Vine magazine November 2023 by Vine magazine

Protected cropping ON THE RISE

M E E T YO U R

NEW

Field Officer

VOLUME 19 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2023 | ATGA SECURES MARKETING PROGRAM TAKING HEAVY LIFTING OUT OF TIPPING | INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

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Contents 4

Cover story Protecting assets

26 News Growers vote on future of dried grape industry

News Michael takes on new challenge

28 Pest & disease Flick the thrip

10 ATGA news Chair & CEO report

32 Pest & disease Managing grapevine disease with UV-C

ATGA news Future planning

34 Marketing Spotlight on Jesse White

DFA news Chair & CEO report

35 Insights Dried grape insights

DFA news Reflecting on project

36 Processing & marketing Promising outlook for 2024

Table grape news International marketing win

37 Processing & marketing Focus on industry rebuild

Dried grape news Letting nature do the work

38 Profile Nathan Walker

Prune news Global prune industry update

39 Community Notice board

20 Insights Table grape investment snapshot 2022/23 21

39 Board members

Insights Dried grape investment snapshot 2022/23

22 News Managing the risks of labour mobility 24 News Building to a brighter season

The Vine is a joint publication of the Australian table grape and dried fruits industries. For editorial and advertising enquiries, contact: Dried Fruits Australia T: (03) 5023 5174 E: admin@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au W: www.driedfruitsaustralia.org.au Australian Table Grape Association P: 0438 316 339 E: tmilner@atga.net.au W: www.australiangrapes.com.au Editorial committee: DFA Thomas Cheung, Megan Frankel-Vaughan ATGA Jeff Scott, Terryn Milner Design: Kylie Norton Design Printing: Sunnyland Press Cover photo: Protected cropping in table grapes. Photography by David Sickerdick. © Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited 2023 This publication has been funded by Hort Innovation using the table grape and dried grape levies and funds from the Australian Government. Wherever you see a Hort Innovation logo, the initiative is part of the Table Grape, Dried Grape, Dried Tree Fruit or Prune Fund. Some projects also involve funding from additional sources.

Table Grapes

Dried Grapes

Combined Industries

Prunes

Optimistic outlook for new season The November to January window of time is one of anticipation - but also cautious optimism. With bated breath we overlook our vineyards - a forecast drier summer coming, vines growing luscious canopies with berries forming, and the disease pressures of last year hopefully behind us. Key for both the table grape and dried grape industries has been marketing on a global scale. For the first time in four years, the dried fruit industry returned to reconnect with European markets, while the table grape industry looks forward to a new dawn for its international marketing program. – from the team

For further publication details, see page 39

VINE MAGAZINE 3

C OV E R STO RY

Protecting assets Protected cropping – or protected cultivation – is on the rise for table grapes.

individual rows, to covers spanning

While growing grapes under covers

“More recently, we’re seeing a large

is nothing new for table grape

variety of designs and adaptations

producers around the world, protected

of trellising systems which help

cropping in Australia has evolved

elevate the covers off the vine’s

significantly since table grape covers

foliage and allow for greater air flow.

were first used in the early 1990s. As innovative protected cropping materials and structures are appearing all over the country, we take a look at how and why growing grapes with protective methods has changed.

Under wraps Over the years, agronomic and production practices and knowledge have evolved in parallel with technologies available for trellising, and agricultural plastic

multiple rows, such as greenhouse style setups which have openings at either end to allow air flow,” Karen said.

“Elevated covers, while they provided greater air flow, also require stronger, more durable structures to be able to withstand wind, something producers Australia-wide are investing in. "Lately we've seen a boom in experimentation as new materials become available and technology advances, including using high masts that extend further from the trellis in varying sizes and designs, or inverted V-trellis formations, for example."

and netting composition.

Combining strengths

Now, combination covers, permanent

Horticultural producers Australia-wide

covers, temporary covers, and netting are all used in a variety of combinations and designs to help producers manage the effects of variable climate conditions and varietal vulnerability, and increase water use efficiency. They’re

have used netting to protect fruit from hail, wind and predator damage for decades now, a practice which table grape producers are adopting in increasing fashion all over the country.

also used to advance harvest and

Producers are increasingly using

perhaps enter the market earlier than

permanent netting structures

competitors, or to extend harvest by

to help provide extra assurance

keeping viable fruit on the vine longer.

during the season.

