increased and so has the incidence of problems.

Deaths have been observed at low levels for some time but in summer 2010–11, problems escalated dramatically with some growers losing 80 per cent of their crops. It is thought that the extreme hot weather conditions that year may have been partly responsible for the severity of this outbreak which affected at least five prominent growers.

A small one-year project was developed with the help of funding from vegetablesWA, via the APC-vegetable Producers Committee levy. unfortunately at the end of that project, we have made little progress.

Although the problem exhibits as one or more root rot pathogens, a range of fungicides and microbial treatments achieved nothing.

The problem is not restricted to any particular variety of spinach. Growers have a range of rotations and lengths of cropping history. Some growers use chemicals (including fumigation) on a regular basis while others prefer to use non-chemical methods including microbials. Changes to irrigation and plant density have some effect but do not solve the problem.

Our first step was to take soil samples for nutrient and health assessment from land where baby leaf spinach had been grown. All growers had acceptable pH levels although nutrient levels varied greatly and levels of phosphorus were generally high.

The soil health results were unremarkable except for two instances of plant pathogenic nematodes that were identified. The growers concerned were notified and advised of possible control measures.

To try and gather as much information as possible before the onset of summer, pot trials using some of that same soil from affected properties were established in a growth cabinet under simulated summer conditions. Pythium and Rhizoctonia were the main pathogens isolated. Some growers had only one pathogen while others had both. Samples sent for molecular analysis identified several species of Pythium including P. aphanidermatum, P. irregular and P. ultimum.

In January, the peak time for root rot problems, we selected a trial site in Wanneroo where we had previously isolated Pythium to test a range of possible treatments. The number of chemicals registered for use on spinach is limited, in part, due to the extremely short crop duration in summer. Despite contacting a range of chemical companies, none were

able to offer any experimental chemicals so there were only three fungicides tested, thiram, metalaxyl-M and azoxystrobin (the latter two also in combination). Due to the amount of interest in microbials, we selected eight for trialling at the same time (Fulzyme Plus™, Trichoderma Plus™, Microplus™, Superzyme™, Trich A Soil™, Tricho Shield™, Sudo Shield™ and Plantmate Drench™). These were all compared to a control where no treatment was applied.

The crop (cv Crocodile) was sown according to usual practice. Each treatment was replicated four times. Treatments were applied with a hand-held sprayer immediately (Figure 1) after sowing and watered in. This was repeated at days 7, 14 and 21 for all microbial treatments but fungicide treatments were applied only twice or three times depending on with-holding period. Normal fertiliser practice was followed and no other chemicals were applied.

Counts of healthy plants were taken at weekly intervals after planting. Unhealthy plants were taken for pathological examination. The trial concluded on 28 February 2012 due to major disease losses in all plots.

At seven days there was no significant difference between plots in the number of emerged plants. It was assumed many more plants would be counted at 14 days but this was not the case (Figure 2). Significant losses were already occurring and at the 21 and 28 day counts the vast majority of plants had died (Figure 3).

Pathology on the unhealthy plants produced a range of fungi, mostly Pythium, but also some Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.

Close examination showed that there was also a significant amount of ungerminated seed present and it was decided to perform a germination test on the batch of seed that

Longer rotationsmay be key to spinach root rot problems

Aileen reiDHoRTICULTURE DEVELoPMENT oFFICER

DOminie wriGHtSENIoR PLANT PATHoLoGIST

DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA


Your Production

had been used in the trial. The seed batch (cv Crocodile) had been germination tested on May 2010 at 86% and the use-by date was September 2012.

Figure 4 shows the difference in germination rates between temperature regimes (15ºC constant, 15ºC night/35ºC day (8 hours) or 20ºC night/30ºC day (8 hours).

The maximum rate of germination was 68 per cent for the 15ºC treatment. Germination for the 15ºC night/35ºC day treatment was poorest and only reached 37 per cent at 28 days. This could be significant as those sorts of temperatures would be common in summer.

This batch of seed had been stored in a tin shed, not in a fridge or air conditioning so would have been exposed to high temperatures, possibly over 50ºC. Discussions with the seed company Rijk Zwaan indicated this would not have been an issue.

discussionDiscussions with seed and chemical

companies have established this as a world-

wide problem which has been reviewed

in the literature since the early 1990s.

Pathogens including Aphanomcyes, Pythium,

Rhizoctonia and Fusarium have all been

implicated. Cropping frequency is a major

factor but some papers note that rotation

does not fully cure the problem (although

the duration of rotation is not mentioned).

Part of the problem is these pathogens have a wide host range which includes other crop species and many weeds.

More recent papers, however, have

highlighted allelopathy (where biochemicals

produced by one plant affect the growth of

another) as a significant issue in spinach

and other Chenopodiaceae. Suppression of

Figure 1 treatments being applied to spinach trial Figure 2 Spinach plots show significant losses after 14 days

Figure 3 mean number of spinach plants per plot (x=4) at weekly intervals after sowing

Figure 4 Germination test results for one batch of spinach seed cv Crocodile under three different temperature regimes

Rijk Zwaan suggests spinach should not be grown more than once on the same land in a three or four year period.

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0 1 2 3 4

Num

ber

of p

lant

s pe

r pl

ot

Mean of all treatments Control

Weeks after planting

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

00 7 14 21 28

Ger

min

atio

n pe

rcen

tage

(%)

15 constant15–3520–30

Days after sowing


Your Production

germination in following crops and a high incidence of root rot diseases are symptoms.

Recommendations from Rijk Zwaan suggest spinach should not be grown more than once on the same land in a three or four year period — a practice followed by many traditional growers.

The problem is no doubt exacerbated by high temperatures over summer that are marginal for spinach. One alternative may be to grow spinach, only in summer, in cooler areas such as Manjimup. This has worked well for lettuce which suffers from tip burn in Perth over summer. Examination of soil temperatures for the last three summers showed that 2010–11 was exceptional in that 47 days exceeded a minimum temperature of 25ºC at 10cm depth compared to 11 and 16 days in the previous two years.

Effective soil fumigation is only a short-term option as problems with enhanced

biodegradation are well documented. Not all growers wish to fumigate.

Soil steaming has been looked at as a non-chemical option for some growers. Pursuing this will be difficult as the machinery is European and needs to be purpose-built. It is not an option for larger growers and may be relatively expensive. However, as probably the ONLY option that will overcome issues of allelopathy and chemical resistance, it requires careful scrutiny. For more information visit www.moeschle.de, www.regero.fr and www.soil-steaming-steam-boiler-blog.com.

Soil solarisation is another option that avoids using chemicals and also helps retain beneficial microbes. However, it requires the use of plastic sheeting to cover the ground which some growers find unacceptable from a waste point of view. Some growers are also not prepared to have ground out of production for 3–4 weeks.

The issue of variety trials to look for resistance to Pythium has been raised with a number of seed companies but discounted as current breeding of spinach concentrates primarily on downy mildew and white rust resistance.

It is evident that many growers are choosing avoidance as the short-term strategy by moving to new land on existing properties or a new block. Clearly, this is not sustainable. Recent evidence indicates that other crops may also be encountering similar problems.

This is an issue with implications for the long-term future of the industry because if tight rotations cannot continue, then not only does this impact on the economics of crop production but land requirements for vegetable production may increase significantly.

more information

For further information contact Aileen reid on (08) 9368 3393 or 0467 783 981.

www.southpacificseeds.com.au

EMMA SMITH: 0427 947 919 | DUNCAN LAMONT: 0419 934 767 | PERTH OFFICE: 08 9331 6356 The information provided is based on an average of data and observations collected from our trials. Significant variations may occur in the performance due to a range of conditions including cultural/management practices, climate, soil type and geographic location. As a consequence South Pacific Seeds cannot accept any liability as to the accuracy of this information. JUNE 2012 ACN: 002 887 256

BRIDGE is an excellent variety for winter and spring harvest and features a fine bead. BRIDGE has shown better tolerance to purpling under difficult winter conditions and has also shown good tolerance to blindness during spring.

Released by SPS for areas requiring TYLCV tolerance, NINJA is an indeterminate LSL variety with good wet weather tolerance and a good disease package, including Vd, Fol:1-3 ToMV and TYLCV. The plant has a strong vigorous habit with good yield potential, and has worked well in Autumn trials to date. The fruit are globe shaped, with large size averaging 160-180g, with good firmness at red.

ICEHOUSE 2 is a large sure-heading cold tolerant lettuce suited for mid/late winter harvest which keeps its size in full winter conditions. Due to its vigorous nature this variety is not suited for warm weather. ICEHOUSE 2 offers excellent protection against frost and is very uniform with high resistance to Bl: 1-27.

RANCHERO is a very attractive tear drop shape with a glossy deep purple / black skin colour. It offers good colour retention under difficult growing conditions. RANCHERO has a high yield potential due to the continuous picking nature of the plant.

BRIDGE

NINJA

ICEHOUSE 2

RANCHERO

SOUTHPACIFICSEEDS


Your Production

Pest management company IPM Technologies Pty Ltd (Victoria) has been working towards a practical integrated solution for the management of Diamondback Moth (DBM) or Plutella in cauliflower crops for a number of years.

The result of their extensive research and development is the successful control of this major pest using a strategic approach through a combination of predatory insects and ‘soft’ chemicals.

The strategy has been developed by IPM Technologies (Paul Horne and Jessica Page) with the recent support and involvement of Bayer CropScience, Sumitomo Chemicals and Biological Services. The approach to controlling DBM developed by these companies has not been successfully implemented before in commercial crops anywhere in the world.

The IPM Technologies approach involves releasing the parasitoid wasp Diadegma (reared by Biological Services, SA), one spray of Dipel (Sumitomo Chemical) and one spray of Belt (Bayer CropScience) at strategic times. No other sprays for DBM were used on the crop. One spray of XenTari (also Sumitomo Chemical) was applied late in the crop for control of cabbage white butterfly, and a spray of Movento may be required only if aphids are a problem. However, no other insecticides were used on the crop.

Dipel (Bayer) and XenTari (Sumitomo) are ‘soft’, narrow-spectrum insecticides that do not kill the beneficial insect Diadegma. Paul Horne and Jessica Page of IPM Technologies wanted to develop this strategy to stop the

overuse of these new chemicals, which can promote the onset of insecticide resistance. If resistance was to occur, these chemicals would be rendered useless and the industry would lose valuable support tools for IPM practice. The idea has now paid off, with chemical companies supporting the trials and ultimately achieving a successful result.

It is important to keep in mind that chemicals with different modes of action must be rotated, and their use restricted to certain periods of the year (windows).

This is crucial to ensure that DBM resistance does not develop. Different chemical groups have different modes of action and some products have limits on the number of times they can be applied per crop, and when they can be applied during the year. This is the basis of the ‘window’ strategy used in WA.

This demonstration was completed on a property in Werribee South, victoria and produced a commercially viable and healthy cauliflower crop. The method was then compared to another site in the Werribee area where a conventional spray program was used on cauliflower. In comparison,

six to eight insecticides were used on the conventional site (using products such as Regent, Coragen, Avatar, Proclaim, Success and XenTari), and costs for insecticides in the conventional system were between $300 and $500 more per hectare. The strategy will be replicated and utilised on other crops in victoria and Tasmania in the next growing season.

The IPM demonstration used to control DBM in the cauliflower crop was successful throughout the entire DBM season (October to April), with all cauliflower on the demonstration farm produced using this method. This is believed to be a world first

World class IPM practicesin cauliflower crops

SArAH HOUStOnFIELD ExTENSIoN oFFICERVEGETABLESwA

overuse of certain chemicals can promote the onset of insecticide resistance.


Your Production

for producing commercial cauliflowers using this particular strategy.

IPM Technologies was developed in 1996 to help farmers get better value out of fewer insecticides and to improve control of insect pests by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies.

Their aim is to help farmers, agronomists, students and the chemical industry understand and support IPM practices across Australia and New Zealand.

Jessica Page and Paul Horne have also published a book recently titled Controlling Invertebrate Pests in Agriculture. It discusses the principles of pest management, describing current practice, the concept

of agricultural ecosystems, the role of pesticides, biological and cultural control options. It gives a summary of all available pest control measures to help growers decide which approaches might suit their system. Examples of successful implementation of IPM are highlighted, together with a discussion on what is required in the future to achieve successful control of pests in a sustainable manner.

more information

Paul Horne of iPm technologies Pty ltd will be visiting western Australia to talk to growers and industry advisors about the work they have been conducting in cauliflower crops, as well as lettuce and other vegetables. Please contact Sarah Houston, vegetableswA Field extension Officer [email protected] or 0427 373 037 for further information about Paul’s visit or on the above article.

Manage your crop to avoid insecticide resistance in Australian diamondback Mothdiamondback moth (dBM), Plutella xylostella, is a difficult to manage insect pest of brassica vegetable crops. dBM can quickly reach damaging levels in a crop due to its short life cycle as well as the ability of the female moth to lay large quantities of eggs. In many parts of Australia, dBM has already developed resistance to insecticides including those from the synthetic pyrethroid, organophosphate, carbamate and organochlorine groups.

the best practice for managing DBm successfully is to use an integrated approach to pest management. this takes into account a combination of cultural strategies, biological controls, regular crop monitoring, and the strategic use of narrow-spectrum insecticides. Use of broad-spectrum insecticides has the capacity to kill off the natural predators of DBm that help to control the pest.

this integrated approach to DBm control will help to avoid or at least delay the development of insecticide resistance. Best management practice to adopt to control DBm involves the following:

• monitor crops regularly and only apply insecticide when the economic threshold for crop loss is reached

• Use narrow-spectrum insecticides. rotate the use of chemicals with different modes of action and restrict their use to certain periods of the year (windows). Check the label for a chemical’s group number. Different group numbers have different modes of action. labels of some products place a limit on the number of times they can be applied per crop and when they can be applied

• Do not use insecticide mixes (eg. Bt’s together with synthetic pyrethroids)

• encourage beneficial insects by avoiding broad spectrum sprays that contain organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, particularly early in a crop cycle

• Good crop hygiene reduces DBm pressure – plant clean seedlings and incorporate crop residue.


Your Production

Correct usage of pesticidesJOHn PeirCeDEVELoPMENT oFFICER, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

be more aware of the responsibilities of horticulture producers to ensure that the pesticides they are applying for disease and pest problems are done so that there is no or minimal risk to adjacent urban areas. This requires producers to be aware of chemical label instructions to ensure that the pesticide is applied to give greatest control yet not give any concern to neighbours, including urban residential areas or aquaculture.

Most pesticides are applied using boom sprayers and there are many articles dealing with correct setting up of the machine and the steps required to calibrate it so that the crops being treated are getting the correct dose rate specified on the label.

In addition there should be a familiarisation with the effects the weather can have on the application, especially the influence of wind or high temperatures. Spray drift is a major concern where there are properties nearby. If a pesticide drifts into an adjacent crop either on the same property or a neighbour’s property growing a crop for which the pesticide is not registered there

The importance of producing 'clean food', protecting the environment and the encroachment into traditional horticulture areas from urban development has resulted in a greater need for awareness by producers to the correct methods for applying pesticides.

With urban and horticulture areas merging there may be conflict between the two and in future all users of pesticides will need to exercise a ‘duty of care’ to ensure label directions are followed to prevent contamination from incorrect pesticide application and spray drift from horticulture enterprises into adjacent urban areas. Several recent events of incorrect pesticide usage has highlighted the necessity to

can be problems associated with marketing a pesticide contaminated product. Fruit and vegetables have maximum residue levels (MRLs) set for the amount of a pesticide residue that can be allowed in produce.

Following recent changes to the Health (Pesticides) Regulations 2011, growers are reminded that a user of a pesticide must not keep, use, handle or transport a product in a manner that might reasonably be expected to be dangerous or pose a threat to the health or safety of any individual or the public. All growers should take the opportunity to review their chemical handling and use practices that avoid off target damage to their own crops and that of their neighbours, while protecting their own and the public’s health. For further information on the Health (Pesticides) Regulations 2011 contact the Environmental Health Officer at your local shire.

Prior to the application of any chemical, growers are encouraged to complete a basic risk assessment on their chemical handling procedures. This assessment should address their method of application, application rates, weather conditions (in particular wind direction and speed) and any other

Pesticide users need to exercise a ‘duty of care’ to prevent contamination and spray drift from horticulture enterprises into adjacent areas.


Your Production

risks which may be present since their last chemical application. Growers should also address the likely impact of a chemical moving off-site where it could affect members of the public.

As part of good practice a producer should be familiar with the produce their neighbour’s are growing.

To assist with this the Department of Agriculture and Food has created a register for growers of sensitive crops, aquaculture enterprises or organic food producers to have the location of their properties put onto a register so that neighbours can check before spraying. To view this website, go to (spatial.agric.wa.gov.au/SensitiveSiteswA/results.asp)

Growers should avoid treating their crop if there is a chance the prevailing wind could cause the spray droplets to drift onto a neighbouring property. usually spraying should only be done when wind speeds of between 3–20km/hr are recorded blowing away from the neighbour’s property if there is a sensitive crop present. Applying pesticides in still conditions, especially late afternoon, may result in considerable amounts of pesticide drifting under what is termed inversion conditions. This can occur when the ground cools quickly and a layer of cool air is trapped under warm air near the land surface. This can be identified by smoke rising vertically and then moving horizontal to the soil surface. Spray droplets can remain for a considerable time in this cool layer of air and travel considerable distances.

Most products new to the market now have included on their label instructions, the types of nozzles required to produce droplets of the required size to minimise drift.

In addition instructions are included on the distances required between crops

being sprayed and sensitive areas. Other ways to reduce spray drift is to operate the sprayer at the lowest pressure and height recommended.

As part of good practice, growers should have either themselves or the employees, trained under one of the pesticide training courses such as those conducted by AusChem (www.auschemwa.com.au). The courses usually cover such topics as types of pesticides available, toxicity, safe handling, mixing, calibration of boomsprays and correct mixing of pesticides and disposal of waste containers. Also covered is the understanding of chemical labels, and the awareness of the withholding period (WHP) relating to when a crop can be harvested after treating with a pesticide. Farmers and growers should only apply pesticides in accordance with the label directions to ensure the efficacy of the product, its longevity and to protect their own health, the public’s health and the environment. Where a grower is unsure of the correct application rate or method of application they should seek advice from their agronomist.

more information

Further reading on pesticide registration, management of drift, calibration, cleaning, mixing of chemicals see: • www.publish.csiro.au/Books/download.

cfm?iD=3452

• www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_93680.html?s=1001

• www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_93403.html

• www.apvma.gov.au

HILE growers will now be looking forward to reduced pest pressures – and the related requirement for spraying – as we head into

the winter months, it is important to still be mindful of the health of beneficial species within any control programs during this period so they can help with the fight come spring.

Continuing to employ good Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, including use of IPM-friendly insecticides, will allow natural “beneficials’’ like ladybirds, spiders, predatory mites and moths to remain in the system, ready for battle when the pressures rise again upon the onset of warmer conditions.

Numerous growers also are now releasing beneficial insects in their crops, including cucumeris, persimilis and orius spp, and it is critical to protect these as well through the use of “softer’’ chemistry.

All these insects play a key role in reducing the speed of increase in pest pressure. So rather than spraying broadspectrum insecticides, products like BELT and Movento are good options for growers to help maintain healthy populations of beneficials.

BELT, which is now increasingly being used, is highly selective and long lasting, and while it offers fast activity on large pests, it provides better control of smaller insects.

Movento insecticide specifically targets sucking insects and provides a long residual period, which helps to further limit the number of sprays required.

Due to the significant jump in canola plantings in broadacre areas this year, brassica growers, in particular, will need to be vigilant.

Near record canola production will increase the risk of green peach aphid and grey cabbage aphid infestations, together with diamondback moth.

Meanwhile, on the weed pest front, for growers now controlling germinations in crops under the cooler temperatures, it is best to always target smaller weeds to help maximise the value of the herbicide investment.

Weeds compete with crops for nutrients and also sunlight if left to grow and this results in reduced yield potentials.

For crops like onions, for example, it is better to spray weeds early with a Group C product like Totril to help keep beds clean before the crops bulk up. Totril is widely preferred for superior weed control in onions.

CROP SCOUT

with Tim Wilkie & Rick Horbury

For further information on insect and weed pests and effective control, contact Tim on 0427 516 273 or Rick on 0429 055 154.

W

Bayer Crop Scout May 2012.indd 1 17/05/12 8:51 AM


industrYYoUR

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In May, Nick Trandos was inducted into the WA Agriculture Hall of Fame for his inspiring influence on the vegetable growing industry.

Established in 1999, The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia’s Agricultural Hall of Fame gives lasting recognition to individuals who have shaped the history and have had a significant impact on the present and future of agriculture.

Nick’s late father, Dimitrios Trandos, left Northern Greece Macedonia before the Second World War to migrate to Western Australia as he saw opportunity to begin a market garden. Nick arrived 11 years later with his mother and brother Steve at the age of 15. When he arrived he didn’t speak a word of English. He went to school in Wanneroo for two years. He had done some schooling in Macedonia in Greek but stopped during the civil war as most of the time there were no teachers as it was too risky for them to go into village.

Nick TrandosAgriculture Hall of Fame Inductee 2012

Nick with the Governor His Excellency Mr Malcolm McCusker Ao QC.

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In 1953 his father had started their market garden in Carabooda, then 10 years later moved south of the township of Wanneroo. Nick had joined his father on their market garden on a few hectares of land which was located about two kilometres from the Trandos’s Wanneroo property today. They grew mainly tomatoes in summer and cabbage in the winter time. Five years later the family moved to a large site south of Wanneroo Township.

In 1977 they then moved to their current site which was 20 hectares at first, then bought 65 more hectares of the adjoining property and initially grew carrots. The Trandos family were the first growers to import a carrot harvester into WA. It was at this time that Nick formed a partnership with his two brothers Steve and Harry to take over the business.

Nick had become a leader not just in his family business but in the industry by being elected a councillor of the Wanneroo

Shire which he then later went on to be shire president and mayor. He was the first ‘Freeman’ of the City of Wanneroo in over 100 years.

They stopped growing carrots after five years as they saw a gap in the market for broccoli and this became their main crop. They were the first growers to start packing broccoli into ice after noticing that it dramatically increased shelf life of the produce. This was very successful in the domestic and export markets after the industry got used to the increase in price for the packaging.

Traditionally, broccoli was only a crop that was grown in the winter months, but due to Trandos’ persevering and growing it 12 months of the year, consumers then started buying fresh broccoli not frozen as it was available for them all year round.

In 1994 the Trandos’s were the first ones in WA to introduce super sweet corn and a few years later bought the first corn harvester. They stopped growing broccoli and corn and stringless beans became their main crops. Plenty of other growers had begun growing broccoli by this stage so always looking to be ahead of the game, they took the opportunity to grow something different in the market.

In 1998, Nick’s two sons Jim and Arthur and his nephew Michael took over the business but Nick stayed very much involved.

As corn and beans is only a summer crop, the Trandos’ saw the opportunity to move to Broome so that they could grow the crops all year round. They grow eight months of the year in Wanneroo and Gingin and four months in Broome on 200 hectares under pivots. This results in consumers being able to have fresh corn and beans all year round rather than canned or frozen.

The Trandos’ grow eight months of the year in Wanneroo and Gingin and four months in Broome on 200 hectares under pivots.

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Nick joined the Western Australian Market Gardeners Association in 1961 and was elected president in 1975.

In 1980 he was elected to represent WA on the Australian vegetable Growers Federation and later moved up to being the first West Australian to become president.

Nick said, “As a leader, it is always necessary to be thinking about how to improve and look to the future. It is easy to criticize but leaders need to believe in the industry”.

Nick said in his time of presidency there were two major achievements that he made and that was introducing the ‘Plant variety Right’ and the Australian vegetable Levy.

After introducing the plant variety right, Nick said, “the quality of vegetables dramatically improved overnight.”

Nick said in the beginning it was hard to convince the growers that the Australian vegetable levy was a wise decision and he

travelled around Australia to personally speak to them and explain the benefits and impact it would have on the industry.

Due to the research that levy has funded Nick says, “growers now use less water for the amount they produce, less fertiliser as have equipment to measure instead of guessing, use less herbicides and insecticides because of the introduction of predator bugs.” He went on to explain, “Now days crops like corn don’t use any chemicals at all due to the use of Intergrated Pest Management (IPM) which is all due to research done funded by the levy.”

Nick was awarded the order of Australia for service to the local government and vegetable industry.

Nick said he was “extremely delighted to be the first vegetables grower to be inducted into the Agriculture Hall of Fame.”

He was the 53rd inducted after almost 200 years. He was humbled to have joined such a prestigious group of people in the Hall of Fame.

Nick said that everything he has achieved became possible because of his tight knit family. He pays tribute to his two brothers Steven and Harry and the support of his wife Sophie, sons and his daughters Dixie and Tania. Being involved in the council and on all the boards took up a lot of Nick’s time, so he said he was lucky to have his family to support him.

Nick is very passionate about investing more money into the promotion of vegetables. “For every one dollar the vegetables industry spends on the promotion of vegetables, the pet food industry spend seven dollars”. He said taking into consideration all the health benefits of vegetables it does not add up.

Nick is extremely proud of his sons, Jim, Arthur and nephew Michael and that they haven’t just fallen into the business, they are always innovating and looking forward and changing just like he did.

Consumers are able to have fresh corn and beans all year round rather than canned or frozen.


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679 MURRAY STREET WEST PERTH

(08) 9481 0685ARCHITECTURE MASTER PLANNING INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Contact: Perth Market Authority 08 9456 9200

ETEC ConsultantsWood & Grieve Engineers

StructuralMechanical

ETCSPP Group

ElectricalHydraulic

Project ManagementProject Directors Australia

Government of Western AustraliaPerth Market Authority

Warehouse E7-A Warehouse E7-Bnom. 2240M2 nom. 2240M2

E a s t 6

R o a d

$8 million expansion for Market City


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679 MURRAY STREET WEST PERTH

(08) 9481 0685ARCHITECTURE MASTER PLANNING INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Contact: Perth Market Authority 08 9456 9200

ETEC ConsultantsWood & Grieve Engineers

StructuralMechanical

ETCSPP Group

ElectricalHydraulic

Project ManagementProject Directors Australia

Government of Western AustraliaPerth Market Authority

Warehouse E7-A Warehouse E7-Bnom. 2240M2 nom. 2240M2

E a s t 6

R o a d

The state Government has reaffirmed its commitment to Western Australia’s horticulture sector and small business by investing $8 million in a major expansion of the Canning Vale Market City site.

Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said a new 4,000sqm multi-user cold chain warehouse would allow the State’s many small and independent growers and wholesalers to compete with major retailers by giving them the opportunity to expand their businesses.

“Much of the produce bought and sold at Market City goes directly to the independent supermarkets and grocers,” Mr Redman said.

“The expansion will provide much-needed additional capacity to more than 50

wholesalers who use the site to store, buy and sell quality fresh produce.

“The market directly supports the activities of our regional and remote farmers and the regional communities within which they operate.”

Market City is the State’s wholesale fresh produce market. It provides independent food retailers, hospitality and associated industries with access to convenient, quality fresh produce to support their business activities.

“However, the site has been operating at 100 per cent capacity for the past five years and is clearly in need of expansion,” the Minister said.

“WA’s horticulture sector is set to grow significantly with major development under way in the Ord irrigation area and the Gascoyne food bowl, which is

fact fi le• the new cold storage warehouse

at market City will take two years to complete at an estimated cost of $8 million

• 49% by volume (66% by value) of wA’s fruit and vegetables goes through the market City site

• in 2010–11, wA’s horticultural production was valued at $820 million

• the total value-added contribution from horticulture to wA’s economy is estimated at $2 billion

• For more information visit: www.perthmarket.com.au.

Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman.

why added capacity at Market City is so important.”

The Liberal-National Government’s commitments to grow WA’s agricultural sector include:

• $331 million on Ord Irrigation Area expansion

• $45 million on Gascoyne Food Bowl expansion

• $7.8 million towards irrigated agricultural development in the Kimberley

• $3.8 million to develop more efficient irrigation in the South-West.


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Located in Capel, the thriving business Capel Farms is owned by the Blakers and Norton families. They are the main broccollini growers in Western Australia and produce 90% of the crop in WA.

David Blakers is a third generation farmer and has been in business with his older brother Bevan and father since day one, David says they all get on extremely well.

The Blakers are originally from Manjimup where they grew carrots, potatoes and had an orchard. They made the move to Capel in April 2000 to grow carrots. When the carrot export market declined they looked at the prospects of growing other crops and moved to seed potatoes, onions, broccoli and cauliflowers.

Capel Farms were approached to grow broccollini, which is a cross between Chinese kale and broccoli, directly for Perfection Fresh.

David said that they declined the proposal in the beginning as it is an extremely labour intensive crop. A couple years later, they were approached again and decided to conduct a trial. The results of this trial were good, so five years ago they accepted the challenge to grow broccollini. As they were already growing the labour intensive crops, broccoli and cauliflower, it was a smooth transition into growing broccollini as they just tuned their systems to suit the new crop. David said that, “Broccollini is building in numbers constantly and it is an economically viable crop to produce. “

David says that Capel’s cool maritime climate makes it the perfect location to grow the sensitive broccollini. The crop is very susceptible to heat stress and it would be

Grower profileDavid Blakers — Capel Farms

By HAyley wilSOnVEGETABLESwA

Grower profi lename David Blakers

location Capel

Property size 150ha

enterprises Broccollini, broccoli and cauliflower

PertH


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too hot in the north for it to grow well. The property is also protected from the wind by the Tuart Forrest.

Capel Farms plant their broccollini 52 weeks a year and pick everyday from October to May. It is mechanically planted and they plant 4,000 plants in four hours. Harvesting the broccollini however is a job that you cannot mechanicalise. They also have 1,000 avocado tree and grow lucerne hay which they rotate with the broccollini crop.

Brocollini growing has similar pest problems to broccoli and cauliflower crops. Due to the brocollini being picked over a period of weeks, diamond-back moth can be a problem. Management of the crop needs to be spot on which David says all comes down to timing and crop monitoring.

When Capel Farms first started growing broccollini they were producing 1,000 boxes per week now they are producing around 4,000.

David said, “Broccollini is a new growing industry and more and more people are tasting it and once they try it, they like it!” He said as it is sweeter than regular broccoli, children seem to enjoy it as well as adults. Supermarkets regularly run specials and promotions on the crop which drives sales. David said that cooking shows also make a huge difference to the sales of broccollini,

“When it features in a program, the market picks right up”.

Capel Farms’ workforces are all South Korean employees on working visas which David says works extremely well. All the staff live on the property in donga style housing in harmony. David is very passionate about treating his staff well as he says good labour is hard to find. He said, “The work is not suitable for everyone though as it is hard physical labour out in the elements.”

By chance Capel Farms ended up with three South Koreans backpackers as employees and David noticed that they worked so well together, so they made the decision to keep employing them.

