women in horticulture grower tour: italy and isreal …...president of global strategy &...
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Women in Horticulture Grower Tour: Italy and Isreal 2012
Richard Mulcahy
AUSVEG Ltd
Project Number: VG12704
VG12704
This report is published by Horticulture Australia Ltd to pass on information concerning horticultural research and development undertaken for the vegetables industry.
The research contained in this report was funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd with the financial support of: AUSVEG Ltd the vegetables industry
All expressions of opinion are not to be regarded as expressing the opinion of Horticulture Australia Ltd or any authority of the Australian Government. The Company and the Australian Government accept no responsibility for any of the opinions or the accuracy of the information contained in this report and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions concerning their own interests.
ISBN 0 7341 3148 8 Published and distributed by: Horticulture Australia Ltd Level 7 179 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 © Copyright 2013
Women in Horticulture Grower Tour Italy and Israel
November 2012
21 December 2012
Project Leader: Richard Mulcahy
Project Number: VG12704
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Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 5
Tour participants ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Itinerary ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Tour report .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Day one: Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 November .......................................................................... 9
Day two: Thursday 8 November ...................................................................................................... 9
Day three: Friday 9 November ...................................................................................................... 11
Day four: Saturday 10 November .................................................................................................. 12
Day five: Sunday 11 November ..................................................................................................... 12
Day six: Monday 12 November ..................................................................................................... 13
Day seven: Tuesday 13 November ................................................................................................ 13
Day eight: Wednesday 14 November ............................................................................................ 14
Day nine: Thursday 15 November ................................................................................................. 15
Day ten: Friday 16 November ........................................................................................................ 16
Tour participants’ observations ............................................................................................................ 17
Ortoromi and Cora Seeds .............................................................................................................. 17
Hortech and farm visits ................................................................................................................. 17
Netafim and Makhteshim Agan .................................................................................................... 18
Israeli farm visits and Eden Experiment Station ............................................................................ 19
EIMA International 2012 ....................................................................................................................... 20
Tour participants’ observations from EIMA International 2012 ................................................... 20
Value of the tour – participant observations ........................................................................................ 21
Recommendations for future tours ...................................................................................................... 21
Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 22
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Abstract In November 2012, nine female vegetable growers travelled to Italy and Israel as part of the inaugural Women in Horticulture Grower Study Tour. The tour was designed to further emphasise the role that women play within the Australian horticulture industry and to provide them with the chance to learn from international growers and horticultural experts. The centrepiece of the tour was EIMA International in Bologna, Italy, which is one of the largest agricultural machinery exhibitions in Europe. The tour also featured visits to vegetable producers as well as members of the supply chain and technical experts. Participants were selected from a range of ages and geographical locations, covering all states except Queensland. Growers travelled from their home states to Bologna on 6 and 7 November 2012. The group was led by AUSVEG Assistant Manager – Marketing and Administration, Lauren Winterbottom. EIMA International Expo featured more than 1,700 exhibitors and attracted around 196,000 delegates from agricultural industries across the globe. Feedback on the tour was extremely positive with participants stating that it was a fantastic opportunity to learn from the international community whilst at the same time networking with other females from our domestic industry.