Originally, covers were placed

Until recently, the Federal Government

directly on top of vines, which

provided co-contribution funds for

could create a unique microclimate,

horticultural producers to install

providing a suitable environment

netting over established productions,

for pest and disease development

with state governments delivering

– something Australian Table

the programs across the country.

Grape Association industry development officer Karen Connolly said had changed with knowledge and adoption of new practices, particularly over the past 10 years.

The netting program built on the success of a similar program for apple and pear producers and was extended to support all horticultural producers (excluding wine-grapes)

“The industry has seen covers evolve

to develop resilience and respond to

from being placed directly on top of

Australia’s ever-changing climate.

4 VINE MAGAZINE

VINE MAGAZINE 5

While permanent netting structures require a significant upfront investment in terms of materials and labour, the ongoing savings in labour, reduction of damage and viable undamaged fruit later in the season could be greatly beneficial to producers.

In Western Australia, growers like

Growers reported the introduction of

Graeme Roscic are managing their

covers as “revolutionising industry”.

bird concerns by fixing bird netting

Alongside the adoption of using

year-round underneath the vines from

sulphur pads to increase shelf-life, the

post to post which is raised on either

covers were instrumental in allowing

side of the vine, when needed, to cover

producers to control environmental

the fruiting zone, and secured to the

factors with greater capacity – rather

Using a combination of netting and covers would also give dual protection.

third foliage wire above the fruit.

than being controlled by them.

“We have so many birds, lorikeets

Over the past 30 years, as

“The netting provides protection from hail, wind and dust, while the plastic provides cover from rains during flowering and later in the season from

in particular, and five years ago I

Australian table grape exports

purchased rolls of bird netting for $500-

have increased – particularly since

600 a roll,” he said. “Based on the amount

2015/16 during the production boom

of damage the birds do, it’s well worth

– producers have had to adapt to

sun and late-season rains,” Karen said.

investing in bird netting – the return on

changing market requirements and

On or off

investment is significant and these rolls

competitive market conditions.

Temporary covers and netting are commonly used, with application styles and timing varying, however these remain labour-intensive.

will last probably another five years.”

Through the years While table grape producers in Europe had been growing grapes

Knowledge, technology and innovation has played a large role in assisting producers to adopt new practices and help build their business’s resilience.

Plastic cover designs have evolved in terms of composition and flexibility, which means they can be rolled up tighter and fixed to higher masts, rather than completely removed - potentially

under covers since the 1950s, the

While some of the emerging

foundations of protective cropping

protected cropping systems are

didn’t really take off in Australia until

complex and elaborate, others are

the early 1990s, when producers in

simple, yet innovative solutions

Sunraysia began to install covers.

adapted from existing systems.

saving on labour time and costs.

Overnight, it seems, producers

“One thing that’s obvious, we know

In Queensland and Western Australia, temporary netting has been a gamechanger for managing pests, such as Queensland fruit fly, and birds.

saw the benefit of applying woven

table grape producers are inventive,

or plastic covers over grapevine

and resourceful,” Karen said. “They’re

rows to protect against a range

doing all they can to protect their

of environmental concerns.

assets – quite literally!”v

6 VINE MAGAZINE

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IS YOUR

CROP PROTECTED? SCAN HERE

Michael takes on new challenge CO NT R IB UT IO N TO INDUSTRY CONTINUES

A familiar face has joined Dried Fruits Australia as the new industry development officer. Researcher and former dried grape grower Michael Treeby has joined the team and is looking forward

grape business from about 1992 to 2021. Michael has already worked in many areas of the dried grape industry,

vines can take full advantage of the climate, advanced trellising systems and vineyard layouts being used.

including research and industry

He is keen to share that

development, but this will be his first

knowledge with growers.

industry development officer role. “I know a lot of growers – some

“Nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in our sandy soils,” he said.

to contributing to an industry that

I even grew up with,” he said.

has driven most of his career.