David said that the only problem with having an all South Korean workforce is the language barrier. It requires having someone running the crews who speak English and Korean to be able to communicate with key staff.

Packing the produce is done by a very impressive all manual production line. David said to make numbers work it is imperative that they have a crew that works fast and witnessing the production line in motion, they certainly do!

When broccollini is picked it goes in the cool room, then comes out and is de-leaved, bunched, bar-coded and packed into boxes all with ice.

David said to be successful you need to grow a crop that you see a growth in the market for. Perfection Fresh has broccollini growers all over Australia. Due to this they are able to supply consumers 52 weeks a year.

Capel Farms have good relationships with the other broccollini growers around Australia. David said they all help each other and have even been to visit the growers in other states.

Capel Farms plan to continue growing broccollini into the future, as consumption of the crop is growing, David is confident that the sales will continue to grow also.

David said to make numbers work in the all manual production line, it is imperative that they have a crew that works fast.


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Land management practice trends in Australia’s horticulture industry

Horticulture is an important Australian industry which contributed almost 20 per cent to the gross value of agricultural production in 2009–10 (ABS 2011). The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated that area of horticulture in 2007–08 was 480 000 hectares. Figure 1 shows the location of horticulture.

Improving soil condition is important for agricultural productivity and the quality of ecosystem services provided to the community from rural lands. Wind and water erosion, soil carbon rundown and soil acidification processes reduce the land’s ability to provide productive soils, protect biodiversity and maintain clean air and water and the resilience of the landscape to climate change, whilst producing food and fibre.

Caring for our Country — the Australian Government’s $2 billion flagship natural resource management initiative — is funding projects in the sustainable farm practices national priority area under the improving management practices and landscape scale conservation targets. These projects provide information to farmers in the broadacre cropping, dairy,

horticulture and beef/sheep industries about land management practices that will help improve soil condition and contribute to maintaining a healthy environment.

By 1 November 2011, $442 million had been approved for projects to improve soil and biodiversity management practices on farm.

On farm practice change is being monitored using the biennial ABS’ Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) which surveys 33,000 of Australia’s 135,000 agricultural businesses (farmers), reporting results at the national, state and natural resource management (NRM) region levels (ABS 2009). The numbers reported are estimated from a sample of almost one quarter of all agricultural businesses, so the results are subject to sampling error. This is most pronounced for questions with lower response rates which may be more likely in smaller industries such as horticulture.

Horticulture industry profileAccording to ABS estimates, in 2009–10 there were 22,345 horticultural businesses (farmers) in Australia, a decrease of almost 6% since 2007–08. In 2009–10 the average age of managers of horticultural businesses was 54; on average they had been managing their holdings for 20 years and farming in their local region for 25 years. An estimated

9% of horticultural businesses (2074) had a Landcare group member.

land management practicesProject funding provided by Caring for our Country to encourage horticulture farmers to better manage ground cover and to test and lime soils regularly where needed, has complemented the activities of state agencies, industry and community groups. Data from the ABS’ 2007–08 and 2009–10 ARMS and the 1995–96 and 2000–01 agricultural censuses (which surveyed all agricultural businesses) help track trends in the adoption of these practices. Note that the percentage of farmers reporting the use of particular practices can exceed 100 where more than one method (e.g. matting used to protect ground cover in some areas; cover crops in others) is used on a holding.

Managing soil acidityIt is estimated that about 50% of agricultural land has a surface soil pH less than or equal to 5.5, which is below optimum for very acid-sensitive agricultural crops, and below the optimal level to prevent subsoil acidification (National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001). Where soil acidity moves further down the soil profile, damage may be irreparable. very acid soils are also unlikely to support good ground cover, increasing the risk of soil loss through wind and/or water erosion and reducing input to soil carbon. Areas at high risk are where the soil pH is


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Figure 1 the location of horticulture in Australia (note boundaries have been greatly enhanced for display). Source: Catchment scale land use map of Australia, as at march 2010, Australian Collaborative land Use and management Program

currently low, the soil has a low capacity to buffer against pH decreases, and the dominant (current and/or past) agricultural practices are highly acidifying.

Regular testing of soil pH and applications of lime and/or dolomite can be used to manage acidification risk.

Testing soil nutrient levels to better match fertiliser applications to crop requirements can also help slow soil acidification.

The percentage of Australian horticultural businesses undertaking pH testing (26%) and nutrient testing (25%) did not change between 2007–08 and 2009–10 (Figure 2). The percentage of businesses applying lime or dolomite to their holdings to manage soil acidity has remained fairly steady from 1995–96 to 2009–10 (Figure 3).

Maintaining ground cover conclusionsusing alternate or cover crops or mulching and/or matting between the main horticultural plantings helps protect against soil loss from increased rates of water wind and water erosion. Where organic mulches are used these can also contribute to building soil carbon levels.

Almost a third (28%) of all horticulturalists used alternate or cover crops to maintain ground cover levels between their main

Figure 3 the percentage of horticultural businesses (farmers) applying lime or dolomite to their holdings in 1995–96, 2000–01, 2007–08 and 2009–10

Figure 2 the percentage of horticultural businesses (farmers) undertaking pH and nutrient soil testing in 2007–08 and 2009-10

100

90

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60

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0

Per

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Businesses undertaking pH testing

Businesses undertaking nutrient testing

Australia NSW/ACT Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT

07–0

8

09–1

0

07–0

8

09–1

0

07–0

8

09–1

0

07–0

8

09–1

0

07–0

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09–1

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07–0

8

09–1

0

07–0

8

09–1

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07–0

8

09–1

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60

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Businesses applying lime, lime sand or limestone

Businesses applying dolomite


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Businesses undertaking pH testing

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Horticulture

organic mulches can help build soil carbon levels.


Your industrY

Figure 4 the percentage of horticultural businesses (farmers) using different methods to maintain ground cover levels between horticultural plantings in 2009–10

horticultural plantings in 2009–10, and one third (33%) used mulching and or matting in the same period (Figure 4).

These data suggest that a quarter of Australia’s horticulturalists use pH and nutrient testing and a fifth apply lime or dolomite to manage soil acidity. Given the extensive and insidious nature of soil acidification, there may be a need to increase soil testing and liming in some regions to protect against further pH decline and productivity losses.

In 2009–10 about two thirds of horticulturalists reported maintaining ground cover between their main plantings, using alternate or cover crops or mulching and/or matting.

Some further work is needed to establish whether suitable methods for ground cover management are available for all horticultural crops to identify opportunities for increasing the rates of adoption of this practice.

Information about regional-level adoption of land management practices for 2007–08 is available at http://tinyurl.com/89sggbk Regional results from the 2009–10 ARMS will be available in 2012.

more information

this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/) licence. Unless otherwise stated, all images in the publication are copyrighted by their original owners. Barson, m., mewett, J. and Paplinska, J. 2012 land management practice trends in Australia’s horticulture industry. Caring for our Country Sustainable Practices fact sheet 4, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

references

1. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and resource economics–Bureau of rural Sciences (2010), Catchment Scale land Use mapping for Australia – Update march 2010 dataset, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra. http://adl.brs.gov.au/anrdl/ metadata_files/pa_luausr9abll07611a00.xml

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2009), 4627.0, land management and Farming in Australia, 2007–08. www.abs.gov.au/AUSStAtS/[email protected]/allprimarymainfeatures/C3FC0BDD85e571DBCA2578B50011D983?opendocument.

3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011), Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced 2009–10, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

4. national land and water resources Audit (2001), Australian Agriculture Assessment 2001, Volume 2, Commonwealth of Australia.

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Businesses using none of the above between cropsBusinesses using mulching and/or matting between cropsBusinesses using alternative or cover crops between crops

Note that no data is available for 2007–08


Your industrY

This is one of the questions being asked by university student Bronwyn Walsh.

“I am interested in hearing growers’ stories about how they’ve adapted so that their businesses remain profitable in today’s competitive environment,” she said.

Although she couldn’t go into too much detail about individual responses, an example of one grower’s experience of innovating over the last 10 years, was to make changes in a production practice,

their marketing plus in the packing shed. By comparison, another grower had made only production-based changes. For each business and each change, there was a difference in the role of the private and government sectors.

So that different crops and business sizes can be included in her research, Bronwyn would like to hear from more vegetable growers from Western Australia.

This is to see if, for example, whether the role of government or the private sector is more important to some crops or business sizes for ensuring their ability to respond to change and remain profitable.

The collection of grower’s experiences will provide tips for their own business

By BrOnwyn wAlSHDEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA & THE UNIVERSITY oF QLD

How does your businesssurvive change?

as well as provide important background for the government and private sector on how grower's innovate. Bronwyn is also interviewing other organisations, associations and companies about their role in the vegetable industry and surviving change.

more information

if you are willing to be interviewed or fill in a questionnaire, Bronwyn would like to hear from you. recognising that growers are busy people, the interview can be via a phone call, email, on-line or a visit to your business at a time convenient to you, and will be kept to 30 minutes or less. . if you would like further information, please contact Bronwyn on 0468 361 402 or via email at [email protected]. Participation and business specifics will be kept confidential. Bronwyn has worked with the vegetable and wider agricultural industry in wA and Queensland for the last 20 years in research and extension roles.

The Hydroponic Farmers Federation Vic (HFF) Conference in 2012 will be staged in Ballarat at the Mercure Hotel, (July 18–20) and will include the traditional plenary sessions and delegate workshops, plus a trade exhibition.

The theme ‘The Future — Filling in the gaps’ addresses many of the issue facing all farmers as they approach challenging times.

Farming is always challenging, but the immediate future offers a new mix of challenges — buying conglomerates driving down prices, the rising dollar, rising energy costs and competition from imports are some of the challenges that face victorian farmers.

Facing these by yourself is daunting. Coming together with others to learn new techniques and approaches and learning

from others’ experience is a positive way to assist your business.

Commercial greenhouse and hydroponic production systems are rapidly becoming one of the important solutions to resource pressures (land, water, fertiliser, environment, etc), however growers constantly need to update their growing techniques and technology. This event brings together the knowledge developers (speakers) with the knowledge users (growers) and is a wonderful opportunity to keep abreast of current skills.

Speakers include:

• Steve Carruthers — Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouse magazine

• Peter Nolle — Treadstone

• Renelle Jeffrey — Aust Farming Institute

• Ric Leahy — Melbourne Business School

• Michael Fryzer — The Connect Group

• Herman van der Gulik — Enza Zaden

• John Harrison — Infinity Solar

• Sohum Gandhi — Greenworks

• Graeme Smith — Graeme Smith Consulting

• Elly Nederhoff — CropHouse Ltd NZ.

more information

to register or see the full program see www.hffconference2012.org or contact John elford on (03) 5341 7691 or 0417 035 956.

Hydroponic conferenceThe future — Filling in the gaps


Your industrY

The 2012 AUSVEG National Convention was held over four days in May, against a backdrop of the Derwent River and a snow covered Mt Wellington.

This year, growers, advisors, agribusiness professionals and industry partners gathered from around Australia in Hobart to hear a range of industry figures and guest speakers discussing the most pressing issues facing the vegetable industry today. It was also a chance for delegates to establish important industry connections at the Trade show, during social events and at the Gala dinner.

An overall feeling of optimism in the industry was present throughout the convention, however many important issues were raised that emphasised the need for action and careful consideration to help keep the Australian vegetable industry alive and successful in the future.

A number of key themes stood out during the three days, both as hurdles and as opportunities for the industry. These themes are need to be addressed in order for Australian growers to remain competitive, and included the increasing cost of labour and skills shortage, the rise of the supermarket duopoly, the lack of consumer awareness and education about the industry, and the need for a long term industry vision.

WA was represented by a number of delegates from around the state, including some nominated for various awards.

Congratulations to Joyce Babun of Carnarvon for winning the Industry Impact Award. This award is presented each year to an individual or business that has had a positive impact on the vegetable industry through means such as innovation, research, or irrigation/water management techniques. The impact must have resulted in a significant contribution to best farm practice, and this year the award recognises Joyce’s contribution through the Loveapple Pty Ltd business.

labour and skills shortageThe labour issue was addressed by various speakers. Cost of labour, lack of available labour, and a shortage of skilled people in agriculture are some of the main concerns of vegetable producers around

Australia. It is a complex problem facing the industry, and all agree that there is no quick solution. Elders CEO Malcolm Jackman, who addressed delegates at the Agribusiness Leaders Panel breakfast, believes growers will need to continue to increase mechanisation and automation within their businesses to reduce labour costs and remain competitive in a global market. However, this is not always possible and may not be practical for many growers. Paul Howes, of the Australian Workers union, made it very clear that he believes the industry must have a united voice to find a solution to the labour problem within the industry.

The skills shortage in the industry was also a hot topic. A figure repeated many times throughout the convention was that only 800 Ag Science/agronomy graduates were emerging each year for a total of 2,000 roles available. Speakers emphasised the importance and need for education at all levels about the future and opportunities for young people in horticulture. This starts with school programs as well as educating the wider community about the importance of the industry. Jeorg Ellmanns put it plainly by stating that “customers need to value a healthy meal more than they do the latest iPad”. Education and training is vital to the vegetable industry and there is a great need to invest in skills and the future.

AUSVEG Convention 2012Consumers should value a healthy meal more than the latest iPad


Jim Turley accepting the Industry Impact Award on behalf of winner, Joyce Babun from Carnarvon.

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Your industrY

supermarket duopolyThe ever increasing presence of the supermarket duopoly has not gone unnoticed by agribusiness leaders and industry. While many growers have a strong and valuable relationship with the major chains, the issue of supermarkets dominating market demand is not new and is a worldwide problem for the food sector. Private branding is being driven out of stores and produce is increasingly sourced overseas. The supermarkets gain more profits, and often add to an oversupply problem which continues to push prices down. The general attitude towards this problem is that the industry must come together and work towards maintaining long-term supply and viability. This is equally important to growers who have a valuable relationship with the supermarkets. The industry concerns must be voiced to the public to ensure the wider community is aware that these price wars are unsustainable for the market and can cause long term damage to the industry as a whole.

InnovationInnovation was a buzz word at this year’s convention, with a number of speakers addressing the issue. These included interesting perspectives such as ‘Insights and Innovations’ presented by Richard Macchiesi (vISY), ‘using market insights to develop innovative solutions’ presented by David Ryan (Syngenta), and ‘understanding the value chain’ presented by Professor Hamish Gow. The message from these speakers focused on the need to support businesses to be innovative in order to meet new challenges and markets. Such innovation can include developments in postharvest improvement, automation of processes, recycling, and new forms of energy. Innovation is driven by consumer needs including demographics, health and convenience, and can be used to add value to a product or process at all levels of the supply chain.

For innovation to be successful, new ideas must be designed within a level of constraints so that the end product will actually deliver its purpose. Ideas need to be realistic in their expectations, however the industry must demand continuous improvement to ensure the best product is always being supplied to the consumer.

export opportunities There was much discussion around future opportunities in export for vegetable producers in Australia. With the rise of the middle class in Asian countries such as Indonesia and China, there is an increasing demand and desire for Australian produce. The amount of produce required by these countries will continue to increase, with China forecasted to be a net importer of food within the next 10 years. However, a number of obstacles were identified which make export of Australian vegetables a complex process. The high value of the Australian dollar means it is difficult for Australian exporters to be competitive with other currencies, while an inability to compete exists when our labour costs are so high. Growers are confused as to how it will be possible to meet export markets when the cost of production for Australian growers (especially labour costs) is so high that we simply cannot compete in the global market. This issue was recognised by industry bodies and it was agreed that the industry must unite to access Asian markets and assist producers to take advantage of this opportunity in the future. If Australia is to be competitive in the export of vegetables, free trade between countries must also equal fair trade, and this must somehow be regulated or enforced at an international level.

chemistry and scienceChemicals for various agronomic purposes are vitally important to vegetable growers, and companies such as Bayer Crop Science, DuPoint, Elders and Syngenta are constantly researching and developing new chemistry to help growers. The emphasis on chemistry at the 2012 convention was the focus of developing new, smart and soft chemistry that will prevent resistance, work with nature and are suitable for IPM practices. IPM is becoming more and more important as new chemistry is becoming more difficult to find, and it has been recognised that chemicals alone are not the answer to pest and disease control in the future. It is important to ensure the long-term viability of chemicals by preventing over-use and developing commercially sustainable IPM practices. Joerg Ellmanns of Bayer Crop Science spoke of the importance of balancing economic growth with the environment and social responsibility. This will involve a mix of good science and understanding nature.

IPM and soil healthIPM and soil health were also on the agenda, with some good-news stories about the success of IPM in cauliflower crops in Tasmania and victoria, and new soil pathogen testing kits being developed in South Australia. IPM is increasingly becoming a recognised method of pest management in many crops, with its success in open field systems now following on from its success in greenhouse production systems.

Dr Paul Horne spoke of the commercial viability and cost saving implications of using IPM in cauliflower crops and has demonstrated the approach on a number of farms.

The concept of soil ‘health’ was addressed to emphasise the need to look at soil as a complex medium that requires management and conservation. Science is increasingly telling us that we need to focus on the qualities of soil, from the movement of water, to nutrition, to soil biology, so that we can better utilise, manage and conserve this valuable resource.

vegetablesWA President, Maureen Dobra, discussing the Western Australian industry at the convention.


Your industrY

food securityThe issue of food security was again a focus for many speakers at the convention, with industry bodies continuing to commit to protecting the vegetable industry. Ensuring that Australian growers are given the tools to keep up with rising demand and price competitiveness, as well as preserving our resources such as land and water were high on the agenda for Paul Howes from the Australian Workers union, Senator Christine Milne Leader of the Australian Greens and for Fiona Simson of the NSW Farmers Association.

vegetable industry working togetherThroughout the convention, speakers, growers, politicians and industry representatives alike all commented on the real need for the vegetable industry to work together for a sustainable future. In terms of production, the environment, marketing and industry perception, it is recognised that we need to work for the long term supply and viability of the industry.

Part of this will involve increased education of consumers and the wider community of the importance of the vegetable industry.

This needs to occur at all levels, including educating young people and changing the industry image in the media. As put so well by Jeorg Ellsmann, somehow there needs to be recognition from consumers that a healthy meal is more important than the latest iPad or newest computer game. There needs to be an improvement of communication and cooperation between all industry stakeholders – growers, researches, universities, industry bodies, consultants, government and consumers. The big problems and issues within the industry need to be addressed with a united voice from the industry as a whole. This can then be taken to the public to make clear what the industry requires to survive, and the government will follow. The strength of the media in this process is vital and there is a need for an improved industry image, one that tells the ‘good news’ stories and reconnects the wider communities with rural lifestyle and agriculture.

Haifa has signed an agreement for exclusive distribution of the SMART! Fertilizer Management Software, which can be accessed via Haifa’s online Knowledge Center (www.haifa-group.com/knowledge_center/expert_sofwares/) at a 20 per cent discount.

The software is aimed at crops in various growth conditions, from open field to hydroponics. It calculates optimal fertilizer programs, considering nutrient requirements of crops, soil and water analysis, and tissue composition.

SMART! software also enables analysis of fertilization costs for better budget control and long-term planning.

Haifa Australia Managing Director Trevor Dennis said the software allowed users to better tailor their irrigation to crops and crop needs, thereby maximizing yields and also reducing environmental impact from input wastage.

“This is a unique tool that calculates the volume of fertilizer to be dissolved in a certain volume of water and then the injection rate to match the specific irrigation system and crop needs,’’ Mr Dennis said.

“It will save users time and money and therefore will further improve efficiency and productivity of operations.

“The calculation is easy and users can change crops and look at different growth periods.’’

He said while many users calculated fertilizer requirements manually, the SMART! software offered a “quick check’’ to ensure calculations were correct.

The SMART! Fertiliser Management software complements Haifa’s NutriNet software. While NutriNet seeks for the type and amount of fertilizers required according to the crop growth stage, SMART! supports the next steps in the process, including calculating the proportion of each fertilizer in the mixing tank and the irrigation injection rate.

Natan Feldman, Haifa Group, said the addition of SMART! to the company’s portfolio reflected its ongoing commitment to help growers improve practices and maximize crop yields and quality.

“With SMART!, we make the task of fertilizer mix calculations and preparations a clear and simple process. offering the solution through our online Knowledge Center ensures it can be accessed by anyone who needs it directly, anytime, anywhere,’’ Mr Feldman said.

Mr Dennis said the software also was accessible from the Haifa website via smart phones.

SMART! Chief Executive officer Guy Sela said the company strived to provide a highly professional, yet practical and simple tool for growers to assist them tackle their challenges efficiently, cost-effectively and easily.

“That’s why we found Haifa our natural partner. Haifa is committed to support growers succeed, understands their needs and owns the intimate knowledge of how to build the best solutions for them,’’ Mr Sela said.

more information

media information: trevor Dennis, managing Director, Haifa Australia, (03) 9583 4691.

June 15, 2012 Media release

Haifa software move enables ‘smart’ fertigation managementHorticulture growers, irrigation managers and advisers can now take fertigation management to a whole new level following a move by Haifa Australia, the country’s largest supplier of water soluble nutrients, to offer the SmArt! Fertilizer management software tool.

Landmark, specialists in horticulture.

You can look to the team at Landmark for unrivalled expertise. We partner with you by supplying specialised advice which is localised to your particular region. And because Landmark only stocks reputable products, you can feel assured that they will enhance your productivity and yields. That’s why more Australian farmers look to us.

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landmark.com.au


Your industrY

Grower profileAaron Natoli

Grower profi lename Aaron natoli

location Gnangara

Property size 11ha

enterprises root crops

PertH


Your industrY

Aaron Natoli is a second generation grower in Gnangara who specialises in growing root crops.

Aaron’s Grandfather was a grocer who sold fresh produce to consumers in Mount Lawley. After growing up in this world, Aaron’s father, Figaro decided he wanted to be on the growing side of the supply chain. From a five acre property in Malaga, Figaro started Natoli Produce Farms in September 1976. He began growing broccoli as the main crop along with radishes, silverbeet and lettuce.

Figaro moved to the current property in Gnagara in 1980 to expand their growing area to 12 acres and to diversify into growing different crops such as capsicums, spinach and spring onions. Since then the Natoli’s have expanded their growing operation to 28 acres.

Aaron had been working in banking and finance for 12 years until he decided he needed a sea change, so he decided to make the move to the growing lifestyle as he readily identified with it. Aaron said he is very happy with the decision he made as, “It is very rewarding to see top quality produce on the shelves that are a result of your hard work. There is a lot of job satisfaction with seeing things go well in growing.”

The Natoli’s have evolved and specialise in growing all root crops such as beetroot, radish, dutch carrots, parsnips and turnips. They also specialise in bunched purple carrots and rainbow carrots. Aaron said that the diversification of the crops spreads the risk if there was something to go wrong with one of them.

As all the crops that they grow are root crops, Aaron said they all have similar growing techniques so they can adjust when moving from crop to crop. All the crops they grow are 12 months a year however root crops grow better in the cold and can sometimes suffer in the heat.

Aaron said, “Parsnips aren’t easy to grow due to climatic factors. Summer in Western

Australia isn’t ideal climate as the quality and growth is better in cooler weather.” There is current research being conducted on how to improve the yields of parsnips in Western Australia so the results of this will be a boost for the Natoli’s.

The Natoli’s have been growing purple and rainbow carrots for around 18 months. The purple carrots are sold in the major supermarkets, local grocers and specialty shops.

Figaro had the concept of the rainbow carrot bunch and they developed the idea over the past couple of years together.

Aaron said,” the demand for the rainbow carrots has increased as they have been well received by consumers. There has been a lot of growth in demand from when they started to the present day.” He went on to explain, “One of the reasons I think they have been so well received is that it is a visually appealing product.” Each of the different coloured carrots have their own antioxidant benefit which Aaron said there has been both historical and ongoing research into.

Machinery on the property is all designed to suit the crops. However, beetroot seeds aren’t round like others; they are more of a kernel so it can’t be guaranteed that a precision seeder will be effective. The Natoli’s still use a traditional push seeder for the beetroot which provides a great cardiovascular work out, but is slow by modern standards taking around 1 hour to seed a fifth of a hectare.

Aaron has been using the vISS systems which he said really got them thinking more about irrigation such as how long it should be left on for and what times work better for them. He said, “Everyone has constraints with water, you need to comply or you are going to have problems”.

Aaron says he plans to keep developing the markets for his new products in the immediate future with expansion not a consideration at the moment. Whilst urban sprawl will take about ten years to encroach the property he remains comfortable that he will be growing in Gnangara well beyond this point.

By HAyley wilSOnVEGETABLESwA

The Natoli’s have evolved and specialise in growing all root crops such as beetroot, radish, dutch carrots, parsnips and turnips.


Your industrY

Safe wholesome salad vegetables are part of daily production at operations throughout the state thanks to grower compliance with food safety systems. Whilst everyone knows quality assurance schemes provide market access it is only by using food safety as a business tool that the real value of a QA scheme can be realised.

QA schemes in use such as Freshcare and SQF form the basis of food safety controls on farm. Additional controls that might be useful for your operation should be adopted because these could provide an edge over your competitors.

For example Freshcare requires water testing every three months. Weather events vary and in some circumstances this might not be frequent enough to show that water is not the source of a contamination event. Recently a leafy green processor found E. coli in bags of lettuce containing product from two growers. During trace back the WA grower was able to provide monthly water test results and product testing over and above Freshcare requirements. The extra testing costs were more than outweighed by maintaining the immediate business with his customer.

It is a good idea to check with your testing laboratory if they can offer a discount for submitting additional samples.

Importantly the customer had evidence that he was applying his food safety system more effectively than his competitor. There is evidence that if a grower embraces food

safety as a business imperative customers will give priority to that grower when developing new product ideas. You then have the ability to take greater control over the way your product is handled through the chain.

This is food safety driving quality and customer relationships.

Why food safety?The experience in the u.S. spinach E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 2006 clearly demonstrated the long term damage to business that results when contamination occurs and food safety controls break down. So safe growing practices keep you in business, maintain your income and your lifestyle.

There are always costs to maintaining a QA system but you might be surprised at how small these are compared to other running costs on the farm. One grower in the Perth region calculates his food safety costs are 2 per cent of his fertiliser costs. When you consider this ensures a satisfied customer base and a robust platform for business growth it is a small price to pay.

It is also worth considering how food safety might be used as a business tool to drive innovation and save money. Leafy green salad vegetables are highly perishable so post harvest handling is an important part of keeping the product safe. Minimising the time from harvest to cool room storage is critical but an effective way of keeping product cool is to harvest before the sun rises. Not only does this improve food safety control but also reduces water loss leading to improved yields.

Other more technologically driven innovations can be used such as in field sonic rodent deterrents. Whilst this sort of equipment requires significant capital expenditure, the level of control it provides over foreign body contamination will lead to a reduction in lot rejection by processors.

If you rank your food safety system highly your customers will have a high level of confidence in your production. This is the basis for building business relationships and demonstrating you can consistently deliver safe produce to an increasingly demanding market. It follows your business opportunities will expand and you assist growth of the whole leafy green industry!

Case studyLowering costs and growing your business using food safety

Regular water testing is imperative to show any contamination that can occur.

eliZABetH FrAnKiSHPRoJECT MANAGER HoRTICULTURE FooD SAFETY, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA


Your industrY

Just where does your food come from? Recent survey results suggest that most of our children have no idea — in fact 75% of children recently surveyed thought cotton socks originated from an animal!

The survey, carried out on behalf of the Primary Industries Education Foundation, by the Australian Centre for Educational Research revealed that student and teacher knowledge related to food and fibre production has declined to worrying levels.

Once upon a time most city children had a country cousin. And holidays to the farm were a common occurrence. Now some estimates suggest that up to one quarter of city dwellers will never set foot in rural Australia.

The Australian Year of the Farmer is providing the ideal platform to bring agriculture to classrooms and communities across the country during 2012 through its online education program, Roadshow team and partnerships with key industry stakeholders.

the Workboot seriesA timely partnership between Australia’s largest agricultural publishing organisation, Kondinin Group, and the Year of the Farmer campaign is seeing teachers across Australia open the gate on Australia’s vibrant agricultural industries through the award-winning Workboot Series books and teachers’ resources.

According to Workboot Series author and Year of the Farmer team member Catriona Nicholls, the opportunities are endless for teachers looking to bring a little bit of country to the classroom this year.

“The selection of free lesson plans and activities we have available online for teachers throughout the year span all age groups and key learning areas,” Catriona said.

diverse career pathAn understanding of the food and fibre value chain is important not only as our children grow to become tomorrow’s consumers, but also as they decide about their own future.

“Agriculture offers a wealth of careers options that many Australian children have never had the opportunity to consider,” Catriona said.

“Yet so often agriculture is short-sold as a dead-end career option for the next generation through ignorant bad press — or lack of positive press.”

The Australian Year of the Farmer campaign is striving to change these out-of-date perceptions through sharing stories of our vibrant agricultural industries.

“Far from the stereotypic image of an arthritic, old, male farmer, who can barely switch on a computer, we are surrounded by young, educated and passionate people working in modern agriculture,” Catriona said.

“our food and fibre industries rely on the latest advances in technology, which is so often in direct conflict with mainstream media coverage.”

“Our farmers are out there in the paddocks, with iPhones and iPads, GPS equipment, working alongside the research community with new drought-resistant, highly productive and nutritious pasture and crop varieties and genomic livestock information.”

“All the while they’re juggling incredibly complex businesses, across multiple enterprises, delivering to an increasingly discerning consumer in a variable climate — year in year out.”

more information

For more information on the Australian year of the Farmer go to www.yearofthefarmer.com.au

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AustralianYearofthefarmer

Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/#!/AYof2012

For more information on the workboot Series, call 1800 677 761 or visit the Kondinin Group website: www.kondiningroup.com.au

Get a taste of rural lifeyou may just get hooked!

“For the first time ever teachers can download specially-adapted Workboot Series lesson plans and activity pages from the Australian Year of the Farmer website — www.yearofthefarmer.com.au/education.”

“We have ready-to-use activities across subjects as diverse as English, mathematics, science, health and wellbeing and social science — using agriculture as inspiration for learning has never been easier.”

“It’s about taking students on a journey from the source to the consumer and showing how Australia’s food and fibre producers are among the best and most sustainable in the world.”

“We recognise that in many cases we are not only taking the students on the journey, but their teachers as well! And the key has been to provide a balanced, factual set of resources that use a range of text types, diagrams and full-colour images and activities to engage even the most reluctant of readers.”

Sharing the journey from paddock to plate has been a long-time passion for Catriona, who explains that the Workboot Series resources have been developed through more than 15 years of collaboration between industry and educators to yield fun, factual and educational resources.

“Our children are our future and it is critical they have a good understanding of where their food and fibre comes from,” she said.


Your industrY

The Australian Year of the Farmer Roadshow vehicles are embarked on a year-long nationwide journey to celebrate Australia’s farming industry.