EIMA International
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Introduction The Australian vegetable industry Strategic Investment Plan is central to the planning of a tour. The Strategic Investment Plan outlines three pillars which are focussed on the areas of R&D needed to improve and strengthen the Australian horticultural industry for the next five to ten years. The focus of the tour corresponds with the third pillar: ‘Farm Productivity, Resource Use & Management’. The focus of this pillar is on improving on‐farm efficiency through the development and implementation of new techniques and technologies. A number of areas for development have been identified, including increased mechanisation, the recognition of new and different ways to manage risk, reduction of water usage through smarter irrigation technology and improvement in communication with retailers. These areas were considered during the development of the tour and allowed participants to gain a different perspective and understanding on a number of issues affecting Australian growers. It is acknowledged that international study tours are an important industry tool as they help in developing individuals’ capacity and also facilitate new learning outcomes through knowledge that may otherwise be unobtainable. With support from the National Vegetable Levy, international study tours have provided Australian growers with the opportunity to develop their knowledge base and establish key relationships, not only with their fellow Australian growers and the local industry, but also with international producers and organisations. In an environment where domestic growers are under increasing pressure to source new and multiple markets in order to ensure price protection, identifying international export markets and contacts is a vital opportunity. Growers tour are instrumental in facilitating this process. The inaugural Women in Horticulture Grower Study tour provided female participants the opportunity to witness and understand how both the European and Middle Eastern vegetable industries operate in comparison to the industry in Australia. Machinery exhibition EIMA International had a strong focus on innovation and new technology and encouraged growers to consider their own on‐farm practices and methods to improve their productivity. Other organised visits allowed participants to compare their systems to those of other producers, as well as gaining a more in‐depth understanding of the supply chain and consumer markets and how the industry works together. As part of the tour, the female vegetable growers from around Australia were given the opportunity to visit a number of industry members across Italy and Israel including vegetable producers, research facilities, a seed producer, a machinery producer, a crop protection specialist and an irrigation specialist, as well as attending EIMA International in Bologna, Italy. The purpose of the tour was to provide an opportunity for female growers to build upon their skills and knowledge base so that they can actively contribute to improving and strengthening the horticulture industry in Australia, particularly by promoting the important role that women play within the industry. The participants were led and assisted throughout the tour by Lauren Winterbottom, AUSVEG Assistant Manager – Marketing and Administration. Members of the group evaluated each day throughout the trip on evaluation forms submitted at the tour’s conclusion as well as in their own personal tour booklets.
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Acknowledgements Thanks must go to the many growers and business managers that showed participants through their operations and enlightened them with their business skills and knowledge. The tour was facilitated by HAL in partnership with AUSVEG and was funded through voluntary contributions with matched funding provided by the Australian Government.
Tour participants
Surname First Name Company State Crops
Winterbottom Lauren AUSVEG VIC N/A
Pippo Leanne Fresh@Heart NSW Hydroponic cucumbers
Fahl Elizabeth Riverdale Trust WA Pumpkin, watermelon, table grapes
Chaplin Elizabeth Chaplin Brothers TAS Carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas, broccoli, pumpkin, lettuce, potatoes, onions
Radcliff Heidi Rhebanvale TAS Carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas, broccoli, pumpkin, potatoes, onions
Christie Trish Mungoven Farming NSW Broccoli, cabbage, silverbeet, cauliflower, celery
Germano Emma Germano Cauliflowers VIC Cauliflowers, broccoli, broad beans
Butler Ebony Butler Market Gardens VIC Lettuce, Asian vegetables, herbs
Trethewey Jennifer Kangaroo Island Gold SA Broccoli, seed potatoes
Fiebig Monika Monika’s Organics SA Leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, spring onions, leeks, cabbage, zucchini
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Itinerary Tuesday 6 & Wednesday 7 November Australia – Rome – Bologna. Depart Australia on your specified flight. Group arrival in Rome on Cathay Pacific flight 293, which departs Hong Kong at 12.10am and arrives in Rome at 6.50am. Upon arrival in Rome, board the Leonardo Express at 9.08am to take you to Roma Termini, Rome’s main train station. At 10.20am, board the train from Roma Termini to Bologna Centrale train station, arriving at 12.37pm. Once in Bologna, catch a taxi to your hotel. Welcome to Bologna! The afternoon is free for you to rest or explore at your leisure. Thursday 8 November Bologna – Padova – Bologna. Get breakfast at the hotel, then meet your English speaking tour guide in the hotel lobby and board the private minibus to Ortoromi in Padova. Meet hosts Elio and Rosanna Polosin at 10.00am, who will take