“I’m looking forward to working

to demonstrate to growers the

with them, and working closely

importance of fertiliser programs to

with the Innovation Committee.

support their ongoing productivity.

up on a dried grape property, after his

“It’s a different role for me. Generally,

“Because they may not see a response

grandfathers were soldier settlers

I’m the person called in to talk

to fertiliser in that season, they

at Red Cliffs after World War I.

at field walks, now I’ll be running

abandon it and think it’s a waste of

them. It’s a whole new skillset.”

money. Fertiliser results will be a

Michael has been involved in the dried grape industry all his life, having grown

Michael's parents owned and ran

Michael said it could be challenging

multi-season plan,” he explained.

his paternal grandfather’s original

Michael’s key area of expertise is plant

allocation, which he and his wife Jenny

mineral nutrition, and how to manage

“The decisions you make now

later bought and ran as a wine and dried

vineyard fertiliser supply to ensure

really affect not just this season,

8 VINE MAGAZINE

producing sought-after premium

“It’s a good industry to be in.

dried vine fruit for discerning

It’s producing a clean, healthy

customers around the globe”.

and good quality product.”

than 10 tonnes to the hectare, and

With growers having faced two

Dried Fruits Australia CEO

Michael says there’s no reason

difficult seasons of disease pressure

Thomas Cheung welcomed

more couldn’t do the same.

and wet weather, Michael said it was

Michael to his new role.

but the next season too.” The top Australian dried grape growers consistently produce more

“We need to be right up there productivity-wise,” he said. “When you do the sums and look at the numbers, if you’re fairly productive – 10 tonne plus per hectare – you’re pretty

important they use the tools and resources already at their disposal.

together in the dried fruit industry

being able to spray strategically, using

on various projects and forums.

the advice, is absolutely critical,” he said. The Australian dried grape industry

those other seemingly high-value crops.

continues its legacy of gadget day

up and being highly productive, then you can take advantage of

for many years, having worked

“Access to the GrowCare model, and

competitive with almonds and some of “It’s about keeping those inputs

Thomas said he had known Michael

ethos and sharing of ideas and innovations – an attribute Michael says ensures its evolution.

“I am very delighted with his further commitment to DFA,” Thomas said. “His knowledge, experience and technical skills will elevate DFA’s service to growers to another level. I look forward to working closely

mechanisation and the return on

“The spirit of innovation is really

with him, supporting him in fulfilling

capital investment is much greater.”

quite strong in the industry,” he said.

his passion – contributing more

Whilst acknowledging that the

“These guys aren’t competing with

industry is unlikely to return to the

each other – if anything they’ve got

scale it was at its peak, it can still

a vested interest in making sure

be a “highly productive, mechanised

their neighbours and fellow dried

industry profitably and reliably

fruit producers are up there.

to the dried fruits industry.” v

VINE MAGAZINE 9

ATGA N E W S

Industry victories From the chair A growing season is never complete without some challenges, and this year, one thing I’d like to recognise is the lighter crop growers are reporting. Across the board I’m hearing from growers that crop loads are down on last year. The vines themselves are looking fantastic, but this year’s bud fertility has been affected by last year’s cold and cloudy days. While this does affect us, and it can be disappointing to think about what that mean comes harvest, I think it’s important to try to remain positive. The lighter crops will likely mean improved outcomes, potentially, on last year. Hopefully with a lighter crop, we should have no issues getting full colour and nice, sweet produce. And less crop could mean less work in the vines. It is a balance. With labour looking the best it has in five years, in my case at least, and water availability currently positive – with good allocations and temporary prices going down – I am hopeful we’ll all have a good season!

News from the CEO The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA) has recently had some collective wins for industry. In October, ATGA secured the tender for the 2023/24 international promotional campaign, a monumental achievement for industry – a victory not just for the ATGA, but for every grower and exporter. This program will allow us the autonomy to lead and execute promotional activities in key and emerging Asian markets. Read more on pages 14-15. Building on this momentum, we were also awarded a separate tender to guarantee our strategic participation at trade shows during the year. Trade show representation offers immense potential for networking, learning, and showcasing our excellence. These two programs will involve transparency and inclusiveness and support a two-way flow of information between the ATGA and growers and exporters, and we extend an invitation for advice, suggestions, and feedback to ensure they meet industry needs. On another export-related front, ATGA is contemplating the establishment of a ground-breaking exporter registration process for those dealing in Australian table grapes. This initiative has been a topic of discussion with the Department