The nine exhibition vehicles will cover a combined distance of 56,000 kilometres, working in each state and territory to enrich the connections between rural and urban dwellers and highlight the essential contribution of farming to Australia’s economy, culture and lifestyle.

The Roadshow will attend more than 300 events throughout Australia including agricultural shows and field days, industry events, food and wine festivals, rodeos, sporting events, music and cultural festivals.

Australian Year of the Farmer co-founder and Chairman, Philip Bruem, said the interactive Roadshow units are a great way for people of all ages to learn more about Australian farmers and the vital

role they play in feeding, clothing and housing us.

“It will showcase how Australian farmers are amongst the best in the world, leading the way on innovation in farming techniques, and delivering sustainability through best practice management of their environment. It is vital people understand the contribution farming makes to our daily lives so that our agribusiness sector can be sustained for many years to come,” Mr Bruem said.

In addition to educating the future generation of consumers, Mr Bruem said a major purpose of the Roadshow is to encourage more Australians to pursue careers in the sector. “Agribusiness is big business and there are many exciting ways to participate in what is our biggest growth industry. There are abundant opportunities and you don’t have to live on a farm to get involved.”

Ambassador for Australian Year of the Farmer, Glenn McGrath who hails from farming stock and is a passionate advocate of the role farming plays in Australia, will attend selected events as part of the tour.

more information

rural and urban communities are urged to get involved with the Australian year of the Farmer roadshow and can visit www.yearofthefarmer.com.au for more information and touring dates.

Year of the Farmer Roadshowrolls out

show name date

Albany Show 9–10 November 2012

Canning Show 2–3 November 2012

Collie Show 17 November 2012

Dardanup Bull & Barrel Festival 13 october 2012

Dowerin Gwn Field Day 29–30 August 2012

manjimup — warren Districts Show 16–17 March 2012

margaret river Show 19–20 october 2012

moora Show 22 September 2012

newdegate machinery Field Days 5–6 September 2012

northam Show 17 September 2012

Osborne Park Show 30–1 December 2012

royal Perth Show 29–6 october 2012

wannneroo Show 23–24 November 2012

Ambassador for Australian Year of the Farmer, Glenn McGrath, will attend selected events as part of the Roadshow tour.

47WA Grower winter 2012Give us a call on 9420 0300 to find out more or visit www.perthenergy.com.au.

your power to choose

For over 10 years Perth Energy has been helping WA businesses,large and small, save money on their electricity bill.


Your industrY

Thinking you might import some plants, but you’re not sure where to start?

DAFF Biosecurity — in partnership with governments, agencies, industry and the community — manages biosecurity services to minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering and establishing in Australia and harming the Australian natural environment, our food security and economy.

Here is an easy guide to what is involved as well as some tips.

1. you need an import permit from the DAFF Biosecurity

• An import permit must be obtained prior to importing plants, as it will specify the conditions and requirements that must be met for entry into Australia. Application forms can be found on the DAFF website at www.daff.gov.au/import or obtained from your local DAFF Biosecurity office.

Importing plantsis not that hard!

• The cost of an import permit can be found on the DAFF website at www.daff.gov.au/import or by calling DAFF Biosecurity on 1800 020 504.

2. Select good material

• Don’t select plants that show obvious signs of disease.

• Don’t select plants with soft, tender new growth. Go for plants that have hardened off.

• If it is a deciduous plant, send it when it is just about to emerge from dormancy.

• If it is a perennial plant, send it when it has died down.

• Make sure that all soil is removed from the roots. This could cost you time and money if it has to be cleaned under quarantine supervision in Australia.

3. Pack your plants well

• Wrap plants, particularly the roots in damp paper of sphagnum. They can be

wrapped individually or in small bundles and then in plastic with holes in it to let them breathe.

• Pack the bundles loosely in a sturdy box with some protection such as shredded paper or polystyrene.

• Ensure that your plants are labelled with the scientific name. Avoid any constricting ties that may bruise the plants.

4. Shipment

• Time is important, so keep in mind that airfreight is generally the fastest.

• Have a copy of your import permit, packing list, invoice and other documents in an envelope attached to the outside of the parcel — it will help with the clearance through Customs.

• Make sure that your customs agent (if you use one) and/or the courier know that your parcel contains live plant material and shouldn’t be delayed.

Did you realise that since 1976 the Federal Government has subsidised the Tasmanian vegetable industry to supply mainland markets through the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme?

In the 2008–09 financial year the value of

this assistance was around $26 million for the

vegetable industry alone.

The Scheme assists shippers to transport goods by sea, between Tasmania and the Australian mainland, to reduce freight costs imposed by Bass Strait.

TasmanianFreight Equalisation Scheme

Western Australian growers also suffer the tyranny of distance given the costs of reaching Eastern markets across the Nullarbor Plain. vegetablesWA is now working to have this imbalance redressed.

more information

For more information contact John Shannon, vegetableswA Policy and Program manager, on 0488 111 526 or (08) 9481 0834.


Your industrY

If seed potato disease levels don’t meet the tolerances of the national seed potato scheme, the grower loses sales and customers are dissatisfied with the supply. Virus testing of Generation 2 seed crops reduces this risk and provides seed growers with a marketing edge.

AGWEST Plant Laboratories has continued to provide the G2 seed potato crop virus testing service over the last year, funded by the Agricultural Produce Commission fee for service.

This has provided individual growers with an early warning of virus which enables then to eliminate infected crops and so maintain the high health status of WA seed potatoes.

Since 2001 when the testing commenced, virus levels have been reduced and from 2004 kept to very low levels (see Figure 1).

Crops are assessed for the presence of potato leaf roll virus (PLRv), tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWv), potato virus S (PvS), potato virus X (PvX) and potato virus Y (PvY). This has provided the WA seed industry with strong credentials to back up its clean image both nationally and internationally and open the way for further market opportunities.

WA exports seed to Thailand, Indonesia, Mauritius and Bangladesh and it is also sold extensively to the eastern states.

The growth in seed potato exports over the last 11 years has more than tripled as shown in Figure 2. Similar growth has occurred in interstate sales.

That cleanliness of WA seed provides a marketing edge is shown by the recent pre-

Figure 1 Virus testing survey results to G2-planted crops funded by APC-PPC Figure 2 Seed potato exports from western Australia 2001 to 2011

Benefits of industry-funded virus testingfor potatoes

By DAle SPenCerDEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, BUNBURY

Head of Seed Imports for the Indonesian Agricultural Quarantine Agency, Mr Hermawan; WA grower and exporter Tom Fox; Head of Vegetable Protection for the Indonesian Directorate of Horticulture, Ms Cahyaniati; and Chair of the Expert Committee for Indonesian Plant Quarantine Dr Purnama Hidayat view potato crops in the field in 2011.

shipment or pre-export quarantine tests undertaken in 2011 by the Indonesian Agricultural Quarantine Agency in WA.

These tests are designed to replace the traditional testing done after the seed arrives in Indonesia. The pre-shipment tests in Australia reduce the risk and high cost should rejections occur overseas.

Pre-shipment testing of two large consignments in 2011 found no virus. This finding has led Indonesia to investigate how their testing of WA seed potatoes might be streamlined. For this arrangement to succeed, the ongoing status in WA of clean seed and area freedom from exotic pests that concern Indonesia rests very much on the continued support in funding for virus testing and the 40% subsidy of the certification scheme funded by APC-PPC.

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3

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PLRV TSWV PVS PVX PVY

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Your industrY

This year’s tomato trial to compare scheduling using evaporation and crop factors adjusted by soil moisture monitoring, with current grower practice, has been completed over what turned out to be Perth’s hottest summer in 30 years.

A trial area of 4,800 Swanson tomatoes were transplanted on November 7, 2011, at the Wesgrowers property next to their packing shed in Bernard Road, North Carabooda.

The two treatments were:

A — Grower-run treatment

B — Good practice, receiving irrigation scheduled by growth stage (crop factors) and evaporation from the nearby Wanneroo weather station

The transplants were all a similar size but have grown at different rates as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Treatment B got off to a good start as a result of the frequent application of small amounts of nutrients to the crop.

The water applied to the grower treatment was equivalent to 16,500kL/ha while treatment B only received 9,800kL/ha. Yield from the two treatments was very similar with just under 120 tonnes per hectare being graded. It is important to note that this trial is not about reducing water allocations to grow tomatoes or other vegetables, it’s about using water efficiently to maximise profitability for growers.

Tomato irrigation trialshows a win for growers

rOHAn PrinCeDEVELoPMENT oFFICER, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Figure 1 Four weeks after planting with the good practice on the left

The result, achieved by tailoring the amount of water applied based on evaporation and crop stage, was similar to that of last year’s demonstration trial.

By applying irrigation that met the water requirement but did not frequently pass the effective rooting depth of the tomatoes, water use efficiency was increased.

This difference was reflected in the volume of drainage. About 7,460kL/ha more water was drained below the grower treatment crop than from treatment B. This is a similar volume to the difference in irrigation applied, indicating the extra water applied in the grower treatment was simply drained below rather than used by the crop.

Assumed plant water use, calculated by subtracting drainage from the water applied, was actually lower in treatment A than treatment B, 700mm compared with 776mm.

This difference is explained by the greater vigour of plants in treatment B, which had more leaf area for evapotranspiration and therefore more potential for water loss.

This research shows there was no yield loss from reducing the current volume of water that many growers use to grow tomatoes in sand over summer. The potential win for growers who adopt evaporation-based irrigation scheduling is that water remaining in your allowance could be used to grow larger areas of crop or be used to irrigate crops in other times of the year when previously there was no room in your allocation did not do this.

A uniform application of irrigation and continual soil moisture monitoring is essential to fine-tune irrigation to your own farm. This is why it is recommended that before altering your current practices you have an irrigation assessment done to confirm an even distribution of water and perform the blue dye trial to learn about the movement of water in your soil type.

Through using the soil moisture monitoring to fine-tune the frequency and volume of


Your industrY

Figure 2 eight weeks after planting with the good practice treatment on the leftirrigations through evaporation-based scheduling you can significantly improve the water use efficiency on your farm.

I extend a huge thank you to Wesgrowers, in particular George Kyme, for inviting us onto the property and Michael DeSouza for looking after us and the crops during the season.

more information

the research project over the last two years was also supported by grower levies through the Agricultural Produce Commission, and Horticulture Australia limited..

A workshop will be run in July for interested growers to learn more about what is involved in this method of irrigation scheduling and how different it is from current practices. if you are interested in coming to this workshop you should contact me on 0429 680 069 or keep and eye out for the flyer in wA’s e-news or your mailbox.

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Mobile: 0414 376 699


Your industrY

Vegetable growers met at Guilderton in April to discuss stable fly breeding and seek solutions to the problem.

Stable fly, sometimes known as biting fly, is an annual issue over the warmer months on the Swan Coastal Plain, north and south of Perth, and was particularly bad last summer. When present in large numbers it can impact on many warm-blooded animals including cattle, horses, other livestock and humans.

DAFWA senior research officer Ian McPharlin said a joint project between the department, vegetablesWA and seven local councils was aiming to provide education and support in controlling stable fly. Those councils are Capel, Chittering, Dandaragan, Gingin, Harvey, Swan and Wanneroo.

The project is employing university of WA entomologist David Cook to work with the shires and manage stable fly hot spots.

“In order to control stable fly breeding, regulations under the Health Act now ban the use of raw poultry manure in 13 shires throughout the year,” Dr McPharlin said. “These regulations will remain in place until September 2013 and then continue under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.”

unlike other common flies such as the housefly and bushfly that suck up food, the stable fly has piercing mouthparts. It seeks out animal blood on which to feed before laying its eggs.

Cattle and horses are often seen stamping their feet, switching their tails and bunching together to avoid the flies. They often resort to feeding at night when the fly is not active, to try and escape the painful bites.

Historically, horse stables were the traditional breeding site for this fly, but they now typically breed in rotting vegetable crop

residues, ageing livestock manure and reject vegetables fed out to stock.

The Swan Coastal Plain provides an ideal environment for stable flies to proliferate due to its sandy soils combined with continual overhead irrigation.

“The key to stable fly control is removing egg and larval breeding sources as it is very difficult to prevent the flies from biting livestock, which they can fly tens of kilometres to find,” Dr Cook said.

At the Guilderton meeting, held with the support of vegetablesWA, complete removal of crop residues from the field after harvest followed by composting, was viewed as possibly too difficult to be a practical solution. Growers felt that finding on-farm solutions would be more effective. These could include finely mulching of any vegetable residues as soon after harvest as possible, spraying with insecticides and allowing the residue to dry for at least a week before incorporation to get maximum coverage of soil.

Dr Cook said reliance on insecticides to prevent stable fly breeding would not provide a sustainable long-term solution as the stable fly would develop resistance. Spray-on organic matter accelerators that encouraged rapid breakdown of vegetable materials in the field before they attracted the fly needed to be explored further.

By international standards the severity of the stable fly problem around Perth is recognised as being on the extreme end of the scale. It has been escalating since the 1990s, possibly increased by the expansion of vegetable growing.

Research has shown that up to 1,300 stable flies per square metre can emerge from the soil of a trashed vegetable crop. vegetable matter on the ground provides a significant risk for fly breeding if left to rot for more than three to four days, or if it is merely hoed into the soil with minimal breakdown.

The key to preventing stable fly development revolves around breaking crop residues into small pieces to reduce breeding, he emphasised. using high speed mulchers to do this has proven superior to rotary hoeing in terms of reducing fly development. It also has the advantage of allowing the grower to put in another crop sooner.

Growers chew overstable fly

Stable flies typically breed in rotting vegetable crop residues.

By iAn mCPHArlinPoTATo INDUSTRY DEVELoPMENT, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD


Your industrY

Purple carrotscatch the eyes

The Department of Agriculture and Food led a group of 25 Western Australian companies participating at Food and Hotel Asia 2012.

DAFWA international liaison manager Carolyn Hine said WA exports of agrifood products to South East Asia and North Asia were worth more than $3 billion each year, led by wheat, live cattle, meat, dairy and horticulture.

“Participants found this event worthwhile in promoting their products, establishing important contacts and getting a sense of what our Asian markets are looking for,” she said.

Sumich General Manager vincent Tana, producer of the purple carrots, said the region was an extremely important market to his company which was always looking at ways of building relationships with customers plus exploring new markets.

“This was a great opportunity to showcase our new purple carrot which has 30 times the antioxidant levels of a normal orange carrot and is showing great potential as one of the next new super foods alongside blueberries,” he said.

Mr Tana believes his company is the largest grower of purple carrots in WA at their property north-east of Lancelin. Some smaller Dutch varieties are also grown in the Myalup strip.

“We conducted trials in 2010–11 and have been producing them commercially for around 12 months,” he said. “We sell direct to Woolworths and to the Canning vale markets. We are also supplying to the eastern states and export markets.”

The high level of antioxidants has put purple carrots in the ‘super food’ category.

Purple carrots were among a range of quality Western Australian produce at a leading trade exhibition in Singapore in April.

The growing season is the same as for orange carrots, as is the machinery required, but they are harder to grow and the yield is only around 40 per cent of conventional carrots. This is reflected in higher prices.

Mr Tana is a great supporter of the alternative vegetable. “The health benefits associated with the purple carrot are

enormous,” he said. “The high level of antioxidants has put them in the ‘super food’ category along with blueberries, beetroot etc.

“visitors to the stand in Singapore were amazed that we could grow these purple carrots and it was 100 per cent natural. Their taste was well received also, and we believe this will lead to more export sales.”


Your industrY

Activ FoundationThere are five timber manufacturing sites in WA located at Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton, Rockingham and Bentley where Activ employees manufacture competitively priced timber crates for Western Australian vegetable and fruit produce.

Activ can provide standard crates or can custom build to individual business requirements.

Quality is assured and rates are extremely competitive.

more information

For a quotation or enquiry please call meisha on (08) 9387 0459 or email [email protected]

Andrew Wilkins is a very skilled young man with an intellectual disability. He is 24 years old and is pictured at Activ Business Services Bentley where he has worked for seven years. Andrew is very aware of safety and considered very skilled in the timber area.

You can see David Kennedy in the process of making a crate from start to finish. David is 42 and has worked with Activ for 28 years. He is qualified to use many industrial saw machines and can operate an industrial staple gun and nail gun.

The finished crate is almost a work of art!

Activ Business Services is a contemporary Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) that supports over 1,050 employees with a disability by providing meaningful employment opportunities across metropolitan and regional Western Australia.

Activ employees are given the opportunity to develop their skills and abilities in a modern working environment which enables them to achieve high levels of skill development and independence.

Through ongoing support from our professional and dedicated staff, employees are enabled to work towards achieving their personal and individual goals.

Activ Foundation has been assisting people with disabilities, since 1951.


BusinessYoUR

Your Business


Your Business

Business decision Making toolsvegetable production businesses are highly complex, and growers make important and complicated decisions every day.

What other business must factor in rainfall, evaporation, soil temperature, unpredictable prices, fertiliser and chemical applications, freshcare audits, mechanical maintenance, a never ending array of pest and disease problems, as well as the usual staff, labour and financial issues — as part of their every day schedule?

vegetable production may not always be regarded as a sophisticated business industry. However, when all the above issues are considered, anyone can see that horticulture is highly complex, and important decisions must be constantly made to keep the business running smoothly and profitably.

Over the last 12 months, RM Consulting Group from victoria, have been travelling around Australia asking vegetable growers about some of the difficult decisions they make, and how they make them. The result of this process is a collection of business decision making tools designed to help growers think about the decisions they are making, and calculate the numbers to see how they stack up.

For example, have you ever thought about relocating and how it would affect your bottom line? Not sure if the set-up costs would be worth the hassle, and if it would really increase your return on capital? One of the tools that have been developed helps you calculate the costs and benefits involved in property relocation, and compare your current property to a new one.

Maybe you grow lettuce or cauliflowers and have been thinking about implementing IPM but not sure if the risk is worth it? Would the money you save on insecticides make up for a possible increase in damage to the crop? A tool has been developed to help growers put the numbers down on paper in a simple

format — it might just help growers look at the decision in a different light.

The key to the tools — a series of fact sheets, case studies, business studies and spreadsheets for your own calculations — is that they show growers a way of analysing a decision and looking at all the options. They don’t give all the answers, and there is often no right or wrong. Every vegetable production business is different, and along with production and financial considerations, there are always social, personal and unmeasurable factors involved in making any decision.

Calculating the numbers behind big business decisions is an important part of strategic planning in your business.

These tools simply allow you to input data for your business, and the numbers it generates can help to simplify otherwise complex decisions. Calculating the numbers on big decisions like purchasing a new tractor, investing in a packaging machine or changing your irrigation system is an important part of strategic planning in your business.

‘talking Business’ to help you growMaking decisions can be a complicated and stressful process. There can be hundreds of factors that influence how you make a decision, and whether that decision is right and wrong in any situation. Talking over a decision with another person or a group of people can often help bring up some of the important factors surrounding the decision, or even just get others’ opinions to confirm or oppose your thoughts.

The Business Decision Making materials developed as part of the Innoveg project provide the basic tools to analyse a decision, however talking the decision over can bring to the surface a whole bunch of external factors that might influence that decision.

‘Talking Business’ what it is all about. The main aim of this project is to encourage growers to talk about business to help them make good decisions, and to help those around them make good decisions. It might mean talking within your family, talking to your neighbours, talking with a whole group of growers within your region, or talking

with your bank manager or consultant. But the main thing is that people start to ‘Talk Business’, to share ideas, share knowledge, and ultimately make good decisions.

That is exactly what happened with a small group of growers in the first ‘Talking Business’ workshop held in WA during May. At short notice, a few growers were approached to come along to the session, where we would discuss the new material and look at how it could work to help growers talk about their decisions and their business.

The group consisted of growers from a wide range of experiences — from the very experienced growers to the younger generation. The growers were comfortable talking with each other about how their business was going, the problems that they were facing, and the direction they wanted to head.

Initially, the discussion focused on all the problems and hardships that growers face, of which there are many, and all of which are very real. The price push from supermarkets, the oversupply of produce, the increasing cost of labour and other inputs, our inability to compete with imported goods, a lack of good technical advice and urban expansion taking over agricultural land. These are all complex problems, and unfortunately ones that cannot be fixed with a silver bullet. An industry approach needs to be taken to some of these “big picture” issues. However, there are many parts of their business a grower can control.

The conversation turned to look at some of the decisions a grower can make to ensure the business is successful. It is difficult when prices fluctuate and are unpredictable, or when you can’t find labour, or do not have enough technical advice to grow a good crop. But what about thinking of the business as a whole? The growers in this discussion group bounced ideas around and shared with each other their views of the important aspects of a successful business.

The group soon agreed that a successful business should be one that receives a reasonable return on capital. It should be able to pay everyone involved in the business, including the business owners or partners, for their time and their efforts. And on top of these things, a successful business should make a profit. Once these ideas were being


Vegetable Industry Development Program

InnoVeg


Your Business

The Business Decision Making Tools and Talking Business program are part of the Vegetable Industry Development Program (VIDP) InnoVeg project. The Vegetable Industry Development Program is funded by HAL using the vegetable levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.

discussed, the group began to talk about their own businesses and where they were headed. Are they getting a decent return on their capital? Are they paying themselves? Would they receive a better return on their investment somewhere else?

Each grower began to think more constructively about how they could analyse their business better, and how important it is to know how your business is going.

As part of this discussion, the group worked through the ‘Property relocation’ tool and went through the numbers of what it would cost to relocate from a property close to urban development to a property further out. The numbers were only estimates and simplified to make it easy to work through in a group, but each grower was eager to add their knowledge and ideas, and ask questions about costs, inputs and value.

This is what the exercise is about. Talking Business. Although the group was small,

and each grower was in a different situation financially, personally and professionally, the principles of talking about their businesses were the same. The growers worked together to identify which aspects of their business are making money, and how they can analyse their business to figure out possible ways to improve their business.

The ‘Talking Business’ program is about talking with other people to help improve your business. understanding your finances and what impacts your bottom line are important to talk about to ensure your business is profitable and sustainable in the future.

The Talking Business project will continue to be run in the coming months, with the intention to run grower groups in as many areas as possible to get people talking about business. The tools and materials are also available for you to work through individually or with a consultant. Please do not hesitate to contact vegetableWA if you are interested in knowing more about Talking Business.

more information

For further information, assistance or ideas about the innoVeg Business Decision making materials or if you would like more information or you are interested in being involved in a ‘talking Business’ discussion group in your area or within your business, please contact Sarah Houston, vegetableswA Field extension Officer at [email protected] or on 0427 373 037. Sarah is also available to run through the material and “talk Business” with growers one-on-one if required.

11WA Grower December 2009

WAGROWER_1209.indd 11 15/12/09 9:07:15 PM


Your Business

Budget 2012–13 takes a range of measures that will both help and hinder Western Australian vegetable growers, however, the government has generally sought to assist poorer households rather than business and agriculture in these difficult economic times which affect us all.

At the farm level, growers have lost the popular FarmReady training rebate scheme. The promised 1% reduction in company tax rate — which would have relieved all businesses of $4.6 billion — has been replaced with a loss carry back scheme for small business worth only $900 million.

WA has again been hit with our GST returns down to 55 cents in the dollar and is scheduled to drop further to 29 cents in the dollar. We have also attracted only 10% of the national infrastructure spend, despite being the most quickly developing state.

However, the government has dedicated funds to continuing the Caring for Country program, which growers may recognise as the funding source for the three vegetablesWA Good Practice Demonstration Projects.

It also provides assistance for biosecurity, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and has retained the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme for growers.

Positives• A small business loss carry back scheme,

which gives businesses with up to $1 million in turnover the opportunity to

reclaim up to $300,000 in company tax paid on losses.

• Growers have retained their off-road diesel rebate, known as the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme, despite speculation it may be scrapped.

• A National Sustainable Agriculture stream as part of the Caring for our Country initiative from July 2013 with a total of $2.2 billion over five years from 2013–14.

• Tax breaks for small business, like the increase to the instant asset write off threshold to $6,500.

• Establishment of an Australian Small Business Commissioner to provide advocacy and representation of small business interests and concerns to the Australian Government with $8.3 million over four years.

• Biosecurity funding for a post-entry facility and updated IT systems, as previously agreed in the 2009 government response to the Beale Review with $524.2 million.

• Initiatives responding to the recommendations from the ‘Review of

Federal Budget 2012–13wrap up

Food Labelling Law and Policy’ with $3.9m over four years.

• $18 million over four years to establish a seasonal labour mobility program that will provide workers from Pacific Island countries and East Timor with the opportunity to work in selected Australian industries experiencing unmet demand for labour.

negatives• The FarmReady Program, which entitled

growers to up to $1,500 in annual training rebates, has been scrapped.

• Changes to the tax incentives for overseas skilled workers will make it more difficult for businesses to attract these employees.

• Scrapping of the promised one percentage point cut in the company tax rate, worth $4.6 billion over four years.

• WA’s GST share has fallen to 55 cents in the dollar in 2012–13, costing the state $2.3 billion from an equal per capita share. The State’s GST share is projected to fall to 29 cents in the dollar by 2014–15.

Initiatives responding to the recommendations from the ‘Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy’ with $3.9m over four years.

By JOHn SHAnnOnPoLICY AND PRoGRAM MANAGER, VEGETABLESwA


Your Business

In recognition of the importance of small business in Western Australia, the Government has established the State’s first small business commissioner.

This is the most significant initiative for small businesses in WA since the establishment of the SBDC in 1984. David Eaton was appointed to the position of Small Business Commissioner in December 2011 and took up the role as CEO of SBDC in mid January 2012.

One of his first priorities was to deliver an effective and affordable Alternative

Dispute Resolution (ADR) service for small businesses and on March 26, 2012, this new service was introduced.

The ADR service will help resolve business to business disputes relating to unfair market practices. It is provided through a process of advice, guidance and mediation and is a low-cost, convenient way of resolving business disputes, without the need to go to court.

Through this service, the Commissioner will also be uniquely positioned to make an informed assessment of market behaviour in WA, which can then be brought to the Government’s attention.

New small business commissioner and ADR initiative for businesses in dispute

The service has been very well received with 170 calls taken by SBDC advisors within the first 14 days of operation. As a result, 28 disputes are already being handled by SBDC case managers.

This is a good service to keep in mind if you should find yourself in dispute with another business over contracts for supply of goods or services, restrictive trade practices, franchise issues or retail tenancy matters.

more information

For more information, have a look at the SBDC website at: www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/adr. the SBDC is also a great source for free information and advice on any small business matter from starting a new business, to growing your existing business.

Up to 200 farming businesses in Western Australia will be able to take part in State Government-funded farm planning and management training in 2012–13.

The ‘Plan, Prepare and Prosper’ workshops, developed under joint State and Federal Government drought reform measures, have already helped more than 940 farm businesses over the past two years.

Agriculture and Food Minister, Terry Redman, said $2 million in State Government funding would enable the Department of Agriculture and Food to deliver a refocused training program.

“This comprehensive business training encourages a shift away from a reactive, crisis management approach dealing with drought, towards farmers being better prepared to cope with climate change,” Mr Redman said.

“The training offers participants the managerial and financial skills to improve decision-making under changing business and climatic conditions.”

The Minister said previous participants had cited a range of benefits including improved work-life balance, risk management strategies and succession planning.

“This new series of ‘Plan, Prepare and Prosper’ workshops will link with other business development programs run by the department including the grains-focussed ‘Planning for Profit’ workshops,” he said.

“The department will tailor the workshops to the specific needs of regions and industries, and will make improvements in response to feedback from previous workshops.

Business plan helpfor farming families fact file

• Planning workshops to assist dozens of farm businesses

• Opportunity to improve vital financial and planning skills

• the Department of Agriculture and Food has co-ordinated farm planning workshops for more than 940 farm businesses as part of the pilot of Drought reform measures

• the two-year trial has assisted farmers better manage risks and prepare for future challenges, such as drought.

“These training programs are part of a range of activities and tools for farmers in 2012–13 to help them improve profitability and deal with business challenges.”

more information

Farmers interested in undertaking this farm business training should contact the department on freecall number 1800 198 231.


Your Business

Building a sound vegetable growing businesscase study

Good decision-makingThe successful businesses were created through a series of good business decisions. Good decision-making however doesn’t simply come by doing a university degree or working hard.

Good decision-makers combine experience, observation, enquiry, and curiosity and finally ‘gut feeling’ to making decisions. They are generally clear thinkers, and can easily explain why they have done something. They are often self-critical and will admit when they have made a mistake. Good decision-makers listen to other people and learn to apply what they hear to their own farm.

Good decision-makers think carefully before they do something and then methodically pursue the goal.

Some principles of decision-making are explained in the ‘Business Decision Making’ fact sheet, which can be found at http://ausveg.businesscatalyst.com/rnd/fact%20sheets/Business%20Decision%20Making.pdf.

In some cases growers were experiencing severe business (financial) difficulty. This may have been due to poor decisions or in some instances avoiding making decisions at all.

A sound business modelDiscussions often focused on how the grower started in business and developed their business over the years. These discussions led us to what we would consider a sound business model.

The important aspects of the model are:

• Build a market

• Maintain a market

• Know the numbers

• Manage the risk

• Expand the business.

This model is not expected to be a recipe, which can be followed and will guarantee success. The model is meant to encourage you to think and talk to other growers. To some growers it may seem obvious because they have been doing it for years.

Build a market

Successful vegetable growers started by finding a good market and building it. One grower said, “I am waiting for demand to outstrip supply”. He will not expand his production of a specialty crop until his market grows to the point where he knows he has demand for the extra production. One grower spent a lot of money investigating a new market by travelling overseas. Some markets were built slowly with trial consignments of vegetables.

Successful growers spend time in the marketplace (not just the wholesale markets) talking to buyers or potential buyers, understanding what they want and then producing it for them.

maintain a market

A number of growers benefited from working closely with their buyers to build sound long-term relationships and investing in producing the quality of product their client needed. One grower said, “I’ve never had a consignment rejected”. Often growers purchased machinery with the single aim of ensuring they could meet the quality requirements of the client. This included harvesters, washers, sorters, and refrigerated transport.

Successful growers work with their market and ensure that they are a supplier of choice and can give their suppliers what they want and when they want it.

Know the numbers

Once a sound reliable market had been developed, the growers focused on improving efficiency by lowering the cost of production. The case study “know your cost of production” shows how cost of

Introductionthe talking business team visited successful vegetable growers in nSw, Queensland, western Australia and tasmania producing a range of crops (carrots, capsicums, onions, broccoli, leafy salads and herbs). these vegetable growers discussed their approach towards creating successful businesses and the most important business decisions.

this case study is based on all of these discussions, which identified some recurring themes, principles and rules of thumb to assist vegetable growers in thinking and talking about their businesses and business decisions.

the vegetable industry in Australia presents exciting opportunities and significant risks. Growers must be highly skilled in not only the technical aspects of growing vegetables but also at managing their businesses. these growers were running sophisticated, dynamic, complex businesses often selling their produce in international markets and employing a number of staff. they produce extremely high quality food in difficult circumstances.

this case study aims to describe how well-managed businesses are run.