you on a guided tour of their 200ha of farming land, including the 50ha covered by greenhouses to ensure production year‐round. Ortoromi market their own produce and have a range of successful product lines. Enjoy lunch with Elio and Rosanna at Ortoromi before departing at 1.00pm. After lunch, hop back on the private minibus and head down to Cesena to visit Cora Seeds. Cora Seeds is involved in the research, production and marketing of a variety of vegetable seeds. At their headquarters, meet with Maurizio Bacchi who will take you on a tour and show you the company’s activities in breeding baby leaf vegetables. Friday 9 & Saturday 10 November Bologna – EIMA International. EIMA International is Europe’s largest agricultural machinery trade show, with the 2012 expo set to be the most expansive yet. The exhibition is set over 130,000m2 and is a world leader due to the high technological level of machinery on display in 14 separated sectors of specialisation. Manufacturers from all over the world bring their best products, as well as previews of their latest products and their most advanced technology. On Friday 9 November, you have a meeting organised at 10.00am with Daniele Di Marco from John Deere. Meet him at the John Deere stand located in the Product Sector of the exhibition. Sunday 11 November Bologna. Following breakfast at the hotel, meet your English speaking tour guide at the Bologna welcome office in the city centre at 10.00am for a half‐day tour of Old Town Bologna. Old Town Bologna has been certified as the world’s largest historical town centre. Explore historical shops before heading to the Medieval Market where you will be treated to tastings of traditional and gourmet products, along with a light lunch and a glass of wine. After lunch, take the rest of the day to explore on your own.
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Monday 12 November Bologna – Padova – Bologna. Get breakfast at the hotel, then meet in the hotel lobby at 8.30am. Your English speaking tour guide will meet you there, along with Luca Casotto from Hortech. Established in 2004, Hortech have received numerous awards for the technological innovations they have introduced into the manufacturing sector of horticultural machinery. Luca will take you to meet several of his customers in both Bologna and Padova, where you will be able to see Hortech machinery on‐farm being used for the harvesting baby leaf and head crops. Enjoy your last evening in Bologna before departure early the next morning. Tuesday 13 November Bologna – Rome – Tel Aviv. Catch a taxi to Bologna Central train station, where you will catch the 2.17am train back to Roma Termini. From there, board the 6.52am Leonardo Express to the airport to board Alitalia Airlines flight AZ812, departing Rome at 11.45am and arriving at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 4.05pm. At the airport you will be met by your English speaking tour guide, who will assist with your transfer to your hotel. Enjoy dinner in the hotel that evening. Wednesday 14 November Tel Aviv – Kibbutz Magal – Airport City – Tel Aviv. Following breakfast at the hotel, board the private bus for your meeting at Netafim. You will be met by Sarit Klaz at the Netafim Kibbutz Magal office, DN Hefer 38845 at 9.30am, where you will be shown around the facilities. The main purpose of the centre is to deliver knowledge about a variety of Netafim's agro‐technologies, such as different greenhouse solutions, open field irrigation systems, peripheral equipment and agro‐machinery. The tour will conclude with lunch in the Kibbutz. Following lunch, hop back aboard the bus to meet with Makhteshim Agan, Golan Street, Airport City 70151. You will be met by Miriam Zabari who has arranged a meeting with Dani Harari, Senior Vice President of Global Strategy & Innovation. Mr Harari will explain Makhteshim Agan’s global strategy, as well as taking you through some of the local initiatives and market trends in Israel. Following the meeting, return to your hotel for dinner. Thursday 15 November Tel Aviv – Northern Israel – Tel Aviv. Get breakfast at the hotel, then board the private bus for a full day of farm visits. Head north of Tel Aviv to meet with Uri Naamti at 9.00am who has a full day in store. You will be taken to several vegetable farms where you will be able to meet the producers and tour the facilities. Uri has also arranged to visit one of Israel’s major research centres, where you will be able
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to see the latest in Israeli R&D. Whilst in the North, enjoy the sites while Uri gives you a tour of the area. After a full day of touring, head back to your hotel in Tel Aviv for dinner. Friday 16 November Tel Aviv – Jerusalem – Tel Aviv. Following breakfast, depart for sight‐seeing in Jerusalem. Visit the Mount of Olives to see a spectacular view of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, before continuing on to the Garden of Gethsemane. Enter the Old City for a tour of the Jewish and Armenian Quarters and walk the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After lunch, walk through the narrow winding street of the Arab Market and view the colourful Bazaars filled with small and exotic shops. Return to your hotel in Tel Aviv in the evening for dinner. Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 November Tel Aviv – Rome – Australia. Transfer to the airport for your Alitalia Airways flight AZ809, departing Tel Aviv at 5.30am and arriving in Rome at 8.20am. Once in Rome, proceed to Cathay Pacific CX292, which departs at 12.25pm and arrives in Hong Kong at 6.50am (Sunday 18 November). Participants to catch their onward connection to their home state.