Jeremey Boyd | Chair

10 VINE MAGAZINE

of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) for several years, pending technological upgrades and legislative changes. We have now received encouraging signals from DAFF that these prerequisites are nearing completion, paving the way for us to proceed. In collaboration with DAFF, we envision the exporter registration as a seamless extension of our existing grower registration system. Exporter registration would not only create a framework for industry exports, but empower both growers who export and exporters with a plethora of resources, benefits, and support. In our discussions with DAFF, we have placed a strong emphasis on the need for advanced market intelligence and data-driven decision-making. A critical component of this is our push for the recording of exported varieties and expected time of arrivals for shipments, adding to existing data collection on fruit volume and destination. This important industry advancement would be a game-changer, equipping both growers and exporters with the strategic insights needed to navigate the market, optimise operations, and maximise success. A comprehensive package detailing the perks and particulars of becoming a registered exporter with the ATGA is being developed as we speak. v

Jeff Scott | CEO

ATGA N E W S

Future planning As usual it’s been a busy time for the team.

Presenters and workshop attendees

the Gatton AgTech Showcase and came

discussed lifecycles and identification

back with lots of ideas and connections.

Although we may not have been as

courses of action and timing. In the

visible to you as last year, there has been a lot going on for us behind the scenes.

of pests and disease and appropriate second session we shared insights into and challenges of vineyard fruit

While continuing to hunt down the cause

fly management and opened the

or causes of restricted spring growth,

discussion to attendees providing on-

investigating possible alternatives

the-ground support to growers. Some

to Dormex, holding informative

important considerations included

events, and completing our regular

the importance of orchard/vineyard

six-monthly milestone reporting, we

floor hygiene, and the availability of

have had to come up with a plan and

Naturalure bait in the 2023/24 season.

a project application for our next five years for Hort Innovation. The new project proposal has been submitted and hopefully we will know if we have been successful before our existing project has finished. If and when the ATGA is successful in

The second producer session on fruit fly will be held in early December. By the time this magazine goes to print, we are hopeful to have hosted some agtech workshops for Mildura and Robinvale.

receiving the tender, we will share our

If you follow us on social media, you will

extension strategy to keep growers and

know that the team also managed to

extended industry partners informed.

get to Queensland and see producers in

We’ve worked quite closely with other Sunraysia viticulture industries and agronomic service providers lately as part of the Mallee Horticulture Technical Network. We hosted meetings in August,

Emerald, Mundubbera and St George. It was great to catch up, exchange regional

As part of the Extended Harvest Interval project, funded by Agriculture Victoria’s Food to Market program, the ATGA, Summerfruit Australia Limited and Cherry Growers Australia launched a toolkit for producers. The ATGA team are now able to extend to table grape producers: 1. Updates to extended withholding periods (XWHPs) in the ATGA MRL app. 2. A poster showing the toxicity to beneficials of pesticides used in grapes. 3. A booklet showing more detail and data sources about toxicity against beneficials of a wide range of pesticides used in a range of crops including grapes. We did highlight these resources in the last edition of the Vine and these are now available on the ATGA website under the vine health section.v

updates and have a firsthand look how the Queensland season has progressed. We scheduled the trip to coincide with

bringing agronomic advisors, resellers and consultants together with the CEOs from Dried Fruits Australia, Murray Valley Winegrowers Inc. and the ATGA to give updates and exchange information on the seasons past and ahead of us. We again held a dormancy trial field walk at budburst in September, where the attending agronomists and the ATGA team had a good discussion about the budburst stages of different treatments. Due to recent rain events, and the early detection of Queensland fruit fly, we have held two online grapevine pest and disease management sessions for agronomists. The first session covered downy, powdery mildew and pseudomonas, as well as mealybugs.

VINE MAGAZINE 11

D FA N E W S

Promising season on horizon A note from our chair Another year has nearly passed us by.

The flow-on effect in the communities,

producing GrowCare reports, based

either at the local shop or the big ag

on 15 weather stations, which are

suppliers, will be felt. When the Plan

distributed directly to growers.