DISCLAIMER: This business case was produced and edited by RMCG (ph: (03) 9882 2670). RMCG produces these business cases with the expectation that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. Before relying on or altering any business practices, users should carefully evaluate the accuracy and relevance of the information for their purpose and should obtain appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.



Your Business

production can be calculated and used for decision-making.

The growers who had built the best businesses knew what their costs of production were and what critical factors improved or restricted the amount of money they made on each unit produced. Some of the larger growers had staff trained up to manage the costs on their behalf due to the scale of operation.

Successful growers know what their costs of production are and how they can work to improve efficiency.

manage the risks

Growers who had initially considered the risks of various components of their business and had then focused on managing those risks were able to make significant profits when other growers were struggling with various internal and external impacts such as drought, flood, water, pests and diseases. The key risks considered included water security, single marketplaces, contractual arrangements, single crop types and timings, natural disasters and pest and disease pressures.

Successful growers understand their risks and invest in risk management approaches to maintain good returns.

expand the business

Once these initial steps are in place then there is potential to expand the business if the market can grow. The businesses that ‘know the numbers’ and understand how much they make on each particular crop type per unit of land area can soon calculate how much to pay to buy/lease the additional block of land or install the new piece of machinery or infrastructure.

rules of thumbGrowers were asked what rules of thumb they use to help them make their decisions. This section provides some of those rules

of thumb and considers how they may add value to your business management.

“Get organised the night before”

This rule of thumb reflects an attitude to management where the daily production system is well organised. This allows everything to be done on time and done efficiently. Labour can be employed efficiently without wasting time. This also reduces the chance of a breakdown.

“Don’t make the same mistake twice”“every mistake costs you money”

Good managers learn from their mistakes. They take responsibility for their mistakes and make sure they don’t make them again.

“Grow with your markets”

There are good opportunities to supply good quality product into existing markets. Make sure that you get the opportunity to expand where the profit is available.

“if you have a problem doing 50 acres, then fix the problem before you grow”

It is important that the systems, production and profitability is repeatable and sustainable. If you aren’t profitable, then growing will rarely solve the problem. In fact growing when you are unprofitable can lead to bigger losses.

“if you can’t sell it you can’t grow”

This means that the market dictates the direction of the business, if there is no willing buyer at the right price for that particular crop then don’t even bother planting the crop.

“you’ve got to make life easier for yourself”

Reflects an attitude of working in the areas that matter, such as developing and maintaining markets and knowing the numbers. For all the other jobs that are perhaps less important or you don’t have the necessary skills, use someone else. Successful growers are very busy and can’t afford to waste their time. They also know living a good life is important and they want to make time for relaxation and having fun.

“Sometimes you have to take a punt”

Rewards come from taking a risk, however the risk is reduced if the grower is experienced and knows how to make good decisions. Any business, which doesn’t take a risk will slowly die because they aren’t trying anything new.

These business principles apply to any business.

more information

this case study has been prepared to encourage vegetable growers to learn from each other about business. what rules of thumb do you use to help make decisions? what is your business model? Do you agree with what you have read? talk to other growers about how they do things and make decisions.

The Vegetable Industry Development Program is funded by HAL using the vegetable levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.


Your Business

Developing a block of landfor vegetable production

DISCLAIMER: This business case was produced and edited by RMCG (ph: (03) 9882 2670). RMCG produces these business cases with the expectation that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. Before relying on or altering any business practices, users should carefully evaluate the accuracy and relevance of the information for their purpose and should obtain appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.



Your Business

What is a business case?A business case is a formal process of planning to provide the decision-maker with useful information to help them make a decision. You will have greater confidence in your decision, if you use a formal process and make sure you count the right things the right way, whilst also considering the things that cannot be counted.

developing a block of land for vegetable productionA business south of Perth, WA, grows carrots for sale to a supermarket. They have a well-developed market and a good relationship with the buyers who have encouraged them to expand. However, they are wary as they do not want to grow too quickly. They own a five-hectare block, which is currently undeveloped and they need to decide whether to expand production by installing an irrigation system, building internal roads and improving the soil for production.

What is the decision?The decision for this grower is – should we invest in developing this block and expand our carrot production enterprise?

The grower already owns the land, so the cost of buying the land is not included, but the grower may need to think about what they will stop growing when they start growing carrots, i.e. not just the extra costs and income, but the costs saved and income foregone.

In this case, the land is grazed by cattle, so the income from grazing is not significant, but in some cases, the grower may be pulling out fruit trees or vines to grow vegetables. Then the decision is — should we change from growing fruit trees to growing carrots?

Thus, this decision is about a change in land use on an existing block of land.

What do you have to count?Depreciation

An investment in new infrastructure will increase the grower’s depreciation. This is not a cash cost, but a critical allowance to make when calculating profit. If you do not account for depreciation, then you will not have any money available to maintain or replace the infrastructure when needed.

existing operation: total area $ / Ha

Farm size (cropped area ha) 42 1

Gross income (A) 650,000 15,476

Variable costs (B) 283,000 6,738

Gross Margin (C = A – B) 367,000 8,738

overheads (D) 246,000 5,857

operating profit (E = C – D) 121,000 2,881

Finance costs (F) 1,200 29

net Farm income (G = e – F) 119,800 2,852

How do you calculate it?step 1:

review the gross margins and profitability from historical dataWe calculate the margin and profitability of the existing enterprise as outlined in the following table.

The result of this calculation is that we can clearly understand the income, variable costs, overhead costs and, ultimately, the profitability of the farm. The net farm income is $2,852/ha. It is important to understand the existing business model, so that it can be applied to the new development.

Continued in following page...

Cost of capital

An investment in new infrastructure also means that the grower will need to use spare cash or increase borrowings to pay for the machines, thus they need to consider the cost of capital. The cost of borrowed capital is obvious (i.e. the interest cost), but the cost of your own capital is less so. Why should you value it any less? If you spend money on developing a new block, then there will be other things you cannot do with that money, e.g. employ someone to do your marketing, pay less overdraft interest, improve existing irrigation systems. Thus, your own capital has a value too. It is known as its opportunity cost.

existing production systems

It is unlikely that the new block of land will yield dramatically different results from the ‘normal’ production that occurs on the remainder of the farm. Therefore, it is important that we really understand the numbers on the existing enterprise to determine the financial impact of expansion.

Normally, when this sort of expansion occurs the profit margins remain the same and there is no dramatic change in profit (or loss) for the new area. It is very rare for a farm to expand and achieve a significantly different result from that achieved with the existing production systems.

income foregone and costs saved

We need to examine any income foregone or costs saved from an existing enterprise when a block of land is developed for a new enterprise. In this example, where cattle are grazed on the land, the income foregone would be the proceeds from the sale of steers that were fattened on this land and the costs saved would be the purchase costs of those cattle and the associated animal husbandry costs.


Your Business

Annual impact — new development: 5ha 1haGross income (A ND) 77,381 15,476

Variable costs (B ND) 33,690 6,738

Gross Margin (C ND = A ND – B ND) 43,690 8,738

overheads (D ND) 20,343 4,069

operating profit (E ND = C ND – D ND) 23,348 4,670

opportunity cost (N) 6,480 1,296

net Block income (O = e nD – n) 16,868 3,374

Break even point (P = A ND – o) 60,513 12,103

Break even crop requirement (P ÷ A ND x 100) 78% 78%

step 4:

Determine the profitability of the new developmentWith our income and cost assumptions understood and calculated for the new area, we can then construct a profit budget to see the impact of operating our existing production system on the new land area.

If this particular parcel of land was being used for a purpose that was generating income, then we would also need to include the income and expenses associated with that other enterprise, i.e. the income foregone and costs saved from no longer operating it. In this example, the cattle grazing was a minor enterprise, as the costs and expenses were small and very similar i.e. no profit. Thus, we have not included it.

The calculation shows that the new development is more efficient and profitable per hectare ($3,374) than the existing land area under production ($2,852). This is because our overhead cost structure has been reduced or distributed over a larger land area of production. There has also been an increase in opportunity cost, or if funded with debt, finance costs would have increased. However, the increase in efficiency of overhead costs has outweighed the increase in finance costs.

one of the final steps in testing the decision is to determine how sensitive the result is to crop impacts.

Some of these changes may include price, yield, drought or higher fertiliser costs. Each one of these assumptions can be changed in the calculation of estimated profit to see what impact they have. If the result changes dramatically with a small change in yield or price, then the development is risky. The calculation in this example shows that the breakeven income for the grower (P) is $12,103 per hectare, or alternatively is 78% of the yield and price of the budgeted crop.

That is, if the grower is confident that 78% yield and price can be achieved in an average year then this new development could proceed. However, if the yield and price vary dramatically by +/- 50% then some additional consideration should be given to a year or a number of years of low yield and price creating a cash deficit situation.

new overhead cost: 5ha 1haExisting overhead costs (D) 5,857

Half of existing overhead costs (D ÷2) 14,643 2,929

Depreciation (M) 5,700 1,140

New development overheads (D ND) 20,343 4,069

step 3:

Understand the impact of changing overhead cost structuresWe need to consider any changes in the variable costs and overhead costs that will result from expanding the existing production systems onto the new development area.

In this example, we assume that the variable costs will remain the same, as the soils and weed pressures will be similar because of the proximity of the development block to the existing farm.

The overhead costs have been calculated as only half the additional per hectare rate, as many of the overhead (fixed) costs remain the same. However, some will increase, e.g. insurances, rates and administration of staff. We have also added the depreciation component to the overhead costs component to reflect the need for increased plant and equipment, or increased utilisation of existing plant and equipment that will lead to increased depreciation.

step 2:

Determine the capital costs and finance costs of the new developmentWe need to obtain prices and quotes for the capital expenditure required in the new development. These items may include: irrigation systems, additional water requirements, soil ameliorants and any roads or supporting infrastructure.

This table describes a ‘budget’ of capital costs to develop the new block to full production. The total cost of this development is $81,000 or $16,200/ha. It is important to understand the impact of these costs on our bank balance or debt position, but it is also important to understand the additional depreciation and opportunity costs we will incur as a result of the development.

There is no requirement to factor in the cost of the land, as it is currently vacant and already owned outright by the grower. This decision is about a change in land use on an existing block of land. However, if the land were to be purchased, then this cost of capital would also need to be included in the calculations.

Depreciation is only calculated for those items that will depreciate over time, (i.e. sprinkler irrigation and bedforming & composting), as the road installation will add value to the current land and infrastructure when resold and water entitlements rise and fall in value, but do not depreciate. The opportunity cost is incurred on the total capital cost, as this cost needs to be financed.

new development: total area $ / haFarm size (cropped area ha) 5 1

Capital

Sprinkler irrigation (H) 45,000 9,000

New water entitlement (I) 16,000 3,200

Bedforming & compost (J) 12,000 2,400

Road installation (K) 8,000 1,600

total capital (l) 81,000 16,200

Depreciation (M = H + J x 10%) 5,700 1,140

opportunity cost (N = Total Capital x 8%) 6,480 1,296



environmentYoUR

Your environment

66 WA Grower AUtUmn 2012

Your environment

Surveillance cameras are a common form of security. However, their latest target is bees trying to sneak into the country through sea ports, potentially carrying with them pests and disease that could devastate the honeybee industry and food production.

The aim is to pick up almost immediately any foreign bees that enter so-called ‘decoy hives’ which are set up around ports and coastlines, and to reduce the cost and time involved for inspectors to regularly travel to the sites to see if there has been an incursion. Experience overseas shows early detection is vital to dealing with foreign bee pests and diseases, as once they get established they are almost impossible to eradicate.

The research project is being funded by the Pollination Program and undertaken

by the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) based at the university of Southern Queensland.

The Pollination Program is run as a partnership between the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).

NCEA Team leader, Dr Cheryl McCarthy, says field trials are now underway with a beekeeper near Toowoomba. “We started by reviewing existing technology including off the shelf sensors for weight, temperature and humidity as well as the motion detection cameras,” Dr McCarthy said.

“We’re now working with the beekeeper to entice groups of bees into an empty hive set up with the equipment to see how sensitive it is. So far it’s working well with around a thousand bees, and we’re testing whether it can detect a hundred.”

Remote sensingcatches bees in the act

Experience overseas shows early detection is vital to dealing with foreign bee pests and diseases.

The hive itself is on scales and there’s a bar inside it with weight sensors too. The temperature will change once bees move in, settling at 34 degrees Celsius inside the hive regardless of whether it’s mid-summer heat or freezing outside, so that’s also being monitored.

“Within the next couple of months we aim to have a site set up at the Port of Brisbane, which will help us to test the remote monitoring and allow inspectors to become familiar with the technology,” Dr McCarthy said.

“Eventually, we’d hope to have data from the decoy hives all over the country beamed back to a central location with inspectors monitoring for alarms from the office and only going out for a first-hand look if there’s suspicious activity.

“Even just seeing remote images of the hives will be an enormous boost to current efforts, providing a more effective early warning system.”

New warm weather harvest variety

Heavy domed heads, medium bead size

Compact plant, mid head set position

Trials promising against White Blister to date

Available from EE Muir Wangara (08) 9409 6847

Insert picture here

S P E C I F I C A T I O N S :

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

For further information contact Fairbanks Seeds: Phone: 03 8401 3346 Fax: 03 8401 3347

S O W I N G G U I D E :

MARVEL F1 Hybrid Broccoli

BRC0164

(Perth Metro) Harvest Transplant

Insert picture here

M A Y 2 0 1 2

Fairbanks Selected Seed Co Pty Ltd (ABN 86 007 138 276) 13/53 Gateway Blvd, Epping Vic 3076, Australia email: [email protected] web: www.fairbanks.com.au DISCLAIMER: All cultural and descriptive information is given as a general guide only. Substantial variations may occur due to many environmental factors, including climate, soil type, location, management and cultural practices. No liability will be accepted by Fairbank’s Selected Seed Co. Pty. Ltd. (ABN 86 007 138 276), or its representatives as to the accuracy of this information. Details on this publication are valid for 6 months.


Your environment

Farmers and beekeepers alike are being urged to get hold of a new guide aimed at helping them improve communication and work together to manage the risk to honeybees from farm pesticides.

A potential shortage of more than half a million beehives needed for the pollination of our food supply is looming, and potential harm to bee colonies from pesticide poisoning is a key barrier to beekeepers providing more services for the 65 per cent of agricultural production that is reliant on pollination by bees to produce fruit, vegetables and seeds.

The guide was developed with funding from the Pollination Program, a partnership between the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL). It was written by TQA Australia, with assistance from the victorian Department of Primary Industries.

Chairman of the Pollination Program, Gerald Martin, said one of the aims of the

guide was to enable beekeepers and farmers to identify pesticides that are known to be toxic to bees, and to provide all relevant information on their use in one location.

“Only around 200,000 of Australia’s 500,000 managed beehives are currently used for honeybee dependent crop pollination services. It is hoped that by making all this information easily accessible, both farmers and beekeepers will be encouraged to communicate and work together to maintain healthy bee colonies for pollination as well as honey production,” said Mr Martin.

“The guide also outlines good practices for farmers and beekeepers to adopt, and contains a number of useful forms, contact details and other relevant information,” he said.

Australia is fortunate to have a massive population of wild European honeybees that provide free pollination services, but if a bee pest such as varroa mite becomes established here, these bees will be all but wiped out.

“We know that if varroa mite becomes established in this country 480,000 managed hives will be required to provide pollination services every winter and spring. This is likely to increase in peak seasons to 750,000 hives, far outstripping current supply.

“It means we really need this valuable information to help beekeepers and farmers protect managed, working bees and our pollination services,” said Mr Martin.

more information

the guide — Honeybee pesticide poisoning — a risk management tool for Australian farmers and beekeepers is available for free download on the rirDC website at www.rirdc.gov.au/pollination. Users and providers of pollination services are encouraged to share it widely and are free to provide links to the guide on their own websites.

For more information please contact Peta macDougall on (02) 8204 3730 or 0421 958 053.

Protecting bees:a guide for farmers and beekeepers

Chairman of the Pollination Program, Gerald Martin.

The guide enables beekeepers and farmers to identify pesticides that are known to be toxic to bees.


marketYoUR

Your market

Your market

This C&M overview article provides an introduction to the C&M sub-program products and the Australian vegetable market. It includes statistics on the volume and value of vegetables sold in the Australian market, the channels used to distribute vegetable products to consumers and vegetable product categories.

Products of the consumers and market sub-programThe C&M sub-program has developed a range of outputs to help vegetable growers and their supporting supply chains gain

a better understanding of how vegetable markets work and the supply chain options that service these markets.

The C&M sub-program products aim to:

• Provide an understanding of how the vegetable market is structured and what distribution channel options are available to vegetable producers

• Raise awareness on what influences the vegetable markets and in particular inform growers about local and global news, events and food market innovations that have potential application in local vegetable markets

• Inform growers about local market signals from consumers and commercial buyers of fresh vegetables, and

• Build the capacity of vegetable producers to access, interpret and improve their businesses by applying market information.

The C&M sub-program has developed a series of outputs under the Veginsights banner to meet these aims and the main outputs are:

Weekly market variables: a headline summary of the primary market variables that are impacting on the vegetable market in the last week. This information is placed on the AuSvEG website www.ausveg.com.au.

veginsights monthly, which is 6–8 page newsletter that quantifies vegetable sales, summarises major market activity, global and local news and innovations of relevance, and includes a detailed profile for a different vegetable product each month.

Veginsights quarterly market report: consolidates all available market data into a series of tracking variables and profiles buyer behaviour and household vegetable consumption patterns for a defined set of household segments. This output also provides insights into a selected market or consumer issue.

Veginsights situation and outlook: explains and quantifies what has influenced and shaped the vegetable market for the previous 12 months and provides indicators on market conditions for the next year.

How the C&m products can be used

The information can guide business planning and decision making such as:

• Production planning to maximise the balance between meeting demand, economies of scale and generating income

• Distribution channel selection — understanding the merits and requirements of different market channels and how they can be reached

• Selecting and managing supply chain relationships to reach those markets, and

• New product development plans to provide growth and meet new market needs.

Consumers and markets overview


WA Grower winter 201270


Your market

Figure 1 Vegetable market volume proportions and values by product form (July 2009 – June 2010)

Proportion of market volumes by product form3.2B tonnes annual volume

Vegetable market values ($M)$7.05B annual value

Figure 2 example supply chain for the vegetable industry

Fresh 63%

Canned 10%Sauce &puree 2%

Frozen23%

Pickled 2%

Fresh $5,835

Canned $294Sauce &puree $215

Frozen$603

Pickled $113

BrokerProduction

Import

Fresh foodwholesaler

Caterers

Export

Direct marketing(markets

Full service supermarkets

Independentsupermarkets

Convenience/home delivery

Specialists(greengrocer/

fruiterer)

Takeaway

Dining out

Events & leisure

Institutional

Fresh cut processing

Export Retail Food Service

Consumer

Fresh producedistributor

Figure 3 Proportion of fresh and processed vegetables sold in the Australian market by channel (July 2009 – June 2010)

Proportion of Processed Vegetables Sold in the Australian Market by Channel1.18B tonnes annual volume

Proportion of Fresh Vegetables Sold in the Australian Market by Channel2.02B tonnes annual volume

Export 3% Retail 32%

Food service 65%

Export 5%

Retail 73%

Foodservice 21%

the vegetable marketAbout 3.2 billion tonnes of locally produced vegetables and 280,000 tonnes of imported vegetables are sold in the Australian market each year as fresh and processed product into retail and foodservice channels. About 63% of local vegetable production is sold as fresh product and the balance goes to processing (Figure 1). A high proportion (85%) of imported produce is sold as processed, while the rest is sold fresh.

the value of the vegetable market

Fresh product makes up 63% of the total volume of vegetable product sold in the market. Processed product makes up the remaining 37%, which consists of 23% frozen, 10% canned, 2% pickled and 2% sauce and puree products.

The annual value of domestic retail sales of vegetables is $7.05 billion. Fresh product accounts for 83% of this total retail market and processed products account for 17% (Figure 1).

the supply chain and market channels

vegetables flow into the market in fresh, fresh cut, canned and frozen forms. There are three main channels which vegetables can pass through to reach the consumer; export (light blue), retail (dark blue) and foodservice (beige) (Figure 2).

The retail channels sell 73% of fresh vegetable volumes and 32% of all processed vegetable volumes. The foodservice channels use 21% of fresh products and 65% of processed vegetables (Figure 3).

retail channels

About 70% of the total household food expenditure is spent in retail food outlets. Retail channels in the Australian vegetable market are broken down into a further four sub channels, which are:

• Grocery channel (full service and independent supermarkets)

• Specialist channel (fruiterers and greengrocers)

• Convenience channels (convenience stores/home delivery), and

• Direct marketing (farmers markets and roadside stalls).

Your market


Foodservice channels

About 25–30% of the household food expenditure is spent on food prepared and typically eaten away from home and provided by foodservice operators. Foodservice operators combine the food and beverage ingredients they buy to make the meals, snacks, or drinks for consumers.

Foodservice operators can be classified into a further four categories:

• Takeaway channel (provides quick service, convenience and everyday value)

• Dining out channel (adds maximum value to the meals and beverages they provide)

• Event and leisure channel (caters food for specific events, usually large gatherings), and

• Institutional channel (provides large volumes of food for in-house residents).

export

Australia is considered a niche, high quality exporter of vegetables and has some supply advantages in the world market due to its ability to supply in the counter seasons to the northern hemisphere.

The biggest market for Australian vegetable exports is Asia with the key markets being Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. This is followed by New Zealand the USA and the EU.

Vegetable product categories

There are four category groups of vegetable types that are used in the C&M analysis of the marketplace for Australian produce (Table 1). These category groups contain like or complimentary vegetable products.

table 1 Vegetable product category structure

Hard cooked vegetables

soft cooked vegetables

salad components seasonings

Carrots Asparagus Capsicum Chillies

Parsnip Asian vegetables Celery Garlic

Potato Broccoli Cucumber Ginger

Pumpkin Cabbage Lettuce Herbs

Cauliflower Salad mix onions

Mushroom Spinach Radish

Sweetcorn Sprouts

Zucchini Tomatoes

Salad components and hard cooked vegetables make up the largest volume shares of the total market at 37% and 34% respectively (Figure 4).

definition of some common market termsConsumer versus customer

A customer is the term used to describe any individual or enterprise that purchases goods or services. A consumer is the term used to describe any individuals that consume or use the goods and services. It is important to note that a customer may also be the consumer of a product.

For example: In the vegetable industry, a grower produces fresh lettuce and supplies them to the major supermarkets.

The customer for the grower is the supermarket and the consumer is the individual that in turn buys and eats the lettuce.

It is important for the grower to understand the needs of both the customer and the consumer. The grower needs a strong understanding of the needs of the supermarkets in terms of their requirements for fresh lettuce (e.g. quality, packaging, price, delivery and trading performance). The grower also needs to understand the needs and wants of the consumer (e.g. are consumers satisfied with the taste/colour/quality and size of the lettuce?), especially if the grower is seeking to work with a supply chain that is responsive to consumer demands. understanding the needs of customers and consumers can help to inform business decisions including those related to new product development, income forecasting and investments in marketing.

Supply chain

vegetable products require a number of inputs when being produced and are involved in several transactions when moved from the producer to the final consumer. These inputs and transactions are known as the supply chain. A supply chain typically consists of production input suppliers, growers, wholesaler/distributors, transporters and retailers that participate in the production, delivery and sale of a product to a consumer.

understanding the supply chain and maintaining relationships with this network is important to ensure the vegetables grown


Your market


Figure 4 Volume share of fresh vegetable product categories (July 2009 – June 2010)

Hard cookedvegetables 34%

Soft cookedvegetables 20%

Saladcomponents 37%

Seasonings 9%

2.02B tonnes annual volume

are meeting the needs of the customers and consumers.

When supply chains are actively managed they also have the potential to improve product quality, drive down costs and increase competitive advantage.

Product Development and Value Adding

The concept of adding value is improving or enhancing a product so that customers are willing to pay more for it.

The process requires an understanding of the handling requirements, nature of demand for the product and its intended uses. This understanding is then applied to define what the buyer will value, and whether and how it can be practically added. Adding value in the vegetable industry can be done in many different ways. Preparing a

product for customer use, managing portion size, and conveying and delivering better quality have been shown to be successful ways to develop a product to add value.

markets versus marketing

A market is a system whereby sellers offer their goods and services to buyers in exchange for money. For a market to be competitive there must be more than one buyer or seller and this requirement is well accommodated in the vegetable industry.

Marketing is the activity for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging goods or services that have value for customers.

Marketing is used to identify the customer, satisfy the customer and keep the customer. The adoption of marketing strategies requires businesses to shift their focus from production to the needs and wants of their customers as the means of staying profitable.

referencesKneebone. m (2010), Veginsights: the market — Q4 09, Vegetable industry Development Program, Horticulture Australia limited.

more information

Understanding consumers and markets can be difficult and sometimes reading about it just isn’t enough. Support is available to work through this information in small groups in your area. Please contact Anne-maree Boland from the innoVeg program on (03) 9882 2670 or at [email protected] for further information.


Your market

Veginsightsvegetable market insights


Highlights• lower wholesale value impact

sales value

• Virtual retail store in railway station

• Convenience the central theme in logistica innovations

• Salad hits the market in a pot

• new celery products about colour, texture, and taste

• Cucumber profile with a retail value of $171m.

vegetable marketwholesale vegetable prices

The wholesale price difference between February 2012 and February 2011 for the major vegetables is profiled in Figure 1.

All products are in full supply and wholesale price levels have settled. Wet weather and floods in New South Wales and Queensland has impacted some growing regions but the greatest impact is on transport access.

Wholesale prices for all vegetable categories decreased this month compared to February 2011. The impacts across the products varied, with seasonings and hard cooked vegetables decreasing more than salad components and soft cooked vegetables. At the product level, the most significant changes were with pumpkins, cabbages, ginger, capsicums, tomatoes, and onions

which decreased over the same month last year. In contrast, spinach was the only product to increase over the same month last year.

The weighted total vegetable wholesale price for the week commencing February 27, 2012 was $2.42/kg.

The total retail sales of fresh and processed vegetables in February 2012 are estimated at $534.1m, as profiled in Figure 2. These sales are 10.0% lower than January 2011. They are also lower than the preceding month of January.

The major driver of the sales value decline was the lower wholesale fresh prices.

While the value of vegetables is lower than last year, there is every indication that consumers are taking advantage of this value to purchase larger quantities.

february 2012

Figure 1 State weighted national wholesale price per kg Figure 2 total vegetable retail sales by month

Change for month commencing February 1 2012 versus 2011 Fresh and processed in $000's — 2012 financial year to date

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Your market

the Australian food marketVirtual retail store trial

Woolworths has set up a trial virtual retail aisle in the busiest commuter zones — Melbourne’s Finders Street Station and Sydney’s Town Hall — to capture the growth in online purchases on smartphones. The trend mirrors similar virtual shopping walls and billboards erected in the uS, Europe, and Asia — in mid-2011, Tesco opened a virtual supermarket in a South Korean railway station.

The launch is coupled with the release of an updated smartphone app which allows shoppers to choose and buy from any of 120 popular products. Commuters can use their smartphones to scan barcodes next to the pictures on the wall, using the retailer’s online shopping app. Once an item is added to the virtual shopping list, the customer can pay for their order and have their groceries delivered to their home or picked up from a store. Woolworths states it has had 1.5 million app downloads.

What it means? A major supermarket has stepped up its online strategy in what

Figure 4 Advertised fresh vegetables — total adverts per weekFigure 3 Advertised vegetables — total adverts per week

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appears to be an effort to learn more before this channel is generating substantial volumes.

Bulk retailer gets a bigger budget

Costco will invest $140 million to continue its expansion across Australia, planning new stores for outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. The Australian CEO Patrick Noone told media that the company was given $100 million in 2011 from its uS parent for start-up costs — which will include losses on the existing stores — and an additional $40 million to fuel its expansion.

The company plans to add at least two stores in 2013, expanding the network to five stores in Australia, all located on the east coast. While the expansion has not been rapid, these stores are high volume units with each store generating the sales levels equivalent to 4-5 full service supermarkets.

What it means? While the expansion of this retailer is steady, it contributes to the growth and market share pressure on other food retailers.

retailer activity

Promotional activity in the month of February

The retail promotional activity reflects a pattern of an increasing exposure for vegetables, continuing the increasing trend seen in January 2011 (see Figure 3). Over the month, the exposure of the total vegetable products increased to an average of 225 products per week, up from 202 products in January. The increase has been driven by an increase in exposure for all three categories of vegetable products this month.

Within the fresh vegetables, there was a sizeable increase in the number of soft cooked vegetables advertised, together with a small increase in the number of hard cooked vegetables and seasonings in February. This was partly offset by a decrease in the number of salad components advertised this month (see Figure 4).

With the exception of Woolworths, the promotional activity among the majority of the top retailers reflects a decreasing trend

Woolworths has set up a trial virtual retail aisle to capture the growth in online purchases on smartphones.


Your market

in Fruit and vegetables (F&v) exposure

compared to January 2012 (see Table 1).

This reverses the increasing trend seen

in January 2012, which was particularly

spurred by Coles’ announcement on 30

January to cut the price of fresh produce by

half, which was immediately matched and

further undercut by Woolworths on some

lines, for a limited period.

However, compared to the same month last

year, the vegetable promotional activity this

month increased notably at Woolworths (up

193%) and Coles (up 98%) (see Figure 5).

In comparison, the vegetable promotional

activity at Supa IGA increase by 5% and IGA

by 1%.

walmart to label healthier foods

Against a background of evolving solutions

to deal with nutrition claims in the food

market, uS retailer Walmart has launched the ‘Great for You’ nutrition icon.

This nutrition label will initially feature on some its private-label foods, including selected Great value and Marketside lines, together with fresh fruits and vegetables from April this year, in an attempt to help uS consumers identify healthier food. The retailer states that it will track how many of these items make it to the checkout to track ‘behaviour shift’ among consumers. The products featuring the logo must meet certain criteria — including limited amounts of fat, trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.

Although it is not the first retailer to try to promote healthy foods, but as the largest uS grocery chain store and one that caters in particular to budget-conscious consumers, it plays an influential role in shaping the diets of uS families.

What it means? This is a large-scale retailer trying to find the balance between consumers’ interest in healthy food choices and the need to provide clear information. Among other things, this will make it more difficult to get common system in place across the food market.

the consumeris consumer sentiment turning?

