CONTENTS Australian Fruitgrower APAL’s CEO report . 4 Publishers Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) is a APAL news . 5 not-for-profit organisation that supports and provides services to Australia’s commercial apple and pear growers. EVENTS Suite G01, 128 Jolimont Road, East Melbourne VIC 3002 Blush pear orchard walk . .6 t: (03) 9329 3511 f: (03) 9329 3522 w: www.apal.org.au Spring 2017 Future Orchards walks . .7 Managing Editor State Roundup . 9 05 Currie Communications e: [email protected] Technical Editor MARKETING/EXPORTING Angus Crawford Hort Innovation marketing update . .12 e: [email protected] Apple and pear export strategy . .14 Advertising The publishers accept no responsibility for the BIOSECURITY contents of advertisements. All advertisements are New industry biosecurity plan . .16 accepted in good faith and the liability of advertising content is the responsibility of the advertiser. PROFILE Pulse Hub Drive and passion power Prima Fresh . .18 m: 0429 699 553 | e: [email protected] 18 Graphic Design Vale Graphics ORCHARD MANAGEMENT e: [email protected] Setting up your 2018 crop . .23 Copyright How does Qfly survive winter . .28 All material in Australian Fruitgrower is copyright. NO material can be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher. RESEARCH While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of Climate changing in growing regions . .30 contents, APAL accepts no liability for the information. PGR use in pears . .33 Disclaimer Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) and APAL make no representations and expressly disclai m R&D update . 38 33 all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in Weather, quiz and crossword . 39 Australian Fruitgrower . Reliance on any information provided by Hort Innovation and APAL is entirely at your OUR COVER: Steele Jacob, WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional own risk. Hort Innovation and APAL are not responsible Development, and WA Minister for Agriculture and Food Alannah MacTiernan with for, and will not be liable for, any loss, damage, claim, expense, cost (including legal costs) or other liability Bravo™ apples (read more pg 5) (Photo: Peter Maloney, WA Department of Primary arising in any way, including from any Hort Innovation, Industries and Regional Development). APAL or other person’s negligence or otherwise from your Edition Booking and Editorial copy deadline Ad material deadline use or non-use of Australian Fruitgrower , or from reliance on information contained in the material or that Hort Dec2017/Jan 2018 23 October 2017 6 November 2017 Innovation or APAL provide to you by any other means. Feb/Nov 2017 8 January 2018 15 January 2018 ISSN 1447-5618 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS APAL would like to thank our partners who provide us This publication is funded by Hort Innovation using the apple and pear research and development with funding and support. levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Each edition also features a small number of pages funded separately by APAL/APAL partners. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture. www.apal.org.au AUSTRALIAN FRUITGROWER October/November 2017 03 FROM THE CEO Grower meetings and export goals By Phil Turnbull CEO, APAL ugust and September have been We have finished our own internal biggest growing and packing operations very busy months at APAL once recruiting process and new Director of in the world. The feedback from the A again with lots of activities on th e Global Development Andrew Hooke 28 participants was that it was an go, including grower meetings in NSW and joined APAL this month. We also extremely worthwhile investment for Victoria and staff overseas representing welcomed Amy Larking in September in their businesses. the industry at Asia Fruit Logistica, Hong the new position of Legal Counsel, We also saw the release of the Apple Kong; the International Pink Lady Allianc e advising on licensing issues related to & Pear Industry Export Development conference, Thailand; and running our grower APAL’s Pink Lady ® commercial business . Strategy by Hort Innovation. Importantly study tour to Washington State, USA. Whilst on leave from his current employ er, this work prioritises markets, including With APAL Director representing NSW Andrew Hooke was able to accompany markets we do not have access to, and Greg Mouat, I visited Sydney Produce myself and other APAL staff to the therefore puts robust criteria around Markets and NSW growers in Bilpin, important Asia Fruit Logistica event in where we invest resources. Whilst Batlow and Orange. The consistent themes Hong Kong. Export is a key goal for the setting a goal of ten percent of production were the weakness in the domestic industry and it was pleasing to see so for export in the next ten years, it outlines market and the lack of meaningful expor t many Australian exporters at the event the approach our industry should take to markets, both a priority for APAL. and the