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Tour report The following report is a collation of the information collected on the tour during farm and merchant visits, EIMA International and in participant evaluations of the tour.
Day one: Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 November The group left Australia and arrived into Rome, Italy at 6.50am on Wednesday 7 November. The group then travelled by high‐speed train to Bologna, arriving in the early afternoon. The rest of the day was used to sightsee and rest.
Day two: Thursday 8 November On the first full day in Italy the group met with Elio Polosin from Ortoromi. Ortoromi is a major farming enterprise producing baby leaf vegetables and which also market their own produce with several successful lines. Participants were interested to discover that Elio had not always been involved in the vegetable industry and did not have a growing background. Prior to working at Ortoromi, Elio held a sales position and then moved into the wholesale of fruit and vegetables. Noticing a gap in the market for pre‐packaged salads, he decided to enter into partnership with two farming families and the company Ortoromi was established.
The group was treated to a tour of the processing facility, where the baby leaf vegetables are washed and packed before being transported to supermarkets for sale. Participants were able to see the processing of mixed‐leaf salads. After picking, the leaves are triple‐washed by a number of machines before being mixed together and packaged into the bags and plastic containers that they are sold in. Labels are also applied. Currently, the machinery is set‐up wherever it fits inside the facility and the group was told that over the next year it will be moved to a new facility where everything will be arranged in a straight line to improve efficiency. Elio explained that only 20% of their product is marketed under their own brand. The other 80% is labelled as the supermarket’s home brand. The packaging requirements resonated with participants as a few sell direct to supermarkets and are also unable to have their own brand name on their products, instead having to label them as the supermarket brand.
(L – R): Product going through the second washing stage and product being packaged for retail sale
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The group was told that the majority of the product stays within Italy, with Ortoromi’s primary market being Northern Italy. A small amount is also exported to Germany, Austria and Hungary. Participants were curious about whether people in Italy preferred to buy baby leaf vegetables loose or in pre‐packed bags. Interestingly, only about 30% of consumers in Italy buy pre‐packaged vegetables, with the majority choosing to purchase loose leaf vegetables. Many of the group felt that the trend was opposite in Australia, due to the convenience factor associated with purchasing pre‐packaged products. Once the group had toured the processing and packing facility, they were taken to one of Ortoromi’s greenhouses, located near Venice. The greenhouse was approximately 28 hectares in size and was the largest owned by the company. Participants were able to have a good look around the greenhouse where Elio’s son, Fabio, managed the operations. The greenhouses enable Ortoromi to continue producing throughout winter when it is too cold to grow in open fields. The group was amazed that Ortoromi manage to get eight crop rotations a year in each tunnel of the greenhouse. In between each rotation there is a week’s rest period. The group was also interested to hear that Ortoromi use machine harvest, which reduces both labour and time. Currently all participants on the tour harvest their crops by hand.