In February 2012, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment rose for the second month in a row to 4.2% to 101.8 from 97.1 points in January 2012. When compared with the present ABS retail figures, it seems that confidence is seeping back into spending, with more spent on dining out (see Figure 6). Changes in consumer sentiment are typically reflected in growth in retail sales. This turn in confidence follows months of steady interest rates — rate cuts from the central bank give a significant boost to the consumer sentiment, given that more than 90% of the Australia’s mortgages are set at a variable rate.

Segmentation across consumers in the food market is becoming more apparent in buyer behaviour. The market is still dominated by value-seekers, but more are prepared to make selective trade-offs and buy higher value products.

What it means? While more consumers remain locked into a focused view on the ‘best value for money’, it appears some can still be convinced to trade up to higher price product options.

the new image of Spanish vegetables

A new €3 million advertising campaign on the security and quality of the vegetables from Murcia has been started by exporters

Supermarkets

Specialists

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Takeaway

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Books

3 months to Jan 20123 months to Oct 2011

Figure 6 year-on-year change in retail sales versus last year

table 1 Fruit and vegetable exposure

vegetables february 2012

change prior month

Coles 230 q

Woolworths 284 p

IGA 102 q

Supa IGA 154 q

fruit february 2012

change on month prior

Coles 216 q

Woolworths 240 p

IGA 80 q

Supa IGA 97 q

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Woolworths

IGA

Supa IGA

VegetablesFruit

-29%

30%

-20%

-18%

-26%

-11%

-17%

20%

February 2012 versus January 2012Figure 5 retailer fruit and vegetable activity

Exporters from Murcia, Spain have started a new €3 million advertising campaign on the security and quality of their vegetables.

Your market


from Murcia, Spain, to repair the damage caused to the sector by the E. coli crisis last year and to assure the quality of their vegetables with credentials among consumers. The promotion is supported by a celebrity endorsement — actress Esther Schweins — portraying the image of a young mother worried about the security of the food she uses in the kitchen.

The three-year campaign with its message ‘We care, you enjoy’ — which will run in Germany, Austria, and the uK — will promote fresh produce including lettuce, broccoli, tomato, cucumber, and pepper and feature at supermarkets, market trials, television, press, and international fairs, targeting up to 650 million people.

What it means? A large-scale million dollar collaboration that at its core attempts to regain the confidence of the consumers. Also indicates the scale of reinvestment required to remedy any alleged or actual confidence breakdown in the food industry.

Innovation from the worldthe Berlin Fruit logistica Conference

This conference is recognised as one of the leading global events to showcase new products and services. Their Innovation Award is deemed a reflection of the leading edge for fresh fruit and vegetables.

The winners: • Angello™ Sweet & Seedless Pepper (Syngenta

Seeds) — is the world’s first seedless red baby pepper, conical in shape, 5–10cm in length, and sweeter and crunchier in taste, with a brix sugar level (commonly used to measure sweetness in fruit and vegetables) 25% higher than conventional, seeded peppers. It is marketed in convenience snack packing, though the peppers can be used for cooking, as well as picnics, snacking, and children’s lunch boxes.

A product of a 15-year natural breeding program by M&S, supplier Melrow Salads, and vegetable seed developer Syngenta, Angello was developed after research showed the process of removing seeds from traditional peppers had hit the product’s appeal among consumers. Angello is grown in southern Spain, Israel, and the Netherlands to ensure a year-round supply.

• Achacha — now commercially grown in Australia — with origins in the Bolivian Amazon basin — the Achacha is a bright orange fruit with a thick skin and the form and size of an egg. Its soft white flesh has

a sweet and tangy flavour, which can be added to salads or used in cocktails and ice creams. It claims to be high in anti-oxidants and other nutrients.

• Lovemysalad.com (Rijk Zwaan) — aimed at salad enthusiasts, Lovemysalad.com is an interactive website and social network forum that seeks to stimulate and increase the consumption of vegetables and fresh salads. The website is one of the first to target fresh produce consumers and professionals and offers an opportunity to share recipes and ideas. The site features a recipe page and ‘Salpedia’ — an in-depth educational page with information on every salad vegetables, as well as tips on selection, preparation, serving, and storage.

The other finalists:• Dried Candied Cido (SIA Amberbloom, Latvia)

— produced from a special variety of the Chaenomeles japonica, dried candied cido is also known as Japanese quince or Nordic lemon, and is especially popular in Latvia. It has a unique sweet-sour flavour and can be used as a snack, as well as an ingredient in cakes, yoghurts, ice cream, muesli, fruit and nut mixes, teas, and confectionary. Available as cut, diced, or grated fruit pieces in different grades and sizes.

• Pattruss Z (Pattruss, Inc., Japan) — is a plastic bag with a triangular shape to save space during transportation and a reclosable zipper seal to protect the contents and maintain freshness. The film material is strong enough for the bag to be opened and closed multiple times. The bag is available in different sizes subject to order and is fully customisable.

• Purple Sprouting Broccoli (Bejo Zaden B.V., Netherlands) — a new broccoli variety (10–15cm in length) with small, dark purple shoots or flower head that grow next to the main stem and has already found success in the uK. Purple sprouting broccoli combines a distinct broccoli flavour with a delicate asparagus taste and claims to have higher nutritional values than traditional broccoli. A range of varieties are presently available for summer, autumn, and winter cultivation and for different growing conditions.

• Rio Fresh 100% Pineapple with Pineapple Pieces (McCarter a.s., Slovak Republic) — is a freshly-squeezed pineapple juice that contains small pineapple pieces to differentiate the product and is marketed both as a juice as well as a healthy fruit snack. Rio Fresh 100% Pineapple juice is sold in 450ml PET bottles with full sleeve labelling and has a shelf-life of up to four months when stored in a cool place.

• Roasted sweet potatoes (Campo Rico Export, S.L., Spain) — these ready-to-eat convenience products are vacuum packed on a transparent plastic tray inside a plastic bag, with one whole sweet potato (600–800g) supplied in each package. The product does not include any preservative or chemical additives and has a product shelf-life of four months without the need for cold storage.

• Sungreen green cherry tomato (Tokita Seed Company Ltd., Japan) — Weighing an average 20g, Sungreen is a new green cherry tomato, with the skin turning from deep to light green when ripe and flesh that is relatively thick and very crisp. The average brix level of the ripened fruit is 8 degrees (representing the highest brix level for green tomatoes) and its flavour is a good balance between sweet and sour with a citrus hint. Sungreen was developed over a period of five years using conventional breeding methods and was trialled by growers in different regions of Japan and other countries.


Your market

• Yonanas healthy frozen treat maker (Healthy Foods, LLC, USA) — this new kitchen appliance creates a frozen dessert that looks and tastes like soft ice cream but is healthy and can be made from any available fruit.

More on these winners and finalists can be viewed at www.fruitlogistica.de/en/ExhibitorService/FLIAAward/

What it means? Product convenience in terms of ease use was the most common driver of many of these new products.

Sweet move for celery

A new innovative sweeter and less stringy celery — Celericious — than the normal variety has been launched by uK producer G’s Fresh to go on sale in uK supermarkets this summer.

This move mirrors the latest celery innovations by uS Duda Farm Fresh Foods in January this year who was granted seven new patents for its celery varieties. The patents cover both Duda Farm’s ‘Sweet Sensations’ and ‘Celery Sensations’ varieties. Three of the new varieties are specialized Celery Sensations, developed with a special hollow stem to create quality and celery

straws. The Sweet Sensations focus on improving the sweetness in flavour and would be marketed as fresh-cut celery sticks for snacking occasions. The innovative products target the three most important celery attributes to consumers: colour, texture, and flavour.

What it means? A new innovation that hopes to bring new consumers into the celery category by improving its taste attributes.

lime leaves hit the mainstream market

Fresh uK-grown Kaffir Lime Leaves — a Thai herb — were stocked for the very first time at a mainstream retailer Sainsbury’s in the uK this month. The leaves — which cannot be imported into the Eu and are often difficult to find — are now grown exclusively in a small nursery in Essex, ensuring a year-long supply. Previously sold only by independent ethnic outlets, the lime leaves are traditionally used in Thai and Indonesian dishes, though lately they have gained popularity for use in garnishing and cocktails. The leaves are priced at £1.49 and are available in a pack of four double lime leaves in 35 stores, especially selected according to customer profile.

What it means? A move by this retailer to cater for the ethnic diversity in targeted store catchments and also at the same time, keep food shopping interesting for all shoppers.

Salad hits the market in a pot

The Salanova lettuce will soon be available in a pot, with a special packaging concept ‘Salafesh’ — ‘your own garden in the kitchen’, at several European retailers

this spring. With its numerous, smaller leaves and compact size, the Salanova can be conveniently potted and placed in the kitchen and is therefore deemed perfect for this concept. The packaging has a QR code that consumers can scan with a smartphone and will be directed to www.lovemysalad.com — where they can find and share recipes and ideas. The concept has been developed by Dutch potted plant grower Bunnik Plants with Rijk Zwaan and was presented at the largest ornamental and flower exhibition in Europe, the IPM Essen in Germany.

What it means? A packaging innovation that provides garden freshness on the kitchen bench and comes with a link to a source or recipes.

Fresh produce offers promotional opportunities

With Easter few weeks away, speciality fresh produce French beans and white asparagus are being promoted as a holiday tradition in households and restaurants.

uS-based distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables Southern Selects is offering promotional opportunities for retailers and foodservice distributors on its specialty French beans and white asparagus products. The specialty French beans are offered in gourmet presentation, trimmed on the stem end for convenience, and can be packaged to suit different requirements, from an eight-ounce microwave bag and one-pound microwave bags to two-pound value pack bags. The specialty white asparagus with its mild flavour and versatility is easy to prepare and is wrapped with transparent packaging that features preparation information and recipes. Southern Selects white asparagus is offered in an eleven by one pound asparagus box.

What it means? How a perishable product can increase its versatility and appeal to different sectors of the market by association with to a special occasion.

straws. The Sweet Sensations focus on improving the sweetness in flavour and would be marketed as fresh-cut celery sticks for snacking occasions. The innovative products target the three most important celery attributes to consumers: colour, texture, and flavour.

What it means? A new innovation that hopes to bring new consumers into the

A new innovative sweeter and less stringy celery has been launched by UK producer G’s Fresh to go on sale in UK supermarkets this summer.


Your market

Figure 1 //////// Figure 2 /////////

///// /////

Highlights• lower wholesale values continue

to slow sales value

• Shopping malls the future of foodservice

• Baby root vegetables in the spotlight

• Self-service parcel delivery the next big thing

• Could new scanner make barcodes obsolete?

• Sweetpotato profile with a retail value of $152m.

March 2012

vegetable marketWholesale vegetable prices — The wholesale price difference between March 2012 and March 2011 for the major vegetables is profiled in Figure 7.

The majority of products are in good supply and wholesale price levels have settled. The impact of wet and cooler weather has shortened supply of some softer lines but many high volume lines remain in flush.

Wholesale prices for all vegetable categories were 11.1% lower compared to March 2011. The impacts across the products varied, with seasonings and hard cooked vegetables decreasing more than salad components and soft cooked vegetables. At the product level, the most significant changes were with cabbages, sweet corn, onions, ginger, and pumpkins which decreased over the same

month last year. In contrast, cucumber, zucchinis, spinach, lettuce, and mushroom increased over the same month last year.

The weighted total vegetable wholesale price for the week commencing March 26, 2012 was $2.62/kg.

The total retail sales of fresh and processed vegetables in March 2012 are estimated at $591.6m, as profiled in Figure 8. These sales are higher than February but 6.0% lower than the preceding month of January.

The lower wholesale prices continue to cause overall lower sales values as they have since the start of the year.

While the value of vegetables is lower than last year, it has steadily firmed as the 2012 year has progressed.

the Australian food marketDomino’s lets Facebook users create ‘social pizza’

Multinational pizza chain Domino’s created the ‘world’s first social media pizza’ application on Facebook, part its new social media campaign (ran from March 19–25) in Australia. The ‘Social Media’ app allows its 480,000 Australian ‘fans’ to log in and


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vote for their favourite crust, sauce, and ingredients to build a custom-made pizza for Domino’s Menu. The most popular selection each day will be added to the pizza, with the final product to feature on the menu.

The application, which aims to connect Domino’s with its online community, will also give fans the chance to win $1,000 by naming the new pizza.

What it means? An example of how the interactivity of the social media is being harnessed to strengthen customer relationships and lift sales.

Hungry Jack’s Scoopon deal set new records

Hungry Jack’s-Scoopon exclusive deal of ‘$2 Whopper and fries meal’ on the Scoopon website set new records in daily deal sales, with the sale of 670,000 deal vouchers since its launch last month. under the partnership, Scoopon promoted the national discounted meal deal to its 2 million national subscribers. It claims that a total of 90,000 vouchers were sold in the first two hours of the launch, exceeding all Australian group buying records.

Wholesale prices for all vegetable categories for March 2012 were 11.1% lower compared to prices in March 2011.


Your market

The partnership helps Hungry Jack’s to become more ‘social’, connecting them to Scoopon’s significant subscriber base of highly engaged and social media savvy members. Over 2011, the fast food chain had been active in the online space, running special vouchering promotions to its 19,000+ Facebook fans. The Scoopon Hungry Jack’s meal deal will be available nationally (via the Scoopon website) from 300+ Hungry Jack’s outlets across the country up to 8 May 2012.

What it means? How the food chain has captured the opportunity to reach wider potential customers in an efficient manner. This presents a new fast response promotional mechanism to reach more consumers and potentially bring traffic back in store.

retailer activityPromotional activity in the month of march

The retail promotional activity reflects a pattern of a decreasing exposure for vegetables, reversing the increasing trend seen in February and January 2012. Over the month, the exposure of the total vegetable products decreased to an average of 210 products per week, down from 225 products in February. The decrease has been driven by a decline in exposure for canned and frozen vegetable products this month (see Figure 9). This was partly offset by small increase in exposure for fresh vegetables advertised this month (see Figure 10).

Within the fresh vegetables, there was an increase in the number of soft cooked vegetables, hard cooked vegetables, and seasonings advertised in March. This was partly offset by a decrease in the number of salad components advertised this month.

The promotional activity among the majority of the top retailers in March 2012 reflects an increasing trend in Fruit and vegetables (F&v) exposure compared to January 2012, reversing the decreasing trend seen in February 2012 (see Table 2).

Compared to the same month last year, the vegetable promotional activity this month increased notably at Woolworths (up 178%), Coles (up 56%), and Supa IGA (54%) (see Figure 11). In comparison, the vegetable promotional activity increased at IGA by 2% compared to March 2011.

the consumerConsumer sentiment slumps on higher mortgage rates

A notable drop in Australian consumer sentiment (see Figure 12) — likely due to rising mortgage interest rates, higher petrol prices, and concerns about the economy and employment — saw the Westpac-Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment lose five points to 96.1 in March. That compares with 104.1 points in March last year.

Even though the Reserve Bank of Australia held its cash rate steady at March and February reviews, Australian banks have been raising floating mortgage rates in response to rising funding costs. Recent economic data showing weak GDP growth and rising unemployment are likely to have increased consumers’ concerns.

What it means? Higher sales for food retail over dining out are likely to continue as value-conscious consumers are likely to save their discretionary dollars in these market conditions.

Shopping malls the future of foodservice

Foodservice market analyst Horizons states that operators of restaurants, cafes, and quick service chains are increasingly looking to shopping malls as must-have locations as uK’s shopping malls become showcases for established eating out concepts as well as the market’s emerging brands.

Its latest ‘Ones to Watch’ survey — which tracks the emergence of new and expanding outlets — reveals that lesser-known



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vegetables March 2012 change prior month

Coles 230

Woolworths 247 q

IGA 109 p

Supa IGA 171 p

fruit March 2012 change on month prior

Coles 265 p

Woolworths 327 p

IGA 81 p

Supa IGA 115 p

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March 2012 versus February 2012Figure 11 retailer fruit and vegetable activity

Your market


restaurant brands are regularly appearing in shopping malls alongside more established ones, as operators are attracted by the high volume of customers in malls, seven-day week opening and long opening hours.

It notes that London’s new Westfield Stratford city mall — uK’s third largest mall — has 70 places to eat and drink.

Malls are also increasingly providing family-based leisure facilities, offering foodservice outlets more opportunity to sell food and drink. Foodservice areas in malls vary not only in location — including both indoor and outdoor opportunities, but in type. They typically include food courts, kiosk-style dining outlets, food markets, and fast-casual dining and bar concepts aimed at the evening traffic.

What it means? With casual dining now becoming an increasingly integral part of the shopping experience, the foodservice channel is taking a far more sophisticated approach in targeting their local customers. This is a welcome development for mall owners who have many retail tenants under pressure from the drift towards online sales.

Solving equation to increase fresh produce consumption

Latest consumption survey conducted by European fresh F&v association Freshfel reveals a significant downward trend of fresh produce consumption patterns across nearly all of the Europe in the last 10 years (down by 100g, the equivalent to a full portion per day).

Freshfel pins the following factors negatively impacting consumption:

• Misperception of the reality — the recurring issue of high fresh produce prices for consumers is a misperception of the reality, as fresh F&v are one of the

cheapest food categories available. Prices for the recommended ‘5-a-day’ range between €1 and €2, depending on the category chosen.

• Increasing competition for the consumer’s ‘stomach share’ from ready-to-eat/convenience products, lesser at-home-cooking, and more out of home consumption. Here, the consumer is not aware that these alternative servings might not have the same nutritional value as fresh produce.

• Lack of penetration of fresh produce into the foodservice sector is also of concern.

• Lack of a unified and uniform message to consumers — caused by all the different 5 A DAY messages in Europe which hampers the efficiency of clear communication.

• No messages that highlight the pleasure and benefits of consuming fresh produce.

In order to address these problems, Freshfel plans to broaden support for its Enjoy Fresh project (www.enjoyfresh.eu) — a collective communication platform to provide consumers with clear and simple positive messages about fresh produce consumption benefits.

‘Enjoy Fresh’ provides information on F&v production, quality, sustainability, fresh facts, nutrition and health, and recipes on how to enjoy fresh produce.

What it means? A collaboration that coordinates the many efforts taken across Europe to promote the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. This could only help in increasing fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.

local trend boosts UK cucumbers

High fuel prices, together with a notable emphasis on ‘Local English’ this year has strengthened the demand for uK cucumbers.

The uK Fresh Produce Journal reports that the E. coli problem last year has heightened concerns among consumers who now feel safer eating uK produce. Furthermore, the cold snap this year has pushed energy prices very high (up 15%) which will make imported cucumbers more expensive, and in turn, increase the sales of locally grown cucumbers. Currently, large cucumbers are priced around £0.80 (€0.95) and small cucumbers are selling at £0.60–0.63 (€0.71–0.75).

What it means? How a confidence breakdown for a group of suppliers can quickly translate into positive implications for other UK local farmers.

Innovation from the worldSelf-service parcel delivery the next big thing

A new parcel terminal system out of a smart locking technology, which can be remotely accessed, has been developed by Australian company Telezygology (TZ) Inc.

The technology is already being used for securing computer data centres across the world, but suits parcel terminals as well, since it is easily networked. The terminals comprise a bank of lockers into which parcels can be securely stowed by mail carriers. On delivery, PIN codes are sent via email or text messages to consumer

Figure 12 year-on-year change in retail sales versus last year

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Your market

recipients who can visit the terminals, type their personal code into a central touchscreen control unit that then opens the relevant locker for them to pick up their package. Customers can also use a fingerprint scanner, or even a face scanner to open these lockers. The TZ locking technology helps to keep the opening mechanism for the lockers very small compared to conventional systems, thereby giving more space for parcels and other additional functions like temperature or humidity control systems.

TZI tested this parcel terminal technology with Australian Post on a four-month trial over the recent Christmas period. As part of the trial, state-run postal service looked at three installations, each comprising a bank of 52 lockers, within Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Encouraged by the successful parcel locker trials, Australia Post is set to open 30 ‘Superstores’ — including free ‘digital mailboxes’ across Australia to help meet growing demand for parcel services from the online shopping boom.

The superstores are in direct response to the 10 million Australians now shopping online, which resulted in Australia Post delivering an additional three million parcels during Christmas last year.

The new superstores will have a 24-hour zone with vending machines, parcel lockers, and self-service terminals, as well as a Harvey World Travel store, an American Express currency exchange outlet, and a concierge to help customers. The 24/7 zone will give customers access to post and collect parcels, pay for postage, purchase stamps and packaging products, pay bills, and use an Australia Post ATM. Bridging the gap between physical and online shopping, the superstore will have Apple Macs, iPads, and digital screens to allow customers to shop or research online, arrange their parcel delivery electronically, and navigate key products and services.

What it means? Digital mailboxes in the form of self-service parcel delivery could be used to solve the challenging delivery of internet food shopping and ensure pick-up is time-flexible, efficient, and convenient. If these facilities expand to offer refrigerated letterboxes they could be a game changer that elevates online food sales to another level.

no more barcodes

A new food recognition technology — Object Recognition Scanner — has been developed by Japanese company Toshiba that reads items without the use of barcodes.

The scanner utilises pattern recognition technology, with a camera that scans items based on their appearance. It interprets a ‘visual noise’ and filters out background ‘noise’ in its picture so that it sees only objects held close to its lens against a neutral black background. The scanner can recognise different varieties of fruit and vegetables — their shape, surface pattern, and colouration — and is even nuanced enough to differentiate between two types of apples. In addition, it can also be used to scan packaged products and coupons.

Barcodes can sometimes fail to register with scanners in supermarkets, leading to longer waiting times for customers and requiring checkout assistants to enter the code by hand.

Toshiba is currently in the process of creating a database of fresh produce and typical supermarket items, which is scheduled to be ready by the end of the year. In addition, it is refining the scanner to quickly and easily ‘read’ objects from a wide range of distances.

What it means? An advanced technological innovation to recognise and scan fruit and vegetable varieties making staff- and self-checkout time efficient and error-free.

world’s top five hottest chillies

A list of the top five chillies in the world has been compiled based on the Scoville scale (SHu) which measures the amount of capsaicin they contain.

1. World Trinidad scorpion butch — from seeds originating in Thailand, a NSW grower produced this hottest chilli in Australia. It has a SHu of 1,463,700, more than 200 times hotter than a jalapeno chilli, and is used for making hot sauces.

2. Naga Jokia — also known as ghost pepper, this variety comes from India. It is small and crinkled, but has the SHu of 855,000 to 1,041,427, containing the purest form of capsaicin.

3. Red Savina — small, red, and crinkled, this chilli was regarded as the hottest chilli in the world at SHu of 350,000 to 577,000 until the Ghost pepper came along.

4. Scotch Bonnet Pepper — originating from Caribbean, this chilli looks like a

A new food recognition technology — object Recognition Scanner — has been developed by Japanese company Toshiba.

Australian Post's new superstores will have a 24-hour zone with vending machines, parcel lockers, and self-service terminals.


Your market

full-bodied capsicum but has a SHu of 250,000. It is usually found in dishes from that region.

5. Penguin Pepper — this tiny flower bud-like chilli is also known as the Bird Pepper. It stands at 100,000–140,000 SHu and comes from the Great basin of Mexico.

What it means? New products that have captured worldwide attention due to their unique taste properties.

Baby root vegetables in the spotlight

New baby root vegetables from uS Babe Farms, a baby vegetable specialist, have been launched by vegiWorks (uS produce delivery service) showcasing the versatility and uniqueness of the produce.

• Celery root — has a bulbous, tangled exterior but an ivory interior. It can be used as a raw garnish, mashing it with or without potatoes, adding it to soups, or serving it roasted, braised, or fried.

• Parsley root — has a pale white appearance similar to a parsnip, but has a nuttier, sweeter flavour. It can be used as an ingredient for soups and stews and can also be pureed or roasted alone or with other root vegetables.

• A range of colourful baby carrots — six unique varieties are available including red, purple, orange, round (also known as French or Thumbelina), white, and yellow. This assortment of carrots can be added in salads, sautéed, roasted, or steamed and served as a side dish.

What it means? The versatility of the colourful assortment of baby root vegetables being promoted — at its core — aims to increase consumption by keeping vegetables interesting for consumers.

new ‘chocolate tomato’ on the horizon

A new special ‘Chocolate Tomato’ — Sacher F1 — has been developed by Italian R&D seed company Suntime. A result of cross-fertilisation, the brownish red tomato has long shelf-life and a high presence of lycopene and chlorophyll. The new tomato will be marketed as a niche product in the markets of northern Europe.

What it means? Another innovative variety of a popular vegetable product that blends convenience and unique colour and is marketed as a niche product to gain popularity in targeted markets.

new dark garlic launched in Spain

A new black garlic —‘Black Allium’ — has been produced in Spain for the first time (originally from Asia) after a year of research by two Spanish companies — Innofood by Neuron and JR Suárez Monedero SL. The development process, which commenced with the purple garlic, excluded the use of additives, ingredients, or alterations other than a combination of process time, temperature, and humidity.

Black garlic has a unique taste (with liquorice hints in its taste), texture, colour, and smell, as well as nutritional characteristics that are very different from the white garlic. It can be eaten raw like an aperitif and/or used as a condiment. Black Allium was presented at the exhibition Alimentaria 2012, that took place in Barcelona during March 26–29.

What it means? That a product with local links is now being produced and expects to win appeal on its attributes of unique taste, versatility, and colour.

Purple leD lights for green future

A new method to grow plants indoors with fewer fertilisers and 90% less water than currently used, under a purple/pink light (made of red and blue LED lights) has been invented by PlantLab, a Dutch company.

Computers constantly monitor to determine the exact amount, cycle, and colour spectrum of light that is optimal for the plant, as well as water, so that no resource is wasted and the plants are neither undernourished nor overexposed. This method also aims to reduce the dependency on extreme weather conditions, in turn, stabilising supply volumes and prices. The crops can even be grown easily in diverse location including high-rise style buildings in the city.

What it means? A useful innovation that addresses issues of production efficiency and freshness and flows onto supply stability. This may also offer scope to locate production

closer to markets as this system also reduces the requirement for natural light.

new tV campaign for bagged salads

A new £3 million Tv ad campaign has been launched by bagged-salad company Florette in the uK. The advertisement aims to connect with how consumers feel, tying with the overall message of ‘feel good’ (running through its 2012 marketing), and replaces its previous ‘drive-thru’ campaign that focused on the freshness of the product.

The 40-second ad — which showed a couple in the kitchen enjoying themselves while preparing food — was launched on April 4 on primetime Tv for a five-week trial period, and is expected to reach 83% of the ABC1 women in the 35+ age range. A 10-second cut-down of the ad, together with two other 10-second slots focusing on Sweet & Crispy and Duos, respectively, will be launched.

Eleven-year-old Florette in the past five years has managed to increase turnover by £20m, with its Florette Crispy being uK’s top-selling bagged salad.

What it means? That this major investment promotional activity works primarily because it has been well-designed and targeted.

Pre-pack salads add to convenience

Two new washed, ready-to-eat vegetables — Brussels sprouts and new blend for Rainbow Salad — have been launched by uS Mann Packing Company. The Brussels sprouts are trimmed, washed, and packaged in a microwave steamable 12-ounce bag, while the Rainbow Salad contains a mix of four vegetables — mini-broccoli florettes and shredded carrots, cabbage, and cauliflower in a 12-ounce bag, considered ideal for salads, wraps, and sandwiches.

What it means? That consumer lifestyle and attitudes towards quality convenience foods looks set to support the growth of this category, leading to innovations in flavour, variety, and convenience.


Your market

vegetable marketWholesale vegetable prices — The wholesale price difference between April 2012 and April 2011 for the major vegetables is profiled in Figure 13.

The majority of products are in good supply and wholesale price levels remain low. The impact of wet and cooler weather has shortened supply of some softer lines but most high volume products are at lower prices than last year.

Wholesale prices for all vegetable categories were 7.3% lower compared to April 2011. The impacts across the products varied, with seasonings and hard cooked vegetables decreasing notably compared to salad components. In contrast, soft

cooked vegetables reported a small increase compared to April 2011.

At the product level, the most significant changes were with cabbages, onions, ginger, and garlic which decreased over the same month last year. In contrast, cucumber, lettuce, broccoli, and zucchinis increased over the same month last year.

The weighted total vegetable wholesale price for the week commencing 23 April 2012 was $2.31 per kg.

The total retail sales of fresh and processed vegetables in April 2012 are estimated at $545.4m, as profiled in the adjacent chart. These sales are lower 6.0% lower than in April 2011.

The lower wholesale prices continue to cause overall lower sales values. The product level status of wholesale values compared with last year is profiled in Figure 14.

the Australian food marketrelaunched Flybuys

Coles launched a new campaign to upgrade its 18-year-old Flybuys scheme and introduced a ‘supercharged’ version ‘My5’. This promises to increase rewards by up to 50% and give shoppers more opportunity to earn points with other companies and adding upfront discounts on nominated products.

My5 will give Coles’ customers, whose grocery bill exceeds $50, 10% off five products of their choice. Cardholders can select these five items from 5,000 items in store, which will be locked in for the next six months. To select the five products Flybuys, card holders are given a view of their

shopping history in what is a snapshot of the data the loyalty schemes collate.

In addition, Coles’ customers can go online and use a service called ‘Flybuys Dollars’ to convert points to Flybuys dollars. Shoppers will also earn points — which no longer expire as they did previously — on purchases at partner retail outlets. Coles has mailed out more than 16 million cards to Australian households and claims that currently, up to 20,000 new cards are being activated per hour.

Woolworths responds with a tweak to Everyday Rewards by introducing ‘Extra Special Extra Simple Savings’ in what appears to be a move to blunt the impact of the Flybuys new scheme. This offer will provide savings of 20–40% on 1,200 grocery items that will change every six weeks.

‘The program could not be easier,’ Woolworths’ director of supermarkets Tjeerd Jegen said. ‘We know our customers lead busy lives so we have devised a program that makes it simple and flexible for them.’

What it means? Customer loyalty is now elevated to another level and new growth remains elusive. Based on global retail

Highlights• wholesale values continue to

challenge sales

• retail customer loyalty schemes get a lift

• recipe websites gaining popularity in Australia

• Potato Pete goes back to UK schools

• mighty mini sweet peppers focus on kids

• Pumpkin profile with a retail value of $206m.

April 2012

Figure 1 //////// Figure 2 /////////

///// /////


Change for month commencing April 1 2012 versus 2011 Fresh and processed in $000's — last two quarters


700,000

600,000

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0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr

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-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60Cucumbers

LettuceBroccoli

ZucchinisRadish

MushroomsSpinachChilliesSaladBeansPeasCapsicumsCauliflowersSweet CornTomatoesPotatoesCarrotsPumpkinsGarlicGingerOnionsCabbages


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,390

-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60Cucumbers

LettuceBroccoli

ZucchinisRadish

MushroomsSpinachChilliesSaladBeansPeasCapsicumsCauliflowersSweet CornTomatoesPotatoesCarrotsPumpkinsGarlicGingerOnionsCabbages


Your market

precedents, these changes are most likely to be the start of tailored loyalty scheme offers.

retailer activityPromotional activity in the month of April

The retail promotional activity reflects a pattern of a decreasing exposure for vegetables, continuing the trend seen in March and reversing the increasing trend seen in February and January 2012 (see Figure 15).