Let’s hope this harvest is kinder

in the mix was to ensure that all were

than the last two.

in agreement, or at least understood

I notice that some varieties have been slow shooting and some haven’t got the bunch numbers that I would like, yet on Selma Pete and Sugra 39 they look good. Hopefully warm weather, water and some fertiliser will help even them up. Let’s hope the weather will be back to normal. Remember, the Sunraysia area was selected for dried fruit because of its weather patterns – hot and dry, just like California.

was introduced, having the communities

how the water was obtained, either through water saving projects or buy backs. If these changes get through this is not going to be the case. The Government will be able to buy water in the marketplace whenever they like with no consultation with the community. This being the last Vine for this year, DFA staff and board wish you all a safe and joyful Christmas and a prosperous harvest in 2024 and remember it’s not

In response to the desperate need for early harvesting varieties in our industry, DFA is working to establish an agreement with CSIRO to launch a new variety with many outstanding attributes. I believe that this new variety will be an exceptional add-on to our existing dried grape varieties. A proposed change to our current R&D levy structure (from current $11/ tonne to a proposed $20/tonne) is in progress and we need your support to make it happen from the 2025 season.

We need to keep our sprays up to

what’s under the Christmas tree that

The levy, matched by government

date and keep an eye out for any sign

matters but who’s around it.

funding, will guarantee sufficient R&D

of disease, as it is very likely that there are downy and powdery mildew spores in the soil and ground cover. A high priority for industry has been the proposed changes to the Basin Plan, which will have a big impact on irrigators throughout the Basin. It will drive the cost of temporary water higher, while the pool of available water to purchase will become smaller. Supply charges will rise, less water will be pumped, yet the cost

funding being delivered to support the

News from our CEO The 2023 total industry crop intake volume is just above 7300 tonnes, which is just half of last year’s figure. This has highlighted the importance of pest and disease alerts to provide growers with timely guidance to protect their crops.

dried grape industry into the future. DFA projects, such as innovation, communications and marketing, are progressing well. Continuing from the success of the May China export promotional program, we are working on another important market for our industry. We have just returned from Europe, where we reconnected with our existing customers and aimed to expand the market on the back of increasing

for running the irrigation area will

DFA has worked with other industries

crop volumes from now on. Read more

have to be met by fewer irrigators.

to successfully reach an agreement in

about this trip in this edition. v

Mark King | Chair

12 VINE MAGAZINE

Thomas Cheung | CEO

D FA N E W S

Stephen reflects on role

My short stay with Dried Fruits Australia has come to an end. It has been exciting to see how much

Business Skills for the Future The final day of the workshop series was a success with Gavin Beever from Cumbre Consultants.

progress there has been on new variety

Growers took their learning from

adoption and mechanisation since my

day one to the next level, using

last foray in the industry 26 years ago.

their own financial information to

Highlights from the last few weeks

inform their decision making.

have been:

A follow-up one hour online

Spray diary training

workshop took place in October.

Dried Fruits Australia hosted digital

Looking back over the whole of my

spray diary training sessions with

14 months with DFA, highlights are:

Okhi Oktanio from Digital Agri

The final report of the 10 Tonne

Solutions to support growers to

Project funded by the Australian

transition to the online system.

Government under the Murray-

The hard copy spray diary is also

Darling Basin Economic Development

still available, and copies are

completed during my tenure.

The only change in the spray diary for

The project’s four demonstration sites

2023 Top Crop Award field walk The Top Crop field walk highlighted that over 14 tonnes per hectare is achievable.

The area of new varieties is still expanding. Several field walks to look at alternative trellis systems were conducted through the season. Mechanical winter pruning was yet again the field walk with the highest attendance for the season.v Stephen Kelly Dried Fruits Australia field officer 03 5023 5174 projects@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au

Program was a major milestone

available at the DFA office. 23/24 is the removal of Chlormequat.

It is very encouraging to see that the industry’s goal of consistent yielding varieties becoming more prevalent than the inconsistent bearing sultana has come to fruition.

have proven that Sunmuscat and Sunglo can average yields of more than 10 tonne per hectare over three consecutive seasons in commercial scale vineyards. Analysis of the industry’s plantings

I have discovered that a more

conducted during the project showed

proactive approach to seeking

sultana is no longer the variety with

entries is needed, and I hope more

the largest planted area, with that

growers will take part next year.

title now being held by Sunmuscat.