The expansive greenhouses at Ortoromi
After enjoying a late lunch with Elio and Fabio the group moved on to meet with Cora Seeds. Cora Seeds was established in 2006. The group met with Andrea Casadei and Pamela Bellini who provided a presentation on the company. Cora Seeds originally focused on onions, trying to create varieties that were of a certain size and with skin that did not crack. Since the company’s establishment they have since expanded into other vegetables and fruit. The group was interested to discover that Cora Seeds have actually begun advertising their products in consumer magazines aimed at the general public to encourage them to eat more healthily and directing them towards certain varieties of fruit and vegetables. These advertisements also explain how the crop is grown so that the consumer gets the full story, from paddock to plate. Participants felt that similar advertising would be successful in Australia. Pamela and Andrea explained that they have been very successful in such a short amount of time because, as a company, they control the whole process. To create a new line, the company uses selective breeding. This method can result in a new line within two years, rather than five or six years. It only takes Cora Seeds around seven generations to create a clean line. To force breeding, two lines are enclosed together with flies. It was explained that bees do not work as well as they
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need to return to a hive, whereas flies simply hop from plant to plant, thereby transferring the pollen. The group was told that ‘baby’ vegetables are becoming increasingly popular in Italy, as family sizes are becoming smaller and people don’t want to buy large amounts of vegetables to reduce waste. Participants felt that this was similar to the situation in Australia as ‘baby’ vegetables are becoming more popular to reduce waste and also for reasons such as taste (sweetness) and visual appeal. Participants were impressed also to learn that Cora Seeds is an independent seed company, rather than being owned by a chemical company. In Australia, Cora Seeds distributes through Lefroy Valley.
Day three: Friday 9 November The group spent the day at EIMA International, Europe’s largest machinery exhibition with over 1,700 exhibitors. EIMA had an extremely heavy focus on innovation and new technology and had a number of displays showcasing machinery which had been judged as the best for the year due to various characteristics such as design. Daniele Di Marco from John Deere welcomed the group to EIMA and provided a brief introduction to John Deere and farming generally in Italy. The group was amazed to hear that the average farm size in Italy is only eight hectares, yet they are one of the major vegetable producers in Europe. The group spent the rest of the day navigating the exhibition. On the first day the growers found the expo to be extremely large and unusually organised with machinery spread over 18 halls, however most found what they were looking for. Many participants admitted that although they did not deal directly with the machinery on‐farm, they found the exhibition to be interesting. The machinery was extremely varied and covered all aspects of agriculture, including livestock and home gardening.
The tour group at the John Deere stand at EIMA International
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Day four: Saturday 10 November This was the second and final day at EIMA. After wandering extensively on Friday, the group had a better idea of where things were located and used the day to gather more information on things of interest to them. Many had also spoken to their partners in Australia who were able to give them advice on what to ask more questions about in terms of machinery.
Day five: Sunday 11 November On Sunday the group had a private tour of Bologna where they were shown the local sights. Bologna is one of the oldest cities in Italy and is the home of the world’s first university, established in 12AD. The tour ended with a tasting for lunch at 1.00pm, after which the participants were able to explore Bologna on their own.
Fountain of Neptune, Bologna
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Day six: Monday 12 November On Monday the group was taken to several farms by Luca Casotto, the owner and Export Manager of machinery company Hortech. Hortech manufacture harvesters, planters and bed‐makers, with harvesters being their strongest product. The group was interested to learn that Australia is the only country outside Italy that Hortech sells direct to. This set a good tone for the day as the group knew they would be able to communicate directly with Luca if they had any questions post‐tour. The first visit was to a lettuce and herb producer, where Luca showed the group the machinery and explained its functionality. Unfortunately we were unable to see a demonstration of the machinery as it was too wet and we were unable to see the actual farm. Participants were again interested in seeing the harvesting machines as they currently all harvest by hand.