Over the month, the exposure of the total vegetable products decreased to an average of 190 products per week, down from 210 products in March 2012. The decrease has been driven by a decline in exposure for canned and fresh vegetable products this month. This was partly offset by small increase in exposure for frozen vegetables advertised this month.

Within the fresh vegetables, there was a decrease across all fresh vegetable categories — salad components, hard cooked vegetables, soft cooked vegetables, and seasonings — advertised in April 2012 (see Figure 16).

The promotional activity among the majority of the top retailers in March 2012 reflects a decreasing trend in Fruit and vegetables (F&v) exposure compared to March 2012, reversing the increasing trend seen last month (see Figure 17).

However, compared to the same month last year, the vegetable promotional activity this month increased notably at Woolworths (up 95%), followed by Supa IGA (up 48%), IGA (up 33%), and Coles (up 32%) (see Table 3).

morrisons revamps fresh packs to focus on UK sourcing

uK Morrisons introduced a new ‘Fresh’ brand across all of its produce lines on 16 April, to emphasise to customers its commitment to British sourcing and close links with suppliers, highlighting the expertise it gains from this sort of integration.

The launch follows the packaging refresh of the prepared salads, vegetables, and fruit ranges in February 2012 and is part of a two-year review that also includes the evolvement of its brand tiering from a ‘food-better-best’ model to one that better understands customers’ needs. The new ‘modernised and streamlined’ range has consistent colours and updated on-pack messages, which are easier to understand.

Additionally, Morrisons claims that being the only supermarket to have its own manufacturing sites, it is able to offer

customers’ value-for-money and industry leading offers across its entire produce range (e.g. the retailer has at least 50 lines of product on offer every week).

What it means? That this mainstream retailer has understood the strength of consumer demand for locally sourced food and is taking significant steps to highlight its level of activity in this area.


November 2011 – April 2012 November 2011 – April 2012


vegetables Apr 2012 change prior month

Coles 233 p

Woolworths 142 q

IGA 129 p

Supa IGA 161 q

fruit March 2012 change on month prior

Coles 177 q

Woolworths 166 q

IGA 72 q

Supa IGA 85 q

April 2012 versus March 2012Figure 17 retailer fruit and vegetable activity


250

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Your market

the consumerrecipe websites gain popularity in Australia

Recent market research shows that there has been a notable increase in visitor numbers to food and recipes websites in recent years.

The research conducted between January 2011 and December 2011 on 18,935 Australian consumers (over the age of 14) reveals in the five years since 2006, the number of Australians who visited one of the five most popular recipe websites in the four weeks prior to being surveyed increased to nearly 1.51 million in 2011 from 138,000 in 2006. The most popular recipe websites include:

1. Taste.com.au was found to be the most popular food/recipes website, with an average of 1.2 million visitors (6.4%) visiting the website in an average four-week period in 2011

2. Allrecipes.com with 473,000 visitors

3. Ninemsn Food with 221,000 visitors

4. Cruisine.com.au with 92,000 visitors

5. Gourmet Traveller with 52,000 visitors.

What it means? This demonstrates the growing demand for food content for scratch cooking — a reflection of higher interest in meal preparation at home or by more people in the household. This also represents opportunity for new products launching to reach consumers who use convenience of access to huge archives of recipes, advice, and information on food.

5 A DAy? make mine a muffin, say kids

Approximately one in six uK children think blueberry muffin counts towards their five-a-day, according to a new survey by Dolmio in the uK. The survey was conducted on children aged between 8 and 15 in more than 500 families and found that while kids’ general knowledge of healthy eating was good, there was still confusion over what counted towards their five-a-day quota.

The poll found that 16% of children thought jam counted as one of their 5 A DAY, 15% included blueberry muffins, 12% said milk could be counted along with 12% who cited cereal as a contributor, and 6% who said that water was part of their daily intake.

What it means? Despite all the wide-spread food and entertainment programs, more is required to improve children’s basic understanding of fruit and vegetables.

Potato Pete back to school

Thousands of school kids across the South East and East of England will have a chance to understand more about where their food comes from and discover about the lifecycles of potatoes as they are visited by fresh produce experts Fenmarc and special guest ‘Potato Pete’. The educational program includes a presentation on the cycle of potatoes from the field and a fun, interactive quiz.

Nearly 5,000 schools in this region have taken part in the Potato Council’s Grow Your Own Potatoes project in 2012 and are growing Rudolph potatoes supplied by Fenmarc. Pupils planted their seeds in March and will be harvesting their crop in June when Fenmarc will be visiting them to help with the harvest. The school in the region that grows the most Rudolph will receive a limited edition engraved bulldog spade and certificate.

Rudolph potatoes have the ability to grow quickly, and therefore suit this scheme; further, their red skin makes them colourful when grown. The Grow Your Own Potatoes project, which is in its eighth year, sent out more than 17,000 kits nationwide containing nearly 10 tonnes of seed.

What it means? A successful collaborative effort to get potatoes to kids and advancing their knowledge by making the process a fun, informative, and rewarding activity.


Your market

US consumers choose functional foods over dietary supplements

uS consumers are increasingly choosing foods for their inherent nutritional value, rather than using dietary supplements, according to a new uS consumer research company Sloan Trends Inc.

Findings revealed the number of people making an effort to serve meals that are naturally high in vitamins and nutrition has increased to 42% in 2011, up 6% from 2009. At the same time, people have significantly cut down on their vitamin and supplement use, based on belief that quality and nutrition benefits in foods is best and concerns about the long-term effects on the digestive system.

What it means? That the consumer awareness about healthy diets and lifestyles that has been gaining traction over the years might be now being put into action. This can only help to lift the fruit and vegetable consumption.

ready Pac launches ‘lunch is on us’

Ready Pac has announced a new, streamlined digital and social media focus campaign. The company has launched a new ‘Lunch is on us’ contest on Facebook to reward consumers with ‘Ready Pac Bistro Bowl Salads’ for a year.

During the four-week content from 26 April to 24 May 2012, consumers are required to visit the Ready Pac Facebook page and enter their name and email address for a change to win. visitors to the page also have the chance to enter a Bowl-a-Day Giveaway drawing by simply liking the page and filling out a short entry form. The contest will be promoted on the company’s website, Facebook, and Twitter. A winner will be chosen at random and given a coupon book good for 104 Ready Pac Bistro Bowls (two per week).

Ready Pac Bistro Bowls include a variety of salads, with fewer than 300 calories each, including Chicken Caesar, Chef, Cranberry Walnut, Italiano, Santa Fe Style Caesar, Smokehouse BBQ, Spinach Dijon, and Turkey & Bacon Cobb. All bowls are ready-to-eat and include both a single serving of dressing and a fork, making it easy for consumers to take the salads on-the-go.

What it means? Another example of the integration of social and digital media to align consumer engagement and strengthen brand and lift sales.

Innovation from the worldRed spring onions for the season — New red spring onions are now being delivered by uS fresh produce supplier vegiworks from Coke Farm to chefs and markets in the uS. Red spring onions are sweeter and tender, compared to their green counterparts, and considered ideal for roasting or grilling and adding flavour, texture, and also colour to soups and salads.

What it means? Innovative development of a popular fresh product that has attributes of unique taste, versatility, and colour.

Open Heart Cos in British Sandwich industry awards

Open Heart Cos lettuce — developed by vegetable breeder Rijk Zwaan — has been nominated for the BSA Technical Excellence Award. The Open Heart Cos lettuce is an open, dark green lettuce with solid ribs and long leaves of equal width. This new lettuce — considered ideal for sandwiches — offers significant advantages for everyone in the supply chain, from the grower to the consumer. Growers can harvest the leaves mechanically, due to its open structure, and the product can be processed very efficiently. For retailers and consumers, the product’s veins result in sweet taste and a long-shelf life.

This new lettuce has already become a core ingredient in sandwiches manufactured by Greencore, who first learned about these benefits in Rijk Zwaan’s demo field. Soon afterwards, Greencore, Rijk Zwaan, a growing company valefresco, and processing company Hazeldere entered into a chain operation. This resulted in Open Heart Cos becoming an ingredient in many of Greencore’s sandwiches sold at Marks & Spencer in the uK.

The award is designed to recognise the work being done by technologists to advance systems and working practices across the sandwich industry. The winner will be announced on 17 May 2012.

What it means? How the unique attributes of a new product can be enhanced and elevated through an effective supply chain.

mighty minis hit the market

Following five years of research and development, new Mighty Mini Sweet Peppers have been launched in one-pound

bags by uS producers Wilson Produce and its long-term seed partner Enza Zaden.

For the introductory distribution, more than 20,000 one-pound bags of sweet mini peppers will be available at Walmart and Target. The key features of Mighty Minis include: superior shelf life, original Holland variety, year-round availability, and greenhouse grown and vine ripened.

The one-pound bag seeks to offer better value for the consumer and also highlights the Mighty Mini messaging, communicating the unique taste and the versatility of the sweet peppers. The launch is complemented by marketing the branding message to the consumers via digital, social media, public relations, and on-pack marketing. The companies are also developing new recipes for sweet mini peppers including a focus on kids and healthy eating.

What it means? Clever multi-coloured innovation in an eye-catching packaging to expand the appeal of peppers as a snacking option among children.

new lettuce variety ‘Frescada’ in the US

A new uS-grown lettuce — Frescada — that is a cross between iceberg and Romaine lettuces has been developed by Misionero vegetables and Seminis vegetable Seeds.

Frescada, compared to iceberg lettuce, is claimed to be more flavourful, greener, and more nutritious (added nutrition equal to 246% of the folate and 174% of the vitamin C in iceberg), and compared to Romaine lettuce, has a crunchier texture, and juicier, less bitter, sweeter flavour. Frescada will be

Your market


available in select Sam’s Club stores in six states in its initial distribution.

What it means? An innovation that targets consumers with its improved taste, colour, and additional nutritional attributes.

Darlise, the most developed white asparagus in europe

Darlise, the earliest and most precocious white asparagus in Europe (developed by leading Spanish nursery company Planasa) has positioned as itself as a variety increasingly valued in Germany, Switzerland, and France, followed by other newer varieties like Darbella (white asparagus) and Placosesp and Darzilla (both green varieties).

Asparagus genetics specialists at Planasa work in two different production lines: one for the warm and Mediterranean climates and the other for more cold and continental climates. However, while Darlise is a favourite among farmers for its earliness and quality (large yields of straight, high quality spears with an average diameter of 16–22mm when established), the best suited white variety to cooler climates is Darbella.

In green asparagus, Placosesp is the leader, continuing to increase its market share for being a very early variety and very productive (15–20% higher volume than other older varieties). In comparison, Darzilla is a ‘super resistant’ asparagus, born out of a project to develop more consistent and productive varieties.

What it means? Clearly breeding unique asparagus varieties that can provide early season availability as well as taste and yield is a valued and effective product attribute.

nature’s way in salad brand re-launch

Fresh salad and fruit producer Nature’s Way Foods is relaunching its Lasting Leaf bagged salad brand with the introduction of an innovative re-sealable pack design to cut down on waste, reinforcing the ‘longer lasting’ message.

The brand, which has a national distribution across the uK supermarkets, will feature smart, colour-coded resealable bags to help consumers identify their favourite salad varieties on the shelf. This innovation is in response to strong consumer demand for clearer packaging differentiation, less waste, and longer-lasting products that save time and money.

In addition, a new salad mix has been introduced — Mild & Crispy — which contains frisee, lambs lettuce, and radicchio leaves. Lasting Leaf salads were first introduced 18 months ago and is produced using a blanching method that helps them staying fresher once the packs are opened. This core proposition has proved appealing to customers and the brand now worth approximately £6.5 million and has reported year-on-year growth of 116% both through increased sales and distribution gains.

What it means? That a salad that is fresh and long-lasting and clearly packaged to help minimise home waste has good appeal to consumers.

new tomato variety arrives in the market

A new Marmande tomato variety — Nun 03518 TOF F1 — has been launched by specialist seed development company Nunhems in both Spanish and global markets.

Marmande has a higher yield and longer shelf life compared to traditional varieties and an intense green colour that progressively becomes bright red during the cultivation cycle, while retaining its consistency and taste. Because of its sweetness, colour, and taste, it is expected to win appeal in the Spanish market; however, it will also be exported because of its strong colour, durability, and firmness which make it very easy to handle.

For producers, the new variety stands out for its profitability and resistance to plant disease tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCv), and complements the existing Marmalindo F1, tomato variety, already popular in the Marmande market, but limited by its susceptibility to TYLCv.

What it means? An innovative product development of a high volume vegetable type that combines features of benefits to both producers and consumers.

more information

the report has been produced by Freshlogic as part of the national Vegetable levy and matched funds from the Australian Government. it forms a part of the ViDP and aims to inform vegetable producers and supply chain stakeholders on market influences and developments in the past week. we recommend that those seeking to act on the basis of this information first obtain independent professional advice.


Your market


Highlights• Pumpkin was the 10th most

frequently purchased vegetable by households (weekly) in the march quarter 2012

• Over the last 4 quarters (Jun 11 – mar 12), pumpkin had an average weekly penetration of 31% across all households

• Pumpkin is a lower value vegetable that is purchased by consumers for an average of $2.67 per kg, which is lower than the average retail price of $3.50 per kg for all vegetables.

VeginsightsCategory in profile

Pumpkin

Figure 1 Annual tonnes by state

Source: Freshlogic

Pumpkin production was 112,091 tonnes in 2011. The retail channel buys 87,729 tonnes while the foodservice channel buys 21,097 tonnes. The current domestic retail market value of fresh pumpkin purchased by consumers is $206 million.

state productionSee Figure 1.

Wholesale priceSee Figure 2.

volumes and shares through the chainThe fresh pumpkin market is supplied with 112,091 tonnes of locally produced product (see Figure 3).

The processed domestic market is supplied with 3,194 tonnes of locally produced pumpkin.

fresh retail salesAll figures in Figure 4 are for the year ending December 2011. The current retail market sells 77,280 tonnes of fresh pumpkin, worth a total value of $206 million.

The overall average price paid for pumpkins was $2.67 per kilogram.

All loose self-select products are sold by the kilogram, with the exception of the baby pumpkin varieties (butternut and kent) which are sold by the each.

Figure 2 Average pumpkin wholesale price

consumer penetrationIn the March quarter 2012, pumpkins were the 10th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable based on weekly purchase patterns and regularly feature in the top 10 vegetable products (see Figure 5).

Based on the analysis of retail Docket data, provided as part of the Mealpulse™ panel, the average quantity of pumpkin Australian consumers selected in 2011 was 1.104 kg (see Table 1).

consumption profileTraditional preparation methods of pumpkin involve roasting, mashing, and soups. The majority of these methods are better suited to cooler months of the year (see Table 2).

Pumpkin has enjoyed an increased use in cooked salads and as a component on sandwiches. This is reflected and possibly influenced by an increased use in the foodservice channel.

NSW 40,35336%

Qld 42,59538%WA 16,814

15%

Vic 6,7256%

SA 4,4844%

112,091 tonnes

Tas 1,1211%

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Your market

In the March quarter 2012, pumpkins were the 10th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable.

table 1 Purchase of pumpkin by different household segments

Household segments Average purchased quantity (kg)

Purchase weekly

Singles and couples with lower income

0.792 28%

Singles and couples with higher income

1.454 32%

Budgeting families 1.073 31%

Established families 1.049 31%

Empty nesters 1.228 37%

Source: Mealpulse™

table 2 Pumpkin consumption profile

cooked

Boiled, microwaved, steamed ✔Deep fried ✔

Mashed ✔Roasted ✔Baked/grilled ✔

Salad ✔Soup/sauce ✔Stirfry ✔

raw

Juiced

Salad

Sandwich/burger/wrap ✔

Snack

Figure 3 Pumpkin volumes and shares

Source: Freshlogic * Volume in tonnes

Figure 4 Pumpkin retail sales contribution — by variety and pack type

Source: Adwatch™

Figure 5 top 10 vegetables

Source: Adwatch™

WA Grower

In the March quarter 2012, pumpkins were the 10th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable.

Imported

Export

Retail

Foodservice

–

1,469

1,796

–

87,729

21,097

Supermarkets

Speacialist

71%

29%

Share of fresh sales

Fresh Processed97%

0%

0%

Fresh

3%

–

19%

0%

81%0%

45%

55%

Processed

112,091

Australian grown

Percentage

Halloween

Jap (Kabocha)

Grey

Butternut

Kent

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Value Volume

73%66%Cut/wrapped

Loose

1%1%

27%34%

9%6%

13%14%

32%30%

45%49%

Percentage

Carrots

Potato

Tomato

Onions

Lettuce

Broccoli

Mushroom

Capsicum

Cucumbers

Pumpkin

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

63%

59%

57%

52%

47%

41%

41%

37%

33%

31%


Your market

Figure 6 Pumpkin promotional activity 2011

Month

504540353025201510

50

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Adv

erts

Coles Woolworths Other Avg. $/kg

Pri

ce ($

/kg)

3.50

3.00

2.50

2.00

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00

Source: Adwatch™ Source: Freshlogic

Aust UK US

Product selling weight (kg)

8.00

7.00

6.00

5.00

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.000.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

Pri

ce ($

/kg)

Cut product

Cut pieces

Figure 7 UK/US/Aust retail fresh pumpkin profile

Promotional activity — 2011Figure 6 details the number of promotional adverts by retailer for each month.

For the year ending December 2011, there were a total of 224 adverts for pumpkin and some level of retail promotion activity in 38 of the 52 weeks. This generates an average of 18.7 promotional adverts per month.

During 2011, Kent generated 37% of the total promotional activity, Japanese 22% (majority with IGA, Ritchies, and FoodWorks), Butternut 16%, Grey 6%, Jarrahdale 1%, and other 17%.

uk–us–Aust retail range profileFigure 7 has drawn on data gathered from Australian retail and the uK and uS online sites. It is considered representative of the retail ranges in each market at the current point in time.

In the uK and uS, pumpkins are referred to as squash. Australian market offers a fuller size range compared to both of the other markets.

All loose self-select products were sold by the kilogram or by the pound in the uS.

The uK market has extended the cut product further to provide 400g packs of portion cut pieces that contain 6–8 pieces in each pack.


Your market

Highlights• Sweetpotato was the 13th most

frequently purchased vegetable by households (weekly) in the December quarter 2011

• Over the last 4 quarters (mar 11 – Dec 11) sweetpotato had an average weekly penetration of 28% across all households

• Sweetpotato is a high value product that is purchased by consumers for an average of $4.09 per kg, which is higher than the average retail price of $3.50/kg for all vegetables.


sweetpotato


NSW 9,79819%

Qld 38,67575%

WA 6191%

Vic 5161%

SA 1,9604%

51,567 tonnes

Source: Freshlogic

Sweetpotato production was 51,567 tonnes in 2010–11. The retail channel buys 41,487 tonnes while the foodservice channel buys 10,001 tonnes. The current domestic retail market value of fresh sweetpotato purchased by consumers is $152 million.



sweetpotato volumesThe fresh domestic market is supplied with 50,144 tonnes of sweetpotato, of this 287 tonnes is exported (see Figure 3).

The processed market is supplied with 1,423 tonnes of locally produced product and a further 236 tonnes of imported product.

Of the 9,337 tonnes of fresh product sold through the foodservice channel, around 2,500 tonnes was fresh processed product.

fresh retail salesAll figures presented in Figure 4 are for the year ending June 2011.

The current retail market sells 37,050 tonnes of fresh sweetpotato’s, worth a total value of $152 million.

The average retail price paid for sweetpotato was $4.09/kg.

In comparison, the standard potato generated an average retail price of $2.40/kg.

Figure 2 Average sweetpotato wholesale price

Pre-packed product generates 17% of the volume and 14% of the value.

consumer penetrationIn the December quarter 2011, sweetpotato’s were the 13th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable based on weekly purchase patterns and regularly feature in the top 13 vegetable products.

Based on the analysis of retail Docket data for the year ending December 2011, provided as part of the Mealpulse™ panel, the average quantity of sweetpotato Australian consumers selected was 635g (see Table 1).

consumption profileusers of sweetpotato are now beginning to understand the versatility of the product by incorporating new meal time uses.

New uses include cooked salads, sandwich filling, stir fry’s and french fries (see Table 2).

This has allowed sweetpotato to spread it’s seasonal appeal and generate greater purchase frequency during warmer months of the year (see Figure 5).

Month

4.00

3.50

3.00

2.50

2.00

1.50

1.00

0.50


$/k

g Avg. $1.89/kg

2011Weather driven spike. Normal prices continue from March onwards.



Your market

table 1 Purchase of Sweetpotato by different household segments


Purchase weekly


0.641 28%


0.622 31%

Budgeting families 0.595 26%

Established families 0.727 28%

Empty nesters 0.595 26%


table 2 Sweetpotato consumption profile

cooked

Boiled, microwaved, steamed ✔Deep fried ✔Mashed ✔Roasted ✔Baked/grilled ✔

Salad ✔Soup/sauce ✔

Stirfry ✔

raw

Juiced

Salad

Sandwich/burger/wrap ✔

Snack

Figure 3 Sweetpotato volumes and shares

Imported

Export

Retail

Foodservice

287

40,525

9,337

17

962

664

Supermarkets

Speacialist

69%

31%


Fresh Processed97%

2%

98%

Fresh

3%

240

19%

1%

81%1%

58%

40%

Processed

51,567

Australian grown


Figure 4 Sweetpotato retail sales contribution — by type

Source: Adwatch™ Percentage

White

Purple

Red

Gold

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Value Volume

$5.75/kg

$6.57/kg

$5.07/kg

$4.02/kg

0.3%

0.2%

0.5%

0.3%

7.0%

5.6%

92.3%

93.9%

Users of sweetpotato are now beginning to understand the versatility of the product.

Figure 5 Sweetpotato weekly purchase frequency

Source: Adwatch™Percentage

Oct–Dec 11

Jul–Sep 11

Apr–Jun 11

Jan–Mar 11

0 10 20 30 40 50

21%

28%

34%

27%


Your market

Figure 6 Sweetpotato promotional activity 2011

Month

5

4

3

2

1

0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Adv

erts


Pri

ce ($

/kg)

5.00

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0

Source: Adwatch™ Source: Freshlogic

Aust UK US


9.00

8.00

7.00

6.00

5.00

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.000.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

Pri

ce ($

/kg)

Figure 7 UK/US/Aust retail fresh sweetpotato profile

The wide breadth of uses for sweetpotato will only aid future development of the category.

Promotional activity — 2011Figure 6 details the number of promotional adverts by retailer for each month.

For the year ending December 2011, there were a total of 34 adverts and some level of retail promotion activity in 21 of the 52 weeks. This generates an average of 2.8 promotional adverts per month.

Sweetpotato received relatively strong support from independent retailers, generating 65% of the promotional activity for the period.

In 2011, frozen sweetpotato’s generated 18 promotional adverts. Frozen product has also enjoyed strong media exposure during 2011, this has potentially spilt over and reinforced demand in the fresh category.

uk-us-Aust retail range profileFigure 7 has drawn on data gathered from Australia retail and uK and uS online sites.

It is considered representative of the current retail ranges in each market.

Sweetpotato’s are also referred to as Yam in the uS and sometimes Kumara in Australia.

The majority of the Australian range is loose sold product. uK had a number of pre-packed options, this include 500g, 750g and 2kg.

The uS was the only market that offered fresh processed product, as can be seen in Figure 7.


Your market

Highlights• Cucumber was the 6th most

frequently purchased vegetable by households (weekly) in the December quarter 2011

• Over the last four quarters (mar 11 – Dec 11), cucumber had an average weekly penetration of 34% across all households

• Cucumber is a high value product that is purchased by consumers for an average of $4.32 per kg, which is significantly higher than the average retail price of $3.50/kg for all vegetables.


cucumber


Your market


Qld 23,53740%

SA 27,07446%

Vic 5161%

WA 1,6203%

NSW 5,72810%

58,506 tonnes

Source: Freshlogic

Cucumber production was 58,506 tonnes in 2010–11. The retail channel buys 51,793 tonnes and the foodservice channel buys 15,587 tonnes. The current domestic retail market value of fresh cucumber purchased by consumers is $171 million.



cucumber volumesThe fresh domestic market is supplied with 56,256 tonnes of locally produced cucumber and a further 500 tonnes of imported fresh product. A further 76 tonnes of fresh cucumbers are exported (see Figure 3).

The processed domestic market is supplied with 10,700 tonnes of cucumber, of which 8,668 tonnes (79%) is sourced from imported product, with 72% of processed

imports coming from India. A further 89 tonnes of process cucumbers are exported.

fresh retail salesAll figures presented in Figure 4 are for the year ending June 2011.

The current retail market sells 39,685 tonnes of fresh cucumber, worth a total value of $171 million.

The overall average price paid for cucumber was $4.32/kg.

Figure 2 Average 2011 cucumber wholesale price

Cucumber naming conventions are a mixture of colours and Mediterranean cuisines, but remain consistent across all Australian retailers. The main names are: Continental (large), Green (medium), Lebanese (small), Apple (round — small/med), and White (large).

consumer penetrationFor the year ending December 2011, the average purchase quantity across all household was 417g of cucumber (see Table 1).

In the December quarter 2011, cucumber was the 6th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable based on weekly purchase patterns and regularly feature in the top 11 vegetables over the last four quarters (see Figure 5). Cucumber has generated an average weekly penetration of 34% over the last four quarters (Mar 11 – Dec 11).

consumption profileCucumbers are generally consumed raw, as a component within a salad or as an on-the-go snack (see Table 2).

Cucumbers are also used to make yoghurt-based dips such as Tzatziki and often accompany spicy curries as a palate cleanser.

Month

7.00

6.00

5.00

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00


$/k

g

Cucumber Salad comp Total veg


Your marketYour market

table 1 Purchase of cucumber by different household segments


Purchase weekly


0.332 19–33%


0.357 28–47%

Budgeting families 0.426 27–44%

Established families 0.484 33–49%

Empty nesters 0.407 21–49%


table 2 Cucumber consumption profile

cooked

Boiled, microwaved, steamed

Deep fried

Mashed

Roasted

Baked/grilled

Salad

Soup/sauce ✔

Stirfry

raw

Juiced

Salad ✔Sandwich/burger/wrap ✔Snack ✔

Figure 3 Cucumber volumes and shares

Imported

Export

Retail

Foodservice

76

47,076

9,604

89

4,717

5,983

Supermarkets

Speacialist

73%

27%


Fresh Processed96%

5%

95%

Fresh

4%

9,168

17%

0%

83%2%

43%

55%

Processed

58,506

Australian grown


Source: Adwatch™Percentage

Baby

Green

Lebanese

Continental

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Value Volume

$14.32/kg

$6.73/kg

$4.62/kg

$4.62/kg

2%

1%

8%

6%

35%

36%

55%

57%

Figure 4 Cucumber retail sales contribution — by type

Figure 5 2011 top 10 vegetables

Source: Adwatch™ Percentage

Carrots

Potato

Tomato

Onions

Lettuce

Broccoli

Mushroom

Capsicum

Cucumbers

Pumpkin

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

64%

58%

58%

51%

47%

41%

41%

38%

34%

33%

In the December quarter 2011, cucumber was the 6th most frequently purchased fresh vegetable.


Your market

Source: Freshlogic

Aust UK US


18.00

16.00

14.00

12.00

10.00

8.00

6.00

4.00

2.00

0.000.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1

Pri

ce ($

/kg)

Figure 6 Cucumber promotional activity 2011

Month

4540353025201510

50

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Adv

erts


Pri

ce ($

/kg)

3.00

2.00

2.00

1.00

1.00

0

Source: Adwatch™

Figure 7 UK/US/Aust retail fresh cucumber profile

This limited number of meal uses beyond salads contributes to a seasonal consumption profile.

Promotional activity — 2010–11For the year ending June 2011, there were a total of 219 adverts and some level of retail promotional activity in 42 of the 52 weeks. This generates an average number of 18.3 promotional adverts per month (see Figure 6).

Continental cucumbers generated the largest share of total cucumber adverts for the year

ending December 2011, with 68%. Over the period, the advertised price ranged from $0.69 to $5.00/kg and averaged $1.71/kg.

uk-us-Aust retail range profileFigure 7 has drawn on data gathered from Australian retail and the uK and uS online sites. It is considered representative of the retail ranges in each market at the current point in time.

The Australian market is unique in that in refers to the name of the cucumber, whereas

in the other markets, the name reflects the size of the product e.g. large cucumber.

The uK market offers a number of pre-packed portioned products (cut), while the uS and Australia focus on loose whole product.

The majority of product retailed in these markets is sold loose and by the each, with the exception of Lebanese cucumbers in Australia where they are sold by the each as well as by the kg.


selfselfselfselfYoUR

Your self


Your self

WA seniors cardYou can enjoy the benefits of a WA Seniors Card if you are:

• aged 60 years or more

• a permanent resident of Western Australia (include holders of the sub class 410 or 405 visa who have lived in WA for a minimum of 5 years and reside in WA for a minimum of 6 months each year)

• not in full time employment ( i.e I work 25 hours or less per week, averaged over a 12 month period).

wA Seniors Card — Applicationwww.communities.wa.gov.au/serviceareas/seniorscard/Documents/110520%20new%20Seniors%20Card%20application%20form%20Final.pdf

wA Senior Card — entitlements www.communities.wa.gov.au/serviceareas/seniorscard/Documents/SO48-2011%20Seniors%20Card%20Direct%20mailer%20120306.pdf

Health care card — Issued by centrelinkwww.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/conc_cards_hcc.htm

For further information, please read in conjunction with ‘The Basics’ booklet available at humanservices.gov.au

exceptional circumstances relief PaymentExceptional Circumstances Relief Payment may assist you with everyday living expenses if you are a farmer.

Am i eligible?You may be eligible for Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment if you:

• are a farmer*, and

• contributed a significant part of your labour to the farm, and

• derived a significant amount of your gross income from the farm, and

• contributed a significant part of your capital to the farm, and

• meet the income and assets test. Assets essential to the running of the farm enterprise are exempt. Other exemptions apply, and

• are an Australian resident**, and

• are in Australia when you claim, and

• are in an Exceptional Circumstances declared area, and

• are not receiving Newstart Allowance, or other income support benefits or pensions (including a Service Pension from the Department of veterans’ Affairs), and

• are not a full-time student.

Your farm must be located in an area that has a current Exceptional Circumstances declaration. If the Exceptional Circumstances declaration expires for the area you are in then your payment will stop.

* Certain rural small business operators may also qualify up until 30 June 2012.

** For more information on residence requirements see

The basics booklet.