Images: During his time at Dried Fruits Australia, Stephen helped to keep growers informed through season updates (left), and hosted several field walks (right), including the 2023 Dried Fruits Australia Top Crop Awards presentation.

VINE MAGAZINE 13

TA B L E G R A P E N E W S

ATGA wins bid for international marketing program The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA) will for the first time deliver the industry’s levy funded international marketing program across the 2023/24 season. ATGA will work with international

Grower input and engagement

ATGA to respond to industry needs

The table grape marketing

which will explore proposed

program will work hand in hand

activities and seek feedback and

with the industry communications

support from industry. Additional

program to support a two-way

briefings around February and May

flow of information from industry

will update on season progress.

participants – producers, exporters and marketers – and the ATGA marketing project team.

across the season. A pre-season briefing will be held in December,

“At these briefings and during the season, we want growers to tell us how they’re actually going,” Jesse

marketing consultant project

ATGA CEO Jeff Scott said there were

said. “And while I don’t know how

manager Jesse White to deliver

growers and exporters who felt

honest they’re going to be in a room

the program, which will have

as though the marketing program

with competitors, we want to know

a strong focus on grower

would benefit from more regular and

what they’re hearing from their

engagement and inclusion,

consistent grower engagement, an

importers and retailers, what they’re

strategic in-market promotion,

issue from previous seasons that

hearing from their partners in the

targeted retail programs, and

could be rectified with the ATGA

region – are people saying it’s going

stakeholder facing campaign

delivering the program directly.

to be a late season or will there be

launches, among other pillars.

The aim of the 2023/24 program

price pressure or have the retailers had to make tough decisions about

Jesse said a key element of

would be to ensure it was flexible

the program would be taking

enough to respond to industry

industry “along for the journey”,

needs as the season evolves,

with program activities set to

while maintaining a strong

“Once we have that conversation,

be backed by strong technical

technical marketing application.

we can be flexible where we can.

marketing foundations and enhanced by the breadth of industry experience and expertise on offer from producers, exporters, and marketers.

“Our aim will be to find that point in the middle where the program is flexible enough, growers can say there is good value for money here, we can also feel confident

who they will procure from – that’s what we really want to get.

While we might be limited with what we can do, at least if we have the knowledge, we can bring producers in openly and use their feedback as part of the decision-making process.”

that there is enough technical

As well as grower briefings, regular

marketing application, and that

communication through ATGA

the program is localised enough

channels, such as Pick of the Bunch,

– not too generic,” Jesse said.

Vine magazine, the ATGA website and

Grower briefings will help inform marketing activities and allow

social media would provide a strong foundation for communication.

Program at a glance

- Retail program in five markets

- Trade visits for four countries

(Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia,

- Extensive grower engagement

The Philippines, Singapore)

The Philippines)

-C ampaign launches in four

- Digital marketing in four

- PR, social media and influencers in

markets (Thailand, Vietnam,

five markets (Thailand, Vietnam,

Indonesia, The Philippines)

Indonesia, The Philippines, China.

14 VINE MAGAZINE

TA B L E G R A P E N E W S

Retail program

Social media

Trade visits

The table grape marketing

A strong social program will be

Trade visits are a necessary

program will feature a

supported by existing social media

inclusion in the program.

“conventional” retail program

channels and in-market key opinion

across six markets, which

leaders (KOL, or influencers).

will feature sampling, retail point of sale and retailer and consumer incentives.

Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok,

opportunity to engage with

Manila, Jakarta, and Guangzhou.

consumers directly, through

Broaching in-market relationships

subtle education and awareness

important,” Jesse said. “We also

about Australian table grape

know that post-Covid, the stigma

varieties, seasonality and more.

disappearing, so I think we can return to that with confidence.” The retail program will also feature e-commerce promotion elements, which might support existing retailer presences – for example, digital banners on the retailer website and investment into content on retailer social media channels.