Luca explaining how the lettuce harvester works The group then visited a lettuce producer and met with farmer Massimo Castellari, who explained that the harvester was one of the best purchases he had made due to the reduction in costs of labour and time. However, the harvester could only be used in open fields due to the size and was not able to operate within their greenhouse facilities. Following lunch, Luca showed the group around his factory where we were able to get a closer look at the production of the machinery. Everything made by the company is fully assembled in Italy and then shipped around the world. The group was impressed with Luca’s commitment to the company ‐ when he sells a piece of machinery, generally he goes to the farm to demonstrate to the client exactly how to use it.
Day seven: Tuesday 13 November Tuesday was a travel day for the group. Participants caught a train to Rome where they transferred to their flight to Tel Aviv. Once the group arrived in Tel Aviv the remainder of the day was used to rest.
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Day eight: Wednesday 14 November Today the group visited Netafim and Makhteshim Agan where they met with senior executives. The group visit to Netafim was extremely interesting as many of the participants use Netafim products on their farms. We were shown the various experimental greenhouses where the focus was on developing innovative solutions to water supply yet maintaining a low cost. The group was interested to learn that Netafim was involved in supplying water to small farmers in arid countries, such as Africa. Once we had viewed the greenhouses, the group met with Eytan Markovitz, Managing Director – North East Asia, who provided an overview of Netafim and also identified some of their more recent projects. The group was fascinated to learn that the Arava Desert is the largest growing region in Israel, despite receiving almost no rainfall. It really highlighted how little water is actually needed to produce vegetables successfully. After lunch in the kibbutz the group moved on to meet with Dani Harari, Senior Vice President of Global Strategy and Innovation, at Makhteshim Agan. Mr Harari explained that due to the high level of technical knowledge obtained from being in the armed forces, Israel is the perfect place for technical innovation to occur. They are therefore extremely advanced in terms of innovation technology and there is also a large investment into research and development to further this. These innovations mean that despite reducing levels of resources such as water, production is actually increasing.
The group with Dani Harari and Anna Wood from Makhteshim Agan
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Day nine: Thursday 15 November The group visited several farms with Uri Naamati from the Israeli Field Crop Growers Association. Israeli growers measure in dunums, with one dunum equating to 0.1 hectares. Once this was explained, the participants were able to compare the size of the farms we saw to their own. Mr Naamati took us first to visit Oron Rav‐Tal, a cabbage and broccoli grower. There were several growers on the tour who produced broccoli. The participants were at first shocked by the volume of broccoli Oron is able to produce, however it was soon realised that he produces vegetables for the processing market and is therefore able to allow the heads to become much bigger than would be acceptable in the fresh market. The tour group was also able to witness the drip‐irrigation that was displayed at Netafim in use.
Broccoli being grown either side of a line of drip‐irrigation
The group was also shown corn production and visited a garlic and onion farm. It was amazing to see growth when the ground was so dry and cracked. Shimon Gilboa from the Plant Protection Extension Service run by the Ministry of Agriculture explained that in Israel there is a similar problem to Australia with the quality of imported garlic and they are trying to encourage consumers to buy only what is produced in Israel. Ms Gilboa also explained to the group about the support on offer for farmers in each area. The group was interested to learn that no one owns land in Israel, instead renting it from the government for 99 year periods. Many of the participants expressed that they prefer to have ownership of the land. Mr Naamati also arranged for the group to meet with Yossi Kanner, Managing Director of Gezer Schulot, a large carrot company. Mr Kanner provided insight into Israel’s large export market and explained how all produce that is grown has to meet European standards in order to be exported. Unfortunately the plant was not in operation at this time of year and as such we were unable to see
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it functioning, however, Mr Kanner did show several videos of the extensive washing and grading process that the carrots go through. After lunch the group visited Eden Experiment Station where they met with Dr Zion Deko. Dr Deko showed the group through the experimental greenhouses, which was extremely relevant to some of the participants as they either already had greenhouses or were looking to employ them on farm. Dr Deko explained the unique steps he had taken to produce high‐quality tomatoes despite the soil being unsuitable to produce anything. These steps involved creating a ‘substitute soil’ out of volcanic matter and using bees to pollinate naturally, amongst other techniques. The new greenhouse heating technique that was being tested utilised solar power and was also extremely interesting. The group agreed that more environmentally friendly processes should be used in vegetable production.
The solar heating technique being trialled at Eden Experiment Station
The group responded extremely well to the enthusiasm Dr Deko showed for his research, with many claiming at the time that it was the highlight for them. After a full day of farm visits the group visited the Bet She’an National Park where they were given a tour and local history was explained.
Day ten: Friday 16 November Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, the group was unable to visit Jerusalem on Friday as planned.
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Tour participants’ observations
Ortoromi and Cora Seeds
"Elio was very interesting and open. His packing sheds were amazing. The green house was massive and extremely interesting for me."
"Cora Seeds mainly focussed on onions but the story behind the company and how they work was very interesting. They will definitely be a company to watch in the future as they grow."
"Ortoromi was highly mechanized and automated which was amazing; both the farm and processing enterprise. To see the scale – huge. Vertically integrated to a very high standard and complicated level of ability to service a number of customers with varying needs and specifications of vegie mixes, packaging and presentation, and pricing and generic – just amazing."
"Cora Seeds was a business with integrity – taking advantage of the market demand for non GMO technology seed traits development, to cash in on the opportunity in Europe of non GMO, and maintaining their position outside of the giants like Monsanto. Interesting to learn that their new technology to fast track their genetic selection process is taking years off the whole process."
"Elio was very generous with his time and hospitality. To see the production facility and greenhouses was inspirational."
"Cora Seeds was extremely informative. It really rounded out the tour to see the industry from a seeds perspective."
Hortech and farm visits
"Luca was a very intelligent man who has done extremely well for himself. The only disappointment for this day was the weather but as we all know that can’t be helped. To see the green houses and the different ways they are set up and used has given us some food for thought."
"Due to poor weather, not being able to walk around more of the farms outside was unfortunate, but still great. Farmers were very willing to share their farming practices and the benefits to the farm as a result of mechanizing their harvest practice. They also have same issues as we do with producing veg. Also amazing to see another large greenhouse operation with so little staff to actually work hands on. "
"Very interesting to see exactly how some of this highly mechanized farming equipment is actually made from the start to the finished product, also how Luca went to Queensland with his harvesting machine to set it up and ensure that everything works and that the farmer knows how to operate it correctly."
"Luca was a great host and very generous with his time. It was great to see a range of farm sizes – small, medium and large – all in all, an excellent on‐farm day."
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Netafim and Makhteshim Agan
"We use Netafim products so it was good to hear the history behind the company. To see the company is just not about making money, but helping the poorer countries with their research on basic irrigation systems was fantastic.
"The visit to Makhteshim Agan was very interesting. Dani was a wealth of knowledge on many subjects. I do not deal with the chemical side of things on our farm so I learnt quite a lot."
"Netafim’s business and technology, history and where they sell their products was very interesting. To hear their story about how they started and now they have the world’s best practice and sell all over the world – amazing. Also very interesting to hear about the kibbutz; lunch was great in the kibbutz community setting."
"Even though I am an organic producer I was excited to listen and learn about [Makhteshim Agan]. Very interesting how they produce softer chemicals to meet global changes in chemical use as a result of consumer demand, health , sustainable soils, environment etc . I was also excited to hear that they are currently working on a project using pheromones as a means to control insect problems and to reduce chemical use – fantastic!"
"Netafim was excellent and it was great to see the work they are doing in developing countries. The kibbutz was excellent and a good experience."
One of the experimental greenhouses at Netafim
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Israeli farm visits and Eden Experiment Station
"I found the farm visits very interesting and the farmers very knowledgeable on their crops. They did very well with the language barrier and it was good to talk with the farmers themselves."