interest shown in Australian become long-term, sustainable export ers. apple and pears. APAL Director representing Victoria September also saw the launch of the Kevin Sanders and Pears Director Chris The International Pink Lady Association new Biosecurity Plan for the Apple and Fairless and I also met Goulburn Valley (IPLA) conference was held in Bangkok Pear Industry by Plant Health Australia. growers and packers at a breakfast in where we had a very fruitful series of Endorsed by APAL, the commonwealth Shepparton and discussed concerns meetings with our global Pink Lady government and all state and territory regarding the outlook for pears and the stakeholders outlining our goals for an governments, and a strategic levy need to grow markets and demand. We internationally coordinated marketing investment under the Hort Innovation also met Gippsland growers for a meetin g approach and unveiling the new Pink Apple and Pear Fund, the plan constitute s in Drouin. Fruit Growers Victoria Ltd Lady rebranding (more details on that an agreed guide for biosecurity activities (FGVL) have recently appointed new to come in future editions). for industry and government over the directors to their board including Brent next five years. Reeve, Thom Phillips, Elizabeth Mace Technical Manager Angus Crawford and Michael Wynne. We look forward conducted a fully-subscribed tour of APAL’s AGM will be held in Melbourne to working with the incoming Board and Washington State, USA, where growers on November 30 and we look forward the staff on areas of mutual interest. were given insights into some of the to seeing many of you there. :afg New catalogue availableailable now! www.factree.com.au ĂůůŽƵƌ ŽĸĐĞ ƚŽ ĚŝƐĐŽǀĞƌ ŶĞǁ ĐƵůƟǀĂƌƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ͚'ĂůĂǀĂů͛A͕ ͚͚njƚĞĐ͕͛ Phone: (03) 9999 1999 ͚>:ϭϬϬϬ͛A;ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ ZŽLJĂů ZĞĚ ,ŽŶĞLJĐƌŝƐƉTM ŝŶ ƚŚĞ h^Ϳ ĂŶĚ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐŝŶŐ ŶĞǁ A A [email protected] ƌŽŽƚƐƚŽĐŬƐĨƌŽŵ ŽƌŶĞůů hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ͚'͘ϭϭ͕͛ ͚'͘ϰϭΖ ĂŶĚ ͚'͘ϮϬϮΖ . dƌĞĞƐƐƟůů ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĨĨŽŽƌ ƉůĂŶƟŶŐ ϮϬϭϳ 04 AUSTRALIAN FRUITGROWER October/November 2017 www.apal.org.au APAL NEWS Bravo branded apples head to Singapore in export trial Western Australia has celebrated the first export shipment of WA-bred Bravo™ branded apples to Singapore. The apples, grown and packed in the Manjimup region, are destined for food markets and leading supermarkets in Singapor e. This trial consignment is part of work by the WA apple industry , with funding support from the State Government, to take Bravo apples to the world, helping to grow the sector and create new jobs in the regions. Fruit West Co-operative Ltd is managing the commercialisatio n of the variety in Australia and has been granted $440,000 through the Agricultural Sciences Research and Development Fund to support export development. The apple, distinguishable for its rich burgundy colour, is from Apple breeder Steele Jacob from the WA Department of Primary the variety ANABP 01 which was bred at the Department Industries and Regional Development (lt) and WA Minister for of Primary Industries and Regional Development's research Agriculture and Food Alannah MacTiernan (rt) farewell a shipment of Bravo™ apples on its way to Singapore (Photo: Peter Maloney, facilities in Manjimup. WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development). In its second year of commercial sales, the variety has had stron g uptake from the apple industry, with more than 60 growers across Australia having planted the variety in their orchards. Adds Up Engineering Pty Ltd “Bravo is a fantastic example of premium produce bred here Product knowledge and service Adds Up to value in WA by our own agricultural researchers and now being shared with the world,” said WA Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan. “This apple will capture the attention of consumers worldwide and follow in the footsteps of other successful locally bred apples, including Pink Lady ®. TH A typical installation EY REALLY DO W ORK ! WITH This trial shipment will benefit ANABP 01 growers across 5,400L at a pump shed MANY CUSTOMERS 2,000L PLACING S Australia with work around promotion and consumer profiling 1,000L UBSEQUENT ORDERS to open the doors to export into Asian markets. Our agitation rotates the bottom to top every 10 seconds OUR FERTIGATION INJECTION Fruit West Cooperative Limited and marketers WA Farm Direct holding products in suspension SYSTEMS ARE ECOLOGICAL or dissolving them have recently returned from promoting the Bravo™ branded Speci!cations apples at Asia’s leading trade show, Asia Fruit Logistica in Hon g • 5,400L, 2,000L or 1,000L capacity Kong, where the apple was very well received. (all with spherical shaped tank base). 1,000L Unit • Strong galvanized steel base with Source: mediastatements.wa.gov.au :afg fork lifting capabilities. • E!cient mechanical agitation variable speed.