“We know that consumers engage with social and

Consumer launch events will generate interest for Australian grapes in four key markets – Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and The Philippines.

season and allow importers and in-market retailers to enter into the conversations with

“Previous programs have

season, according to Jesse.

included the development of materials on the Grown in Good Nature LinkedIn page and Australian Grapes Facebook and Instagram pages, which had good engagement from Asian market consumers, and it’s something

confidence about the upcoming “Knowing there is a large budget behind the whole industry – that we’re investing a significant amount across the region – might not even come up in conversations between growers and exporters and their importers or retail partners,”

The ATGA website is also a

Jesse said. “But knowing that this

key source of information for

overarching industry program is

customers and consumers of

happening sets the context for

grapes, featuring the nutritional

the conversation and we hope it

benefits of grape consumption

will mean better conversations

and recipes. The consumer pages

come out of the season earlier.

of the australiangrapes.com.au URL receive thousands of hits

hosted primarily at retailer

each year, with the most popular

shop floors and feature local

pages being varieties, availability,

media, key opinion leaders, retail

recipes, and growing regions.

officials and in-market leaders.

market confidence early in the

growers and exporters with

Campaign launches will be

representatives, government

well in advance will help build

online media,” Jesse said.

we will continue to build on.”

Campaign launches

place to key markets, including

Social media will provide a great

“We know that sampling is really

around sampling in stores is

A number of trade visits will take

“Asian markets really value the presence of industry bodies and government officials attending, officiating and announcing. “Those types of visits really show respect and face and importance to trading partners. While having commercial players in market is also important for them privately to develop great relationships, high level industry visits demonstrate a level of respect for the trading partner.” v

VINE MAGAZINE 15

DRIED GRAPE NEWS

Letting nature do the work M ET HOD TAKES HEAVY LIFTING OUT OF TIP P ING

Dried grape growers are letting gravity do the work when it comes to tipping swingarm trellis, making the process less labour-intensive and more efficient.

frost protection in a way, too,” he said.

A steadily growing number of

On John and his wife Jenny’s Red Cliffs

producers are using the selftipping method, developed by John Hunt about 20 years ago. John explained the self-tipping method came about by mistake. “We didn’t finish pruning in time and the buds had shot and I didn’t swing it over,” he recalls.

“From then on, I always left

“Then it was time to get it swung down, finish it off and clip it in," he said.

it up because it comes down

Previously, the job of tipping

mostly under its own steam.

was “heavy going”.

“It’s easier to bring down.

“We used to work from the ground (20

“I haven’t done it any other way since (for established vines).” property, much of the preparation for the following season is completed at pruning time in one pass. “At pruning time, we do all the pruning and clip the wire across from the pruning platform and we don’t go back to it,” John said. “It’s all finished until we go through

years ago) and we had levers and things to pull it, push it and heave it. It was hard work having to manhandle it," he said. More dried grape growers are now seeing the benefits of this method of tipping. Among them is Warren Lloyd, who first started using John’s self-tipping method on a patch at his property last season. This year, his whole property was done this way.

at the beginning of October, end

“To tip in winter, it’s a pretty big job

As the new growth developed, its weight

of September, to swing it down

that needs to get done among a

tipped the swingarm trellis, removing

(and latch/pin into place).”

range of other jobs, and it’s quite

much of the physically-demanding job.

John said this year it was necessary

a physical thing to do,” he said.

“There was actually a frost that year and

to push the frames down a little

“And when you employ people they have

because (the new growth) was up high

sooner to allow for spraying

a tendency to really force the trellis

enough, the frost never got it, so it’s my

machinery to access the vineyard.

down and there’s a percentage of canes

16 VINE MAGAZINE

DRIED GRAPE NEWS

that get broken the whole way along.” John’s self-tipping method allowed Warren to tip later in the season. “I’m still tipping now (late October) and I’ve been doing it for about the past three weeks. I can do it in stages. You may still break canes but I think the percentage is a lot less,” Warren said. In addition to using the self-tipping method, John has also implemented the swingarm latch to half of his vineyard. A couple who have worked on the property for the past several years have noticed the difference the swingarm latch had made to the process. “They reckon the latch made a huge difference to the speed of doing it,” John said. “It’s so much quicker than hooking the frames through the pins.