For more information see the Drought Assistance for farmers factsheet. This is available by calling 132 316 or asking at a service centre.

self employedSelf employed

If you are self-employed and want to receive Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance, we will need to assess whether or not you are unemployed according to our rules. In some cases this may mean we need to be satisfied you have only limited involvement in your business or you are not preparing to start a new business.

Centrelink assistancefor farmers


Your self

For more information about other payments you may be eligible for, visit humanservices.gov.au call the relevant ‘13’ or ‘1800’ number listed at the back of this booklet or ask at a service centre.

Am i eligible?When you make your claim we will consider:

• your income, including your income from the business (based on the gross income of the business, less the allowable business deductions), and

• your assets, including the assets of the business and your personal assets.

The value of the business assets is their current market value less the business liabilities, which are listed on your business financial statements.

To determine your entitlement to a payment and to assess your income and assets, we will need certain documents such as your tax return, notice of assessment, profit and loss statement and depreciation schedule.

You may also be required to show you are:

• actively seeking and willing to undertake suitable paid work, and

• committed to finding a job rather than continuing your business.

• you must also meet the residence requirements for the payment, see The basics booklet for more information.

Paid Parental leave schemeThe Paid Parental Leave scheme provides Parental Leave Pay for working parents. It helps parents to stay at home and care for their children full-time. A working parent is someone who is a full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, contract or self-employed worker. Eligible working parents are entitled to 18 weeks of government funded Parental Leave Pay at the rate of the National minimum wage. Parental Leave Pay is taxable. You will have the choice to claim either Parental Leave Pay or Baby Bonus.

Alternatively, Baby Bonus may be paid to an eligible primary carer or their partner following the birth or adoption of a child. Baby Bonus is paid per eligible child, and is paid in 13 fortnightly instalments. Parental Leave Pay and Baby Bonus cannot be paid for the same child.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for both payments, you can choose which

payment is the best financial decision for your family. Most eligible families will be better off receiving Parental Leave Pay rather than Baby Bonus. You will have the choice to claim either Parental Leave Pay or Baby Bonus. For more information on the range of eligibility requirements for each payment, visit humanservices.gov.au/paidparentalleave

Am i eligible?You may be eligible for Parental Leave Pay if you:

• are an Australian resident,

• are the primary carer of a newborn or recently adopted child

• have met the Paid Parental Leave work test before the birth or adoption occurs

• have received an individual adjusted taxable income of $150, 000 or less in the financial year prior to the date of birth, adoption or date of claim, whichever is earlier, and

• are on leave or not working from the time you become your child’s primary carer and do not return to work during your Paid Parental Leave period.

Note: some visa holders may be eligible, for more information on residence requirements see The basics booklet, available at humanservices.gov.au

the Paid Parental leave work testTo meet the Paid Parental Leave work test, you must have:

• worked for at least 10 of the 13 months prior to the birth or adoption of your child, and

• worked for at least 330 hours in that 10 month period (just over one day a week), with no more than an eight week gap between two consecutive working days.

Note: A working day is a day you have worked for at least one hour and can include paid leave periods. You do not need to be working full-time to be eligible for Parental Leave Pay. You may meet the work test even if you:

• are a part-time, casual or seasonal worker

• are a contractor or self-employed

• work in a family business

• have multiple employers, or

• have recently changed jobs.

If you work for a family business you can include your hours of work even if the business is not generating any income, providing you are undertaking the work for financial gain or benefit.

There are some exceptions to the work test if you cannot meet it due to pregnancy complications and/or premature birth. For more information visit humanservices.gov.au

child care BenefitChild Care Benefit helps with the cost of approved or registered child care. You do not have to be a parent to get Child Care Benefit. Guardians, foster parents and grandparents responsible for the day-to-day care of children may be eligible for Child Care Benefit.

Eligible grandparents with the primary care of their grandchildren and using approved care may be able to receive additional assistance.

Am i eligible?You may receive Child Care Benefit if:

• your child goes to approved or registered child care

• you meet income requirements

• your child meets the immunisation requirements or has an approved exemption,

• you are liable and have paid the child care fees, and

• you or your partner are an Australian resident.

Approved child care is care provided by a service approved by the Australian Government. Most long day, family day, before and after school, vacation, and some in home and occasional services offer approved care.

Registered child care is provided by nannies, grandparents, relatives or friends. It can include care provided by individuals in private pre-schools, kindergartens, occasional care centres and outside school hours care.

The carer or teacher must be registered with us for you to receive your Child Care Benefit. You should check with your carer whether the care you are using is ‘approved’ care or ‘registered’ care.

For more information on residence requirements see the basics booklet or visit humanservices.gov.au


Your self

Jobs, education and training childCare fee assistance

Jobs, Education and Training Child Care fee assistance provides extra help with the cost of approved care for eligible parents who are receiving Child Care Benefit at the maximum rate and are taking part in activities such as work (paid or unpaid), study, job search or rehabilitation as part of an Employment Pathway Plan to help them enter or re-enter the workforce.

child care rebateTo get the Child Care Rebate, you must first claim and be eligible for Child Care Benefit and use approved child care. The Child Care Rebate helps families with the costs of approved child care. It is paid in addition to

Child Care Benefit and covers a percentage of your out-of-pocket child care expenses, up to a maximum amount for each child for each financial year. Out-of-pocket expenses are total child care fees less your Child Care Benefit. Currently the Child Care Rebate is 50 per cent.

Am i eligible?You may be eligible for Child Care Rebate if:

• you use approved care

• you are assessed as eligible for Child Care Benefit even if you receive no payment because your income is too high, and

• you and your partner (if you have one) meet the work, training, study test at some time during the week the approved care was provided (or have an exemption).

If you are not eligible for Child Care Benefit for approved care, you will not be able to receive the Child Care Rebate.

For more information on Child Care rebate, call 136 150.

estimating your incomeIf you get Family Tax Benefit, you will need to estimate your income to make sure you are getting the right amount of payment. You can update your estimate as often as you like. For information on estimating your income, call 136 150.

more information

For further information, please read in conjunction with ‘the Basics’ booklet available at humanservices.gov.au

Not happy with the public perception of agriculture in recent times Western Australia’s RIRDC Rural Women’s Award Winner, Catherine Marriott decided to do something about it.

Catherine organised the recent ‘Influential Women’s Forum’, held in Broome in northern Western Australia.

The Forum brought together 50 rural women from across Australia to not only celebrate the role women play in agriculture, but to also learn how best to collaborate between rural industries and to better communicate and engage with consumers.

“With global food security and competition for land use, understanding and building relationships between producers and consumers is becoming increasingly important,” Catherine said.

“Primary producers need the support of consumers and consumers need primary producers, but it’s impossible to support something you don’t understand, so

primary producers need to become better at communicating and engaging with consumers.”

one of the highlights of the workshop was an address by Charlie Arnot, Chief Executive officer of the Centre for Food Integrity in the United States.

“Charlie Arnot has a very powerful and important message for Australia’s producers. His research has conclusively demonstrated that building confidence and shared values with consumers is up to five times more effective than demonstrating your scientific or economic credentials,” Catherine said.

“That is why the Forum was held — to give rural people the skills and tools to communicate effectively and to build their confidence to get out there and advocate on behalf of agriculture.”

As a result of the Rural Women’s Award, Catherine will now roll out Influential Women’s Forums across Australia.

Catherine is based at Kununurra and is intimately involved in the northern

Rural womencome together to promote agriculture

Australian beef industry. She consults in pastoral training and leadership capacity building both within Australia and in Asia to a number of companies and private clients involved in the northern cattle industry.

Catherine is a recent graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, a committee member of RRR Network, an active member of the Country Women’s Association and a volunteer ambulance office with St John’s Ambulance Australia.

The RIRDC Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s pre-eminent award for rural women. The Award supports women with demonstrated leadership capabilities who have the desire and commitment to make an even greater contribution to their industries and communities.

State and Territory winners will receive a $10,000 financial bursary to implement their Award vision and State and Territory winners and runners up will have the opportunity to undertake the Australian Institute of Company Directors Company Directors Course and be supported with 12 months of facilitated individual strategic leadership support.


Your self

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world with two in every three Australians developing skin cancer before the age of 70.

If you’re a farmer or rural outdoor worker, you receive five to 10 times more uv exposure than indoor workers each year. Approximately 200 melanomas and 34,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are caused from occupational exposures annually.

SunSmart’s Protect your farms most important asset. You. campaign aims to raise awareness of skin cancer prevention and early detection among farmers and rural outdoor workers.

The campaign features Les, a Victorian farmer who knows the effects of skin cancer all too well — it cost him his farm and his life’s work on the land.

At age 58, Les noticed a tiny lump on his forehead.

“If I hadn’t gone to my GP as soon as I found the lump, I probably wouldn’t be here to tell my story today,” he said.

Over exposure to ultraviolet (uv) radiation can cause sunburn, tanning, eye and skin damage and increase your risk skin cancer.

Wherever you across Australia SunSmart recommends checking the SunSmart uv Alert daily on the weather page of your daily newspaper, at cancer.org.au or on the free SunSmart app for smart phones.

During the sun protection times, or if you are going to be outdoors for most of the

day, use a combination of these five sun protection measures;

1. Slip on sun protective work clothing. Cover as much skin as possible. Long pants and shirts with a collar and long sleeves are best.

2. Slop on SPF 30+ sunscreen. It’s best to use a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen. Apply 20 minutes before going outdoors and re-apply every two hours.

3. Slap on a hat. Wear a broad-brimmed hat that provides as much shade as possible to your face, neck and ears.

4. Seek shade. Take breaks under trees or indoors whenever possible and try to perform your outside work during the early morning or late afternoon when uv levels are not as high.

5. Slide on some sunglasses. Wear close fitting, wrap around sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard.

Getting to know your skin is crucial as if found in the early stages, skin cancer can often be treated successfully. Regularly check your skin for suspicious spots or changes and, if you notice anything usual, visit your GP as soon as possible — any delays could be deadly.

It may not always convenient to stop and put on your hat and top up with sunscreen, but it could save your life and your farm.

As Les put it — “It’s so easy to prevent skin cancer, and because we spend so much time outdoors, farmers really should make the effort to protect themselves. Take it from me, don’t risk losing your farm.”

more information

For further information on sun protection, skin cancer and vitamin D visit sunsmart.com.au or call the 13 11 20 helpline.

Protect your farm’s most important asset......you!By SUe HewArDSUNSMART MANAGER AT CANCER CoUNCIL VICToRIA

Wear protective work clothes, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses when exposed to the sun.

Your self

Recipes Creamy roasted tomato soup with cheesy asparagus toastA full bodied, wonderfully warming soup prepared Italian-style

Ingredients250g gold zucchini, halved lengthways and sliced

1 packet (about 500g) Saladette® truss tomatoes, halved

200g broccoli, cut into small florets, stem chopped

150g bag baby spinach

500g premium beef mince

2½ tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 x 400g cans tomatoes

185ml red wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful basil leaves, torn

Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Spaghetti, to serve

Chunky bolognaise

Ingredients2 x 250g punnets the Original™ grape tomatoes

1kg truss tomatoes, halved

2 baby fennel, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 bunch asparagus, cut in half, and blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water

1 leek, sliced, pale section only

4 cloves garlic, sliced

3 cups (750ml) chicken stock

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil, extra

2 tbsp tomato paste

300ml carton cream

8 slices italian bread loaf

1/3 cup basil leaves, shredded

Basil leaves, to garnish (optional)

1 cup tasty cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. line two baking trays with baking paper. On one, place cut truss tomatoes, on the other place grape tomatoes. Sprinkle garlic slices over tomatoes.

3. mix together olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

4. Pour over tomatoes, gently mixing through marinade. Season well to taste.

5. Bake the Original™ grape tomatoes for 25–30 minutes.

6. Heat extra oil in large saucepan over medium heat.

7. Cook leek, fennel and celery for 5 minutes, or until softened and slightly coloured.

8. Add tomatoes and any juices, chicken stock, tomato paste and basil leaves. Bring to the boil, lower to simmer, cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

9. Cool slightly, then purée in blender until smooth. Add cream to soup and reheat before serving.

10. to make asparagus toast, place slices of bread on tray and grill one side until golden brown and crispy.

11. turn over and top with asparagus spears, and cheese, grill for 2–3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

12. Serve immediately.

WA Grower AUtUmn 2012104

Prep time: 20–25 minutes

cooking time: 40–50 minutes

Serves 6–8

Jazz up traditional bolognaise with this delicious, vegetable-packed alternative

105WA Grower AUtUmn 2012

Your self

Prep time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves 4–6

© recipes kindly provided by Perfection Fresh Australia Pty ltd — www.perfection.com.au

Ingredients125g (½ punnet) the Original™ grape tomatoes, halved

1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 large red capsicum, sliced

1 fennel, sliced

2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways

2 lebanese eggplant, thinly sliced lengthways

1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed

¼ bunch baby endive

2 sheets ready-made shortcrust pastry sheets, defrosted

500g ricotta, full cream

½ cup (125ml) cream

4 eggs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil spray

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method 1. Preheat oven to 190°C.

2. lightly grease a 24cm removable base tart tin.

3. Cut pastry sheets to fit, and line base and sides of tin.

4. Place sheet of baking paper on surface, and using baking beans or rice, cover base.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and bake for a further 5 minutes or until slightly golden.

6. Cool to room temperature.

7. in food processor place ricotta, garlic, eggs, parmesan cheese, and seasoning and blend until smooth.

8. Pour into base, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until tart is golden brown and set.

9. meanwhile, heat a chargrill pan. lightly spray olive oil onto vegetables and chargrill in batches until vegetables are cooked and almost tender. (All vegetables will take different times, ranging from 3-5 minutes each side.)

10. Place into large bowl and toss with tomatoes, endive, balsamic and oil.

11. Season to taste.

12. Serve with chargrilled vegetables on top.

Baked ricotta tart with char grilled vegetables and endive salad

Method1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 1 tbsp of

oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, fry for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, fry for 10 minutes.

2. increase heat to high, add mince, fry until brown. Add canned tomatoes and wine, bring to boil. reduce heat, simmer for 40 minutes.

3. meanwhile, drizzle tomatoes with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper.

4. roast for 40 minutes.

5. Add broccoli to mince.

6. Simmer for further 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cook for 20 minutes.

7. Stir in spinach, then remove from the heat. leave for 5 minutes to allow spinach to wilt.

8. Scatter with basil.

9. Serve accompanied by freshly grated parmesan cheese, if liked.

A creative interpretation of a traditional-style tart

Prep time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves 8


Your industrY


Your industrY

toMAto IrrIGAtIon trIAl sHoWs A WIn for GroWers — VIETNAMESE TRANSLATIoN

Thử nghiệm về cây cà chua năm nay đã được hoàn thành trong mùa hè nóng nhất của Perth trong 30 năm qua. Thử nghiệm này nhằm so sánh thực hành của người trồng hiện nay so với việc lập kế hoạch khi sử dụng các yếu tố bay hơi và cây trồng được điều chỉnh bằng cách theo dõi độ ẩm của đất, Diện tích thử nghiệm 4.800 cây cà chua Swanson đã được tiến hành cấy ghép vào ngày 7 tháng 11, trên đất của Wesgrowers bên cạnh xưởng đóng gói của họ ở Bernard Rd Phía Bắc Carabooda. Hai phương pháp xử lý là:

A - Phương pháp xử lý do người trồng thực hiện

B - Thực hành tốt, được tưới tiêu theo lịch giai đoạn tăng trưởng (yếu tố cây trồng) và bay hơi từ trạm thời tiết Wanneroo gần đó

Tất cả cây được cấy ghép có kích thước tương tự nhưng đã phát triển với tốc độ khác nhau như trong Hình 1 và 2. Phương pháp xử lý B có sự khởi đầu tốt do việc sử dụng thường xuyên lượng nhỏ chất dinh dưỡng cho cây trồng.

Nước sử dụng cho phương pháp xử lý của người trồng tương đương với 16.500 KL/hecta trong khi phương pháp xử lý B chỉ nhận được 9.800 KL/hecta. Năng suất từ hai phương pháp xử lý tương đương với nhau, với gần dưới 120 tấn mỗi hecta được đánh giá. Điều quan trọng cần lưu ý là thử nghiệm này không phải là về việc giảm phân bổ nước để trồng cà chua hoặc các loại rau khác, mà về việc sử

dụng nước một cách hiệu quả để tối đa hóa lợi nhuận cho người trồng.

Kết quả (đạt được bằng cách điều chỉnh cho phù hợp lượng nước sử dụng dựa trên sự bay hơi và giai đoạn cây trồng) tương tự như kết quả của thử nghiệm trình diễn năm ngoái. Bằng cách áp dụng việc tưới tiêu đáp ứng yêu cầu về nước nhưng không thường xuyên qua chiều sâu tầng rễ hiệu quả của cà chua, thì hiệu quả sử dụng nước đã tăng lên.

Sự chênh lệch này đã được phản ánh trong khối lượng thoát nước. Nước được thải ra bên dưới cây trồng theo phương pháp người trồng xử lý nhiều hơn khoảng 7.460 KL/hecta so với phương pháp xử lý B. Khối lượng này tương đương với mức chênh lệch tưới tiêu áp dụng, cho thấy lượng nước dùng thêm trong phương pháp xử lý của người trồng chỉ thoát ra bên dưới, thay vì được cây trồng sử dụng.

Việc sử dụng nước cho cây trồng theo giả định (được tính bằng cách lấy lượng nước sử dụng trừ cho lượng nước thoát ra) trong phương pháp xử lý A là 700 mm, thực sự thấp hơn so với phương pháp xử lý B là 776 mm.

Sự chênh lệch này là do cây trồng theo phương pháp xử lý B có sức sống khỏe hơn, có nhiều diện tích lá hơn cho thoát hơi nước và do đó có nhiều khả năng mất nước hơn.

Nghiên cứu này cho thấy không có sự tổn hại nào về năng suất từ việc giảm khối lượng nước hiện tại mà nhiều người trồng sử dụng để trồng cà chua trong cát vào mùa hè. Chiến thắng tiềm năng cho người trồng áp dụng việc lập kế hoạch tưới tiêu dựa trên sự bay hơi là nước vẫn còn lại trong giới hạn của quý vị có

thể được sử dụng để trồng diện tích cây trồng lớn hơn hoặc được sử dụng để tưới tiêu cây trồng trong các thời điểm khác trong năm khi trước đó không có khả năng thực hiện việc phân bổ này.

Việc áp dụng đồng bộ công tác tưới tiêu và theo dõi liên tục độ ẩm của đất là điều cần thiết cho việc tinh chỉnh tưới tiêu cho trang trại của riêng quý vị. Đây là lý do tại sao người ta khuyến nghị rằng trước khi thay đổi các thực hành hiện tại của mình, quý vị cần đánh giá việc tưới tiêu để xác nhận sự phân bổ nước đồng đều, và thực hiện thử nghiệm thuốc nhuộm xanh dương để tìm hiểu về sự chuyển động của nước trong loại đất của quý vị.

Thông qua việc theo dõi độ ẩm của đất để tinh chỉnh tần suất và khối lượng tưới tiêu thông qua việc lập kế hoạch dựa trên sự bay hơi, quý vị có thể cải thiện đáng kể hiệu quả sử dụng nước trong trang trại của mình.

Tôi xin trân trọng cảm ơn Wesgrowers, đặc biệt là George Kyme, đã mời chúng tôi tới khu đất này và Michael DeSouza đã chăm sóc chúng tôi và cây trồng trong suốt mùa vụ. Dự án nghiên cứu trong hai năm qua cũng được hỗ trợ bởi tiền thuế thu được từ người trồng thông qua Ủy Ban Sản Xuất Nông Nghiệp và Horticulture Australia Limited.

Một hội thảo sẽ diễn ra trong tháng Bảy dành cho những người trồng quan tâm để tìm hiểu thêm về những điều liên quan đến phương pháp lập kế hoạch tưới tiêu này và sự khác biệt so với các phương pháp thực hành hiện tại. Nếu quý vị quan tâm đến hội thảo này, quý vị có thể liên hệ với tôi theo số 0429 680 069 hoặc theo dõi tờ thông tin trên E-News của WA hoặc hộp thư của quý vị.

Hình 1 Bốn tuần sau khi trồng theo phương pháp thực hành tốt ở bên trái

Thử nghiệm tưới tiêu cà chua thể hiện sự thắng lợi cho người trồng

rOHAn PrinCeCáN Bộ PHáT TRiểN, DAFWA

Hình 2 Tám tuần sau khi trồng với việc áp dụng biện pháp xử lý theo phương pháp thực hành tốt ở bên trái


Your Business

BuIldInG A sound veGetABle GroWInG BusIness — VIETNAMESE TRANSLATIoN

Nghiên cứu tình huốngGiới thiệuNhóm kinh doanh đang nói chuyện đã ghé thăm những người trồng rau thành công ở New South Wales (nSw), Queensland, tây Úc và tasmania đang sản xuất hàng loạt các loại cây trồng (cà rốt, ớt chuông, hành tây, bông cải xanh, các loại rau sống ăn lá và rau thơm). Những người trồng rau này đã thảo luận phương pháp tạo nên những doanh nghiệp thành công của họ và các quyết định kinh doanh quan trọng nhất.

Nghiên cứu tình huống này được dựa trên tất cả các cuộc thảo luận trong đó xác định một số đề tài thường gặp, các nguyên tắc và quy tắc ngón tay cái để hỗ trợ người trồng rau trong việc tư duy và trao đổi về hoạt động kinh doanh và các quyết định kinh doanh của họ.

Ngành rau tại Úc mang lại các cơ hội hấp dẫn cùng những rủi ro lớn. Người trồng phải có tay nghề cao không chỉ ở khía cạnh kỹ thuật trồng rau mà còn ở việc quản lý các hoạt động kinh doanh của họ. Những người trồng này đã điều hành các hoạt động kinh doanh phức tạp, năng động và phức hợp, thường bán sản phẩm của họ trên thị trường quốc tế và thuê tuyển nhiều nhân viên. Họ sản xuất thực phẩm có chất lượng rất cao trong hoàn cảnh khó khăn.

Nghiên cứu tình huống này nhằm mục đích mô tả cách điều hành các doanh nghiệp được quản lý tốt.

Đưa ra quyết định đúng đắnCác doanh nghiệp thành công được hình thành thông qua hàng loạt các quyết định kinh doanh đúng đắn. Tuy nhiên việc ra quyết định đúng đắn không đơn giản có được bằng cách có tấm bằng đại học hay làm việc chăm chỉ.

Những người đưa ra quyết định đúng đắn kết hợp giữa kinh nghiệm, sự quan sát, truy vấn thông tin, trí tò mò và cuối cùng là ‘giác quan thứ sáu’ để đưa ra quyết định. Họ thường là những người có tư duy mạch lạc và có thể dễ dàng giải thích tại sao họ đã làm điều gì đó. Họ thường tự phê bình và sẽ thừa nhận khi đã mắc lỗi. Những người đưa ra quyết định đúng đắn lắng nghe người khác và tìm cách áp dụng những gì mình tìm hiểu được cho trang trại của chính họ.

Những người đưa ra quyết định đúng đắn suy nghĩ kỹ trước khi làm và sau đó theo đuổi mục tiêu một cách có phương pháp.

Một số nguyên tắc đưa ra quyết định được giải thích trong tờ thông tin ‘Đưa Ra Quyết Định Kinh Doanh’ có trên http://ausveg.businesscatalyst.com/rnd/fact%20sheets/Business%20Decision%20Making.pdf.

Trong một số trường hợp người trồng gặp phải khó khăn lớn (về tài chính) trong kinh doanh. Điều này có thể là do quyết định sai lầm hoặc trong một số trường hợp do tránh việc phải đưa ra bất kỳ quyết định nào.

Mô hình kinh doanh phù hợpCác cuộc thảo luận thường tập trung vào việc người trồng đã bắt đầu kinh doanh như thế nào và phát triển hoạt động kinh doanh của họ ra sao qua các năm. Các cuộc thảo luận này đã đưa chúng tôi đến điều mà chúng tôi xem là mô hình kinh doanh phù hợp.

Các khía cạnh quan trọng của mô hình này là:• Xây dựng thị trường • Duy trì thị trường • Biết rõ các con số • Quản lý rủi ro • Mở rộng kinh doanh.

Mô hình này không nhằm trở thành một công thức, có thể được thực hiện theo và sẽ đảm bảo thành công. Mô hình này nhằm mục đích khuyến khích quý vị suy nghĩ và trao đổi với những người trồng khác. Đối với một số người trồng điều đó có vẻ hiển nhiên bởi vì họ đã làm điều này trong nhiều năm.

Xây dựng thị trườngNhững người trồng rau thành công đã bắt đầu bằng cách tìm kiếm thị trường tốt và xây dựng thị trường đó. Một người trồng cho biết, “Tôi đang chờ cầu vượt cung”. Ông ấy sẽ không mở rộng sản xuất một loại cây trồng chuyên biệt cho đến khi thị trường của mình phát triển đến điểm mà ông ấy biết mình có nhu cầu mở rộng sản xuất. Một người trồng đã chi rất nhiều tiền vào việc tìm hiểu thị trường mới bằng cách ra nước ngoài. Một số thị trường đã được xây dựng dần dần với các lô hàng rau ký gửi thử nghiệm.

Những người trồng thành công đã dành thời gian vào thị trường (không chỉ các thị trường bán buôn) bằng việc trao đổi với người mua hoặc người mua tiềm năng, hiểu những gì họ muốn và sau đó sản xuất các sản phẩm đó cho họ.

Duy trì thị trườngMột số người trồng có lợi từ việc hợp tác chặt chẽ với người mua để xây dựng mối quan hệ bền vững lâu dài và đầu tư sản xuất chất lượng sản phẩm mà khách hàng cần. Một người trồng cho biết, “Tôi chưa từng bị từ chối lô hàng ký gửi nào”. Thông thường người trồng mua máy móc với mục đích duy nhất là đảm bảo rằng họ có thể đáp ứng các yêu cầu về chất lượng của khách hàng. Điều này bao gồm máy gặt, máy rửa, máy phân loại và vận chuyển lạnh.

Những người trồng thành công làm việc với thị trường của mình và đảm bảo rằng họ là nhà cung cấp được lựa chọn và có thể cung cấp cho nhà cung cấp của mình những gì họ muốn vào đúng lúc.

Biết rõ các con sốKhi đã phát triển được thị trường đáng tin cậy phù hợp, người trồng tập trung vào việc cải thiện hiệu quả bằng cách giảm chi phí sản xuất. Nghiên cứu tình huống "biết rõ chi phí sản xuất của quý vị" cho thấy cách có thể tính toán và sử dụng chi phí sản xuất để đưa ra quyết định.

Những người trồng đã xây dựng được các doanh nghiệp tốt nhất biết các chi phí sản xuất của mình là bao nhiêu và các yếu tố cốt yếu nào cải thiện hoặc hạn chế số tiền họ tạo ra trên mỗi đơn vị sản xuất. Một số người trồng lớn hơn đào tạo

Xây dựng doanh nghiệp trồng rau phù hợp

Chương Trình Phát Triển Ngành Rau

Tuyên bố khước từ: Tình huống kinh doanh này do Nhóm Tư Vấn Quản Lý Nguồn Lực - rmcG tạo ra và biên tập (đt: (03) 9882 2670). rmcG tạo ra các tình huống kinh doanh này với mong muốn rằng người dùng sẽ sử dụng kỹ năng của bản thân và chú ý khi sử dụng kỹ năng đó. Trước khi dựa vào hoặc thay đổi bất kỳ thông lệ kinh doanh nào, người dùng cần cẩn thận đánh giá tính chính xác và mức liên quan của thông tin đối với mục đích của họ và cần được tư vấn chuyên môn phù hợp về trường hợp cụ thể của họ.


Your Business

thêm cho đội ngũ nhân viên để thay mặt họ quản lý chi phí do quy mô sản xuất.

Những người trồng thành công biết các chi phí sản xuất của mình là bao nhiêu và cách họ có thể làm việc để cải thiện hiệu quả.

Quản lý rủi roNhững người trồng ban đầu đã cân nhắc các rủi ro của nhiều thành phần khác nhau trong hoạt động kinh doanh của họ và từ đó tập trung vào việc quản lý rủi ro đó có thể tạo ra nhữnh lợi nhuận đáng kể khi các người trồng khác đang phải vật lộn với nhiều tác động bên trong và bên ngoài khác nhau như hạn hán, lũ lụt, nước, sâu hại và bệnh tật. Các rủi ro chính được cân nhắc bao gồm bảo đảm nguồn nước, các thị trường độc nhất, thỏa thuận hợp đồng, các loại cây trồng độc nhất và việc xác định thời gian, thiên tai, và các áp lực về sâu bệnh.

Những người trồng thành công hiểu rõ các rủi ro của mình và đầu tư vào các phương pháp quản lý rủi ro để duy trì doanh thu tốt.

Mở rộng kinh doanh Sau khi đã áp dụng các bước ban đầu này thì sẽ có tiềm năng mở rộng kinh doanh nếu thị trường có thể phát triển. Các doanh nghiệp ‘biết rõ các con số’ và hiểu họ tạo ra bao nhiêu lợi nhuận đối với từng loại cây trồng cụ thể trên mỗi đơn vị diện tích đất có thể sớm tính toán được chi phí phải trả để mua/thuê thêm lô đất hoặc lắp đặt thiết bị máy móc hoặc cơ sở hạ tầng mới.

Quy tắc ngón tay cáiNgười trồng được hỏi họ đưa ra quyết định dựa trên các quy tắc ngón tay cái nào. Mục này cung cấp một số quy tắc ngón tay cái và xem xét việc các quy tắc đó có thể gia tăng giá trị như thế nào cho việc quản lý doanh nghiệp của quý vị.

“Chuẩn bị sẵn sàng trước một đêm”Quy tắc ngón tay cái này phản ánh thái độ đối với việc quản lý khi hệ thống sản xuất hàng ngày được tổ chức tốt. Điều này cho phép thực hiện mọi thứ đúng lúc và hiệu quả. Có thể sử dụng lao động

hiệu quả mà không lãng phí thời gian. Điều này cũng giảm nguy cơ thất bại.

“Không lặp lại sai lầm”“mọi sai lầm đều tốn kém tiền của”Những người quản lý tốt rút kinh nghiệm từ các sai lầm của họ. Họ chịu trách nhiệm cho sai lầm của mình và chắc chắn rằng họ không lặp lại.

“Tăng trưởng cùng thị trường của quý vị”Có các cơ hội tốt để cung cấp sản phẩm chất lượng tốt vào những thị trường hiện có. Hãy chắc chắn rằng quý vị có được cơ hội mở rộng khi có lợi nhuận.

“Nếu quý vị gặp vấn đề khi thực hiện với 50 mẫu Anh, khi đó hãy khắc phục vấn đề trước khi trồng”Điều quan trọng là các hệ thống, việc sản xuất và khả năng sinh lợi đều đặn và bền vững. Nếu quý vị không có lợ i nhuận, khi đó việc trồng sẽ hiếm khi giải quyết được vấn đề. Trong thực tế việc trồng khi quý vị không có lợi nhuận có thể dẫn đến thua lỗ lớn hơn.

“quý vị không nên trồng nếu không thể bán”Điều này có nghĩa là thị trường chi phối định hướng kinh doanh, nếu không có người sẵn sàng mua với giá hợp lý cho cây trồng cụ thể đó thì thậm chí đừng bận tâm đến việc trồng loại cây trồng này.

“Quý vị phải tự làm cho cuộc sống của mình trở nên dễ dàng hơn”Phản ánh thái độ làm việc trong các lĩnh vực quan trọng, chẳng hạn như phát triển và duy trì thị trường và biết rõ các con số. Đối với tất cả các công việc khác mà có lẽ là ít quan trọng hơn hoặc quý vị không có các kỹ năng cần thiết, hãy sử dụng người khác. Những người trồng

thành công rất bận rộn và không thể cho phép lãng phí thời gian của họ. Họ cũng biết rằng sống một cuộc sống tốt đẹp là điều quan trọng và họ muốn dành thời gian để thư giãn và vui vẻ.

“Đôi khi quý vị phải chấp nhận rủi ro”Phần thưởng đến từ việc chấp nhận rủi ro, tuy nhiên rủi ro sẽ giảm xuống nếu người trồng có kinh nghiệm và biết cách đưa ra quyết định đúng đắn. Bất kỳ doanh nghiệp nào không dám chấp nhận rủi ro sẽ chết dần chết mòn bởi vì họ không thử bất cứ điều gì mới.

Các nguyên tắc kinh doanh này áp dụng cho bất kỳ doanh nghiệp nào.

Thêm Thông Tin Nghiên cứu tình huống này đã được lập ra để khuyến khích người trồng rau học hỏi lẫn nhau về hoạt động kinh doanh. Quý vị sử dụng các quy tắc ngón tay cái nào để giúp đưa ra quyết định? Quý vị sử dụng mô hình kinh doanh nào? Quý vị có đồng ý với những gì mình đã đọc hay không? Hãy trao đổi với những người trồng khác về cách họ làm việc và đưa ra quyết định.

Chương Trình Phát Triển Ngành Rau được Hal tài trợ bằng cách sử dụng tiền thuế rau và các quỹ cân bằng từ Chính Phủ Úc.


Your industrY

GroWers cHeW over stABle flY — VIETNAMESE TRANSLATIoN

Người trồng rau đã nhóm họp tại Guilderton vào hồi Tháng Tư để thảo luận về sự sinh sản của ruồi ngựa và tìm kiếm các giải pháp cho vấn đề này.

Ruồi ngựa, đôi khi còn được gọi là ruồi chích đốt, là vấn đề hàng năm trong các tháng thời tiết nóng lên ở Vùng Đồng Bằng Ven Biển Swan, phía bắc và nam Perth, và đã trở nên đặc biệt nghiêm trọng vào mùa hè năm ngoái. Khi xuất hiện với số lượng lớn, chúng có thể ảnh hưởng đến nhiều loài động vật máu nóng trong đó có gia súc, ngựa, các vật nuôi khác và con người.

Cán bộ nghiên cứu cấp cao của DAFWA ian McPharlin cho biết dự án phối hợp giữa cơ quan này, vegetablesWA và bảy hội đồng địa phương nhằm mục đích giáo dục và hỗ trợ trong việc kiểm soát ruồi ngựa. Các hội đồng đó là Capel, Chittering, Dandaragan, Gingin, Harvey, Swan và Wanneroo.

Dự án đang thuê nhà côn trùng học của Trường Đại Học WA David Cook phối hợp với các quận và quản lý các điểm nóng về ruồi ngựa.

Tiến sĩ McPharlin cho biết, “để kiểm soát sự sinh sản của ruồi ngựa, các quy định trong Đạo Luật Sức Khỏe hiện nay cấm sử dụng phân gia cầm tươi tại 13 quận trong cả năm. Những quy định này sẽ còn hiệu lực cho đến tháng 9 năm 2013 và sau đó sẽ tiếp tục theo Đạo Luật về An Toàn Sinh Học và Quản Lý Nông Nghiệp năm 2007”

Không giống như các loài ruồi thường gặp khác như ruồi nhà và ruồi bụi cây hút thực phẩm, ruồi ngựa có nọc rất nhọn. Chúng tìm hút máu động vật trước khi đẻ trứng.

Chúng ta thường thấy gia súc và ngựa dậm chân, vẫy đuôi, và chụm lại với nhau để tránh ruồi. Chúng thường phải ăn vào ban đêm khi ruồi không hoạt động, để cố gắng thoát khỏi những vết cắn đau đớn.

Trước đây, chuồng ngựa là nơi sinh sản truyền thống của loài ruồi này, nhưng giờ đây chúng thường sinh sản ở rau thừa lại bị thối, phân vật nuôi để lâu ngày và những loại rau bị loại bỏ cho vào kho.

Vùng Đồng Bằng Ven Biển Swan là môi trường lý tưởng cho ruồi ngựa sinh sản do đất cát kết hợp với tưới tiêu liên tục trên mặt đất.

Tiến sĩ Cook cho biết “Giải pháp chủ yếu để kiểm soát ruồi ngựa là loại bỏ các nguồn nuôi trứng và ấu trùng, bởi vì rất khó để ngăn việc ruồi ngựa cắn vật nuôi, chúng có thể bay đến mười kilomet để tìm đến các vật nuôi đó.”

Tại cuộc họp Guilderton, được tổ chức với sự hỗ trợ của vegetablesWA, việc thu dọn hoàn toàn cây trồng thừa lại khỏi cánh đồng sau khi thu hoạch bằng cách làm thành phân trộn, được coi có thể là biện pháp quá khó đến nỗi không thể trở thành giải pháp có tính thực tiễn. Người trồng nhận thấy việc tìm ra các giải pháp ngay trên trang trại sẽ hiệu quả hơn. Các giải pháp này có thể bao gồm việc lấp kín bất kỳ rau thừa lại nào càng sớm càng tốt sau khi thu hoạch, phun thuốc diệt côn trùng và phơi khô cây trồng thừa lại ít nhất một tuần trước khi trộn để có thể bao phủ đất tối đa.

Tiến sĩ Cook cho biết việc dựa vào thuốc diệt côn trùng để ngăn ruồi ngựa sinh sản không phải là giải pháp dài hạn bền vững, vì ruồi ngựa sẽ phát triển sức đề kháng. Cần nghiên cứu thêm về việc phun các chất gia tốc hữu cơ giúp phân

hủy nhanh chóng các nguyên liệu rau trên cánh đồng trước khi chúng thu hút ruồi đến.

Theo tiêu chuẩn quốc tế, mức độ nghiêm trọng của vấn đề ruồi ngựa quanh vùng Perth được đánh giá ở mức cực điểm. Nó đã gia tăng từ những năm 1990, có thể là do việc mở rộng trồng rau.

Nghiên cứu đã chỉ ra rằng tối đa 1300 con ruồi ngựa trên một mét vuông sinh ra từ đất trồng rau có phân. Các chất trong rau trên mặt đất gây ra nguy cơ đáng kể về sự sinh sản của ruồi nếu rau bị để thối trong hơn ba đến bốn ngày, hoặc rau chỉ được xới trong đất với sự phân hủy rất ít.

Ông nhấn mạnh giải pháp ngăn chặn sự phát triển của ruồi ngựa xoay quanh việc băm nhỏ cây trồng thừa lại để hạn chế sự sinh sản, Sử dụng máy san lấp tốc độ cao để làm việc này đã chứng minh sự vượt trội so với việc xới xoay về mặt hạn chế sự phát triển của ruồi. Nó cũng có lợi thế cho phép người trồng bắt đầu mùa vụ khác sớm hơn.

Người trồng thảo luận về ruồi ngựa

Stable flies typically breed in rotting vegetable crop residues.

By iAn mCPHArlinPoTATo INDUSTRY DEVELoPMENT, DEPARTMENT oF AGRICULTURE AND FooD


Your Production

Permits minor Use Permits can also be searched by specific crop or pest types at www.apvma.gov.au/permits/search.php

Permit Id description target expiry date

Adzuki beans

PER13223 Imazamox Control of grass and broadleaf weeds 31-Dec-13

PER13293 Abamectin Two-spotted mites and onion thrips 30-Apr-15

PER11405 Haloxyfop Grass weeds 30-May-14

Asparagus

PER12777 Avatar (indoxacarb) Garden weevil 30-Sep-16

Avocado

PER10652 Alphacypermethrin Garden weevil 30-Apr-13

PER12827 AGRI-FoS 600 & AGRI-FoS 625 Root rot 31-Aug-12

Beetroot

PER10908 Tebuconazole Sclerotonia rot 30-Jun-13

PER12052 Phosphorous (phosphonic) acid Damping off and downy mildew 30-Jun-13

PER13034 Score Foliar Fungicide Leaf spot 31-Aug-13

PER11450 Ethofumesate (Tramat) Grass weeds 30-Jun-15

PER11853 Imidacloprid Aphids and thrips 30-Sep-15

PER11919 Flint 500 WG Fungicide (trifloxystrobin) Alternaria leaf spot and cercospora leaf spot 30-Sep-13

PER11949 Lambda-Cyhalothrin Various insects 31-Mar-15

Borlotti beans

PER9509 Methomyl Bean pod borer and budworm 31-oct-16

Brassica leafy vegetables

PER12054 Propiconazole Cercospora leaf spot, rust, septoria leaf spot 31-Aug-14

PER13123 Amistar 250SC Fungicide Specified fungal diseases 30-Sep-12

PER9631 Nufarm Cabrio Fungicide (pyraclostrobin) White blister rust 30-Jun-12

PER9669 Iprodione Sclerotinia, grey mould, alternaria leaf spot 30-Jun-12

PER13032 Pirimicarb Aphids 30-Sep-13

PER10674 Mancozeb + Metalaxyl-M Downy mildew and white blister 31-Mar-13

PER10497 Imidacloprid Aphids, whitefly and thrips 31-Mar-14

PER10044 Permethrin Quarantine usage 31-Mar-17

PER10845 Barmac Zineb Fungicide Cercospora leaf spot & downy mildew 31-Mar-15

PER11475 Alpha-cypermethrin Red-legged earth mite, plague thrips &lepidoptera 30-Jun-12

PER13154 Dual Gold Herbicide Various broadleaf and grass weeds 31-Mar-17

PER11994 Proclaim Insecticide Diamondback moth, heliothis and vegetable looper 31-May-14

PER13291 Acrobat Fungicide White blister 30-Sep-12

PER10674 Mancozeb + Metalaxyl-M Downy mildew & white blister 31-Mar-13

Brassicas

PER10276 Filan Fungicide (boscalid) Sclertonia rot 31-Jan-13

PER10920 Chlorpyrifos Vegetable beetle adults 30-Sep-12

Broad beans

PER12657 Tebuconazole Cercospora leaf spot 31-Mar-14

Broccoli

PER11951 Phosphorous acid Downy mildew 31-Mar-15


PER10588 Iprodione Rhizoctonia 30-Apr-13


Your Production


Brussel sprouts



PER10090 Iprodione Grey mould 1-Aug-15

Capsicums

PER12565 Scala Fungicide Botrytis rots 30-Sep-17

PER11564 Switch Fungicide Botrytis & sclerotinia 30-Nov-14

PER10903 Flint 500 WG Fungicide Powdery mildew 31-May-13

PER13047 Acramite Miticide Two-spotted mite 30-Sep-13

PER11778 Agri-fos 600 Systemic Fungicide (phosphorous acid) Phytophthora soil fungus 30-Nov-15

PER13031 Maldison Fruit fly 31-May-14

Carrots

PER11747 2,2-Dichloropropionic Acid Promotion of bolting and grass weed control 30-Nov-14

PER12050 Boscalid Sclerotinia rot 30-Jun-15

PER12400 Iprodione Suppression of black rot 30-Sep-12


PER13013 Clethodim Grass weed control 31-Mar-14

PER13305 Glyphosate (shielded sprayer) Certain broadleaf and grass weeds 30-Jun-15

Cauliflower

PER13147 Lontrel Capeweed and clover 30-Sep-16



PER10688 Alpha-Cypermethrin Staphylinid beetle 30-Apr-13

Celeriac

PER10846 Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide (Iprodione) Sclerotinia rot 30-Jun-12

PER10875 Pirimor WG Aphicide (pirimicarb) Aphids 30-Sep-15

PER13114 Prometryn Grass weeds listed on label 31-Mar-17

PER13323 Score Foliar Fungicide (difenoconazole) Cercospora leaf spot & septoria leaf blight 31-Mar-15

Celery

PER10727 Ridomil Gold MZ WG Late blight, septoria leaf blight & downy mildew 30-Sep-12

PER9839 Permethrin (Ambush ) Heliothis and looper 31-Mar-13

PER10316 Avatar Insecticide (indoxacarb) Heliothis, lightbrown apple moth, lucerne leaf roller and vegetable weevil

30-Sep-12

PER10729 Applaud Insecticide (buprofezin) Greenhouse whitefly 31-Jan-13

PER11641 Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin) Cercospora leaf spot and septoria spot 31-oct-12

PER12405 Score Foliar Fungicide (difenoconazole) Cercospora leaf spot & septoria spots 31-oct-12

PER13496 Linuron Range of weeds 30-Apr-17

Chicory

PER11352 Walabi Fungicide Botrytis and alternaria 30-Sep-14


PER11855 Betanal Herbicide Spray (phenmedipham) Broadleaf weeds 30-Jun-14


PER12397 Alpha-cypermethrin Red-legged earth mite, onion thrips 30-Nov-14

Permits (cont.)


Your Production

Permits (cont.)


PER11356 Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin) Powdery mildew 31-oct-12



PER11849 Ridomil Gold MZ (mancozeb + metalaxyl-M) Anthracnose, downy mildew & septoria 31-Mar-13

PER10677 Propyzamide Grass and broadleef weeds 30-Apr-18

Chillies

PER13254 Dimethoate Queensland and Mediterranean fruit fly 5-oct-12

PER11946 Clethodim Grasses 30-Sep-12

PER12823 Trifluralin Various broad leaf and grass weeds 30-Jun-21

PER10730 Abamectin (Vertimec) Two-spoted mite 30-Sep-12

PER10747 Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide Sclerotinia rot 30-Sep-12

PER10800 Bayfidan 250 EC Fungicide Powdery mildew 30-Jun-13

Corriander

PER13303 Coragen Insecticide Heliothis, cluster caterpillar 31-Mar-15

PER13499 Diazinon onion maggot 31-Mar-17

Cucumbers

PER10279 Abamectin Two-spotted mite 30-Sep-13

PER7909 Scala 400 SC Fungicide Botrytis rot 30-Sep-17

PER10219 Mancozeb Grey mould 30-Apr-13

PER10818 Bravo Weather Stik Fungicide (chlorothalonil) Botrytis rot 30-Sep-13


PER12504 Permethrin Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica) 31-Dec-13

PER13031 Maldison Fruit fly 31-May-14

PER10903 Flint 500 WG Fungicide Powdery mildew 31-May-13

PER13349 Pyranica Two-spotted mite 31-Mar-15

Curbits

PER10764 Pyriproxyfen Silverleaf whitefly 30-Sep-12


PER10979 Bupirimate Powdery mildew 30-Sep-14

Culinary herbs

PER12632 Tebuconazole 30-Sep-12

PER10307 Metolachlor Weeds 31-Dec-12

eggplant

PER8930 Phorate Aphids, jassids, mites, thrips and onion maggot 31-Jul-16

PER12442 Trichlorfon Fruit fly 31-May-14

PER12862 Zineb Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) 31-Jul-14

PER5815 Spinosad Melon thrips 31-Jul-13



PER10265 Methidathion Western flower thrips 30-Sep-12

PER10764 Pyriproxyfen Silverleaf whitefly 30-Sep-12

PER10948 Abamectin Two-spotted mite 30-oct-13

PER13043 Bupirimate Powdery mildew 31-Mar-13


Your Production

Permits (cont.)


endive







Faba beans

PER12657 Tebuconazole Cercospora leaf spot 31-Mar-14

Fennel

PER7905 Phosphorous Downy mildew 30-Sep-12

PER13036 Bravo 720 SC Downy mildew, purple blotch 31-Jul-16

Fodder beet

PER12364 BASF Pyramin WG Selective Herbicide Various weeds & grasses 30-Sep-12

Garlic

PER11453 Fluazifop Grass weeds 31-oct-12

PER10511 Surflan 500 Flowable Herbicide (oryzalin) Broadleaf & grass weeds 31-Mar-13

Green beans

PER13271 Metolachlor Various broadleaf and grass weeds 30-Jun-12

Herbs

PER8601 Pyriproxyfen Silverleaf whitefly & greenhouse whitefly 30-Aug-12

PER8617 Fenhexamid Botrytis 30-Sep-12

PER8628 Pendimethalin Grass & broadleaf weeds 30-Sep-14

PER10305 Bacillus thuringiensis Lepidopteran pests 31-Dec-12

PER11815 Petroleum oil Insect pests 31-Dec-14

PER8576 Buprofezin Jassid, mealybug, silverleaf and greenhouse whitefly 30-Aug-12

PER8621 Quinoxyfen Powdery mildew 30-Jul-13

PER11526 Chlorothalonil Fungal diseases 30-Sep-14

PER8577 Etoxazole Two-spotted mite 30-Jul-13

PER8591 Myclobutanil Powdery mildew 30-Jul-13

PER8633 Chlorfenapyr Various insects 30-Jul-13

leeks

PER8762 Maldison onion thrips 30-Sep-12

PER3850 Copper hydroxide Downy mildew, purple blotch 13-Sep-12

PER9895 Thimet 100G onion maggot and thrips 30-Jun-12

PER9904 Tribinul, Juggler 700 Broadleaf weeds 31-Jul-12

PER10914 Azoxystrobin Powdery mildew, downy mildew and white blister rust 31-May-14



PER13257 Select Herbicide (clethodim) Grass weeds as per label including winter grass (Poa annua)

31-Mar-17

PER10902 Dimethomorph Downy mildew 30-Sep-13

PER13466 Various actives Specified Grass and broadleaf weeds 30-Sep-15

lettuce



Your Production


PER7905 Phosphorous Downy mildew 30-Sep-12

PER11651 Acramite Miticide Two-spotted (red spider) mite 31-Dec-12

PER12386 Dacthal (chlorthal-dimethyl) Stinging nettle 31-Aug-16

PER13002 Metalaxyl-M Damping off 30-Sep-13

lettuce (seed crop)

PER13332 BALAN (benfluralin) Grass and broadleaf weed control 31-Mar-22

lettuce (head)

PER10416 Methamidophos Western flower thrips 31-Mar-13


PER12565 Scala Fungicide Botrytis rots 30-Sep-17

PER10807 Vertimec (abamectin) Two-spotted mite 31-Mar-14

mung beans


mushrooms

PER12172 Pestigas Mushroom flies 30-Jun-15

PER12645 Prochloraz Cobweb disease 31-Mar-17

PER12848 Carbendazim Dry bubble, wet bubble & green mould 30-Sep-14

navy beans



Olives

PER11152 Natrasoap insecticidal soap spray Lace bug 30-Sep-13

PER11360 Copper hydroxide Fungal leaf spot and fruit rot 31-Mar-17

PER11783 Chlorpyrifos Various insect pests 31-Mar-13

PER12228 Ethephon Fruit loosening 30-Nov-13

PER12853 Avatar (indoxacarb) Apple weevil 31-Mar-14

PER12857 Fenthion Various insect pests 31-Jul-12

PER13174 Amistar WG & Amistar 250 SC (azoxystrobin) Anthracnose 31-Mar-13

PER13267 Insegar 250 W Insect Growth Regulator (fenoxycarb) Black olive scale 31-Mar-14

Onions


PER11989 Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide Various weeds 31-Jul-13

PER11851 Basagran (bentazone-sodium) Broadleaf weeds 31-Mar-14

PER11854 Switch Fungicide White rot, black mould, botrytis 30-Jun-13

Paprika


PER10730 Abamectin (Vertimec) Two-spoted mite 30-Sep-12

PER10800 Bayfidan 250 EC Fungicide Powdery mildew 30-Jun-13


Parsley


PER11850 Lambda-cyhalothrin Red-legged earth mite, Rutherglen bug, grey cluster bug, looper, plague thrips

31-Aug-15

PER10089 Chlorpyrifos Vegetable weevil & black beetle 30-Sep-13

Permits (cont.)


Your Production

Permits (cont.)


PER10672 Chlorthal-dimethyl Various broadleaf weeds and grasses 30-Apr-13

PER13121 Ridomil Gold 25G (metalaxyl-M) Pythium & phytophthora 30-Nov-16

PER13499 Diazinon onion maggot 31-Mar-17

Parsnips

PER12002 Ecocarb Fungicide Powdery mildew 5-Sep-12

PER10758 Pendimethalin Grasses and broadleaf weeds 31-Jan-14

PER11348 Clethodim Grass weeds 31-Mar-22



PER12048 Prometryn Weeds 30-Sep-15

PER11935 Triadimenol Powdery mildew 30-Jun-17

PER8813 Trifluralin Wintergrass 9-Aug-12

PER12354 Ridomil Gold 25G (metalaxyl-M) Pythium spp. and Phytophthora spp. 30-Apr-14

PER12357 Linuron Grass and broadleaf weeds 30-Sep-15

Peas


PER10691 Diflufenican Broadleaf weeds 30-Apr-13

Peppers

PER10265 Methidathion Western flower thrips 30-Sep-12


PER13158 Dimethoate Various fruit fly species 5-oct-12

PER11440 Sumiclex 500 (procymidone) Sclerotinia rot 31-Jan-15

PER10878 Trifluralin Broadleaf and annual grass weeds 30-Sep-13

Potatoes

PER10283 Chlorpyrifos Black beetle, wingless grasshopper, red-legged earth mite

30-Sep-14

PER12612 Alpha-cypermethrin Garden weevil 30-Apr-16

PER10822 Sodium hypochlorite Various insect and fungal pests 1-Feb-14

Pumpkin


raddicchio






radish

PER10914 Azoxystrobin Powdery mildew, downy mildew and white blister rust 31-May-14

PER11350 Mancozeb Alternaria, cercospora leaf spot, white blister 31-Mar-15





PER11441 Propachlor Grass and broadleaf weeds 31-Dec-19


Your Production

Permits (cont.)


PER12863 Chlorothalonil White blister (Candida albugo) 30-Jun-16

PER13035 Clethodim Control of grasses 30-Sep-16

PER13444 Propiconazole Cercospora 31-Mar-17

rhubarb

PER13441 Ambush Emulsifiable Concentrate Insecticide Green peach aphid, green looper, light brown apple moth and budworms

31-Mar-17

PER9922 Phos acid Downy mildew 1-Jul-12

PER11358 Clethodim Grass weeds listed on label 30-Jun-14

PER12384 Dual Gold Herbicide (S-metolachlor) Various weeds 31-Aug-15

PER13152 MCPA 250 Selective Herbicide Broadleaf weeds 30-Sep-16

rockmelons


Shallots




PER6914 Lannate L (methomyl) Western flower thrips 31-Mar-13


PER9921 Tribunil Herbicide Various broadleaf and grass weeds 15-Jul-12

PER10676 Pendimethalin Various broadleaf and grass weeds 30-Apr-13

PER10824 Copper oxychloride, Cuprous oxide or Cupric Hydroxide Downy mildew 30-Sep-14

PER10868 Ioxynil Broad leaf and grass weeds 31-Mar-13

PER10882 Diazinon Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot 30-Jun-13


31-Mar-17

PER13205 Secure 360 SC (chlorfenapyr) Western flower thrips 30-Jun-17

Silverbeet


PER12364 BASF Pyramin WG Selective Herbicide Various weeds & grasses 30-Sep-12






PER10727 Ridomil Gold MZ WG Late blight, septoria leaf blight & downy mildew 30-Sep-12


PER8931 Propachlor Broadleaf and grass weeds 31-Mar-15

PER11991 Legend Fungicide (quinoxyfen) Powdery mildew 31-Mar-16

Snow peas

PER7419 Lambda-cyhalothrin Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips 31-May-13

PER10656 Pyrimethanil Botrytis 30-Jun-12


PER12571 Acramite 480 SC Mites 31-Jan-13

PER12822 Chess Insecticide Aphids 30-Jun-13

PER10976 Bentazone Broadleaf weeds 31-Mar-15


Your Production

Permits (cont.)


PER10988 Bladex 900 WG (cyanazine) Broadleaf weeds 31-Mar-15

PER13497 Acrobat Downy mildew 30-Apr-14

Sugar snap peas

PER11765 Etoxazole Two-spotted mite 31-Dec-12


PER12822 Chess Insecticide Aphids 30-Jun-13

PER7419 Lambda-cyhalothrin Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips 31-May-13

PER10656 Pyrimethanil Botrytis 30-Jun-12

PER10976 Bentazone Broadleaf weeds 31-Mar-15

PER10988 Bladex 900 WG (cyanazine) Broadleaf weeds 31-Mar-15

PER12571 Acramite 480 SC Mites 31-Jan-13

PER11765 Etoxazole Two-spotted mite 31-Dec-12

Spinach







PER12862 Zineb Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) 31-Jul-14


PER11572 Chlorothalonil Downy mildew, alternaria leaf blight & grey mould 31-Mar-13

Spring onions

PER9921 Tribunil Herbicide Various broadleaf and grass weeds 15-Jul-12

PER10676 Pendimethalin Various broadleaf and grass weeds 30-Apr-13

PER10868 Ioxynil Broad leaf and grass weeds 31-Mar-13

PER10882 Diazinon Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot 30-Jun-13







31-Mar-17

PER6914 Lannate L (methomyl) Western flower thrips 31-Mar-13

PER10824 Copper oxychloride, Cuprous oxide or Cupric Hydroxide Downy mildew 30-Sep-14

PER11763 Pirimicarb Aphids 31-Dec-12

PER13205 Secure 360 SC (chlorfenapyr) Western flower thrips 30-Jun-17

Squash



Sunflower

PER13118 Glyphosate Weed control 31-Mar-15

PER12684 Endosulfan Rutherglen bug 12-oct-12


Your Production


Swede


PER11350 Mancozeb Alternaria, cercospora leaf spot, white blister 31-Mar-15




Sweet corn

PER11355 Abamectin 30-Sep-12

PER13116 Propiconazole Northern corn leaf blight 31-Mar-16

PER13498 Pirmicarb Aphids 30-Sep-13

Sweet potato


PER9722 Talstar (bifenthrin) Wireworm 30-Sep-13

PER10273 Bifenthrin Sweet potato weevil & bean spider mite 30-Sep-13

PER12047 Tecto Flowable SC Fungicide (thiabendazole) Field rots caused by scurf & root rot 30-Sep-16

PER13151 Mouseoff and Rattoff Zinc Phosphide Baits House mouse and introduced rats 31-Dec-16

PER13153 Regent 200 SC White-fringed weevil & wireworm 31-Dec-16

PER13352 Chlorpyrifos Sweet potato weevil and wireworm 31-Mar-14

PER10460 Phorate (Thimet 100G) Aphids, thrips, jassids and organophosphate susceptible two-spotted mite and wireworm

1-Jan-13

tomatoes

PER13047 Acramite Miticide Two-spotted mite 30-Sep-13

PER11120 Natrasoap and Neemtech Greenhouse whitefly 30-Sep-13

PER12378 Acephate Western flower thrips 31-oct-15

PER12514 Sencor 480 SC (metribuzin) Weed control 31-Dec-15

PER10934 Buprofezin Greenhouse whitefly 30-Sep-13

turnips



Various vegetables


PER13089 Acrobat Fungicide Downy mildew 30-Sep-13

PER11472 VectoBac WG Biological Larvicide Fungus gnats and sciarids 31-May-14

PER12385 Products containing Copper Various diseases 31-Mar-13

PER13111 Chess Insecticide (pymetrozine) Silverleaf whitefly, lettuce aphid 31-May-14

PER12589 Chlorpyrifos African black beetle and wireworms 30-Jun-12

watermelons


Zucchini



Permits (cont.)

WA GrowerADVERTISING SPECIFICATIONS

FULL PAGE

HALF PAGE

ONE THIRD PAGE

Full page with bleed210mm wide x 297mm high plus 5mm bleed — 220mm wide x 307mm highPlease note that the WA Grower banner will run across the top of all full page adverts.

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Half page without bleed190mm wide x 130mm high

One third page without bleed60mm wide x 254mm high

vegetablesWAHorticultural House103 Outram Street, West Perth 6005

t: (08) 9481 0834 f: (08) 9481 0024e: fi [email protected]

Half page without bleed

WA Grower advertiser contactsName Website Address Contact name Contact number

Bayer Crop Science www.bayercropscience.com.au PO Box 90, Melville WA 6956 Tim Wilke 0427 516 273

Bejo Seeds www.bejo.com.au 460 Hall Road, Skye VIC 3997 Tim Aldridge 0458 685 858

Clause Pacific www.hmclause.com PO Box 475, Bulleen VIC 3105 Kevin Swan 0400 622 314

Fabfert www.spartel.com.au Level 1/342 Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park WA 6017 (08) 9200 6295

Fairbank Seeds www.fairbanks.com.au 13/53 Gateway Blvd, Epping VIC 3076 Bruno Tigani (03) 8401 3346

Global Omega-Gro www.omegagro.com 2 Alerton Way, Booragoon WA 6154 Len Palladino (08) 9315 1844

Haifa Australia www.haifa-group.com Unit 14, 328 Reserve Road, Cheltenham VIC Trevor Dennis (03) 9583 4691

Landmark www.landmark.com.au 32 Farrall Road, Midvale, WA 6056 Aaron Chapman (08) 9274 6800

Michael Vu Contractors www.michaelcontractor.com Michael Vu 0488 708 652

Perth Energy www.perthenergy.com.au Level 4, 165 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth WA 6004 (08) 9420 0300

South Pacific Seeds www.southpacificseeds.com.au 48–50 Willandra Avenue, Griffith NSW 2680 Emma Smith (08) 9331 6356

Think Water Bunbury www.thinkwater.com.au 23 Denning Road, Bunbury WA Mark Sanders (08) 9791 6333

United Crate www.unicrate.com.au 1 Zanni Street, Canning Vale WA 6155 (08) 9455 1540

OnionsHybrids for the premium market

Bejo, a name that stands for quality

www.bejo.com.au

Redwing Monaco

Delgado Moondance

Bejo Seeds Pty Ltd

Cranbourne • Australia

WA Representative

Tim Aldridge

Tel: 0458 685 858

E-mail: [email protected]

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