"Uri was very nice and also a wealth of knowledge. As he has stayed in Australia he was the perfect tour guide! It was a pity the carrot factory was not working and we did not tour that, but can’t do everything."
"The research centre would have been my most valued part of the trip! Dr Deko is very passionate about his work and it showed. The heating research was of great interest to me and would like to see the results for the beginning of the year. His other ideas in the greenhouse of training the crop a different way was also of great interest, but I can foresee some problems with that. I have the feeling that with more time spent with him he could have showed us more. He is someone to keep on the list of visits for any greenhouse growers you have touring."
"The carrot farm was interesting especially as we also got to hear about the processing side of the business and their markets. They also grow some organic carrots for the EU. Yosi was happy to share with me information about the organic side of their business."
"The farm visits and research centre were excellent and Uri was an extremely knowledgeable guide."
Israeli farm visits (clockwise from top left): Oron Rav‐Tal explaining his business, Dr Deko showing the group his tomatoes, the group talking to Tamar Alon from the Plant Protection Extension Service,
Eytan from Gezer Schulot
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EIMA International 2012 EIMA International was the centerpiece of the tour. It allowed participants to view the very latest innovations in technology and also provided the group the chance to make vital networking contacts with international companies. Growers were able to explore the exhibition on their own so that they could find the information and machinery most interesting and relevant to their businesses.
Tour participants’ observations from EIMA International 2012
"The amount of heavy machinery in one place was out of this world!"
"Interesting to see new tractors – and new designs of small tractors – and all the other equipment – I managed to locate 2 businesses that had mechanized weeder machines, one of which I had not seen before."
"The exhibition was amazing and really impressive. It was great to be in a group as you got to see things that other people were interested in. This was a great learning opportunity for me."
"There were so many good ideas which we could implement on our farm."
EIMA International (clockwise from top left): group outside EIMA, harvesting machine, Tractor of the
Year – Most Innovative Design, Tractor of the Year
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Value of the tour – participant observations
"Excellent networking opportunities. Doors were opened to opportunities that are not available in Australia."
"Definite educational benefits. I would definitely recommend this tour to other female growers."
"I loved every minute of it. I was able to absorb all sorts of new information as well as validate what I already do on‐farm by comparing it to others. It was fantastic to meet new people with a great knowledge about agriculture."
"It was great for women to be able to get out and see things too!"
Recommendations for future tours 1. From the comments received, the Women in Horticulture tour was a valuable experience and
should continue to operate. The group agreed that an all‐female tour was extremely worthwhile and allowed them the chance to network and to establish friendships with growers across the country.
2. EIMA International provided a wealth of information however it was commented that this
particular exhibition may be of more value to male growers as they tend to deal with the machinery on‐farm more than women. Many of the female growers felt that the packaging and retail side of the industry would be more beneficial to them as most were involved in their company’s branding and other marketing aspects of the business..
3. The general consensus was that the Australian winter would be a better time to travel as this
is a quieter period. This would also match up to the European summer, meaning the group would be able to see more on‐farm activity.
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Summary The various farm and research visits provided the group with information and ideas about how other countries operate in the industry. Many of these enterprises were implementing technology that growers on the tour did not currently use and the group was able to view these in action. The technical visits also offered a perspective from the supply‐chain and afforded the growers the opportunity to ask questions in an open environment. EIMA International was a great opportunity to not only witness some of the brand new, state of the art technology and machinery that is being developed, but to also make valuable business contacts with companies from around the world. One of the suggestions identified was that EIMA International would be more suited to a group of male growers. Whilst the group found it enjoyable and informative, it was commented by many of the growers that they do not deal directly with the machinery on their farms and that at first they were not sure what to look for and that it may be more beneficial for future women’s tours to focus on the marketing and packaging aspects of horticulture Overall, the tour was deemed to be highly successful with all the participants who provided feedback stating that they would recommend the tour to other female growers.