“I probably need to spend a bit more

“I’ll be putting the latch on the rest of

time in winter setting it up, making sure

ours next year – the time and savings on

all the canes are over that top wire and

hooking it down were just phenomenal.”

not underneath and maybe even rolling

Warren said there was some refinement that was needed for him to be confident in the system.

on a couple of the longer ones would be things I’d look at next year,” he said. “The key is, it does the work for you.” v

Opposite page: Red Cliffs grower John Hunt developed the self-tipping method of managing swingarm trellis. The method takes much of the physical labour out of the tipping process. Above: Irymple grower Warren Lloyd trialled the self-tipping method on a patch of his property last season, and used the method across his whole property this year.

“Suppliers of improved grapevine rootstock and scion wood to the grape industry” Contact Gary Thomas Tel: (03) 5022 8499 Mob: 0418 997 730 PO Box 5051, Mildura Vic 3502 Email: vamvvia@bigpond.com Please see website for more information & order forms www.vamvvia.org

VINE MAGAZINE 17

PRUNE NEWS

Changes under way in global prune industry

The current worldwide

“Going forward, it was decided

photosynthesis removes carbon

cost price squeeze

that there would be significant

dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in the plant biomass and soil.

will see changes in the way the International Prune Association (IPA) communicates with its member organisations. At the recent IPA Executive meeting held in Bologna, Italy, in mid-October 2023, delegates discussed the increasing costs of hosting an international congress and the difficulties in attracting sponsorship to offset those costs. Australian Prune Industry Association chair, Tony Toscan, who is Australia’s

change to future IPA meeting arrangements,” Tony said. “After Argentina, future congresses may be held every five years, rather than every 18 months, probably with a scaled down version to reduce associated costs. However, the IPA Executive will meet online (e.g., Zoom) as required as well as in-person every 18 months. “This approach will enable us to deal with global issues like the new carbon sequestration regulations in Europe, as well as the sharing of production and marketing information amongst member countries,” he said.

IPA Executive representative, said the

Carbon sequestration

next IPA Congress would be postponed

One of the strategies to address

from May/June 2024 until November

global warming is to promote

2024 and would be held in Argentina.

natural carbon sequestration where

18 VINE MAGAZINE

Cabon dioxide is an efficient greenhouse gas that can absorb infrared radiation emitted from the earth surface. Concentrations of the gas have been building over the last century, with industrialisation and burning of fossil fuels a major contributor. Consequently, more infrared radiation is retained, and the average temperature of earth’s lower atmosphere is rising in a process known as global warming. Tony said that the IPA Executive was advised it is likely the European Union will soon adopt new regulations to monitor carbon sequestration in orchards and forestry plantations, imposing import taxes on prunes that do not have low carbon accreditation certificates.

PRUNE NEWS

The IPA Executive was shown new equipment that can be used to measure the carbon levels in prune trees. Tony said it wasn’t enough to simply grow the trees; orchard management practices also had to be conscious of the movement of carbon. For example, if pruned branches or older trees are removed from the orchard and burned, or left in a pile to decompose, the stored carbon is released to the atmosphere. To keep the carbon secured, those branches need to be mulched and then incorporated back into the soil. The new regulations will see a system of carbon credits based on tree plantings which can be offset against carbon emissions from gas dryers and a tax system put in place for net emissions. Tony said that while it seemed like a good system for the environment, the cost of compliance was a concern, particularly the ongoing reporting requirements and he was thankful Australian growers were not subject to such demands.

IPA Country Reports France: French prune orchards have bounced back from historically low volumes (16,600 tonnes) in 2022 and are expected to produce 40,000t in 2023 with a lack of labour for harvesting an issue. Gaetan Vergnes said prune plantings had decreased by 300 hectares in the past 12 months to 10,780ha, of which 9300ha are productive (over eight years old). Growing conditions were good, with no frost and satisfactory rainfall despite strong differences between production zones. Storms were localised and pest pressure low. The quality will

United States of America: The 2023 California harvest started about two weeks later than normal and is expected to yield about 68,000t from 14,308ha of bearing trees. Donn Zea said the quality of the fruit was excellent, with sizing improved from last year’s crop. California experienced excellent weather during the season with a cool, often wet spring and typically hot summer. Donn said a few very hot spikes, not uncommon to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley, occurred in early summer this year and caused some concern that the developing fruit would burn. Water supplies were significantly improved after a near record-breaking year of rainfall filling local reservoirs and recharging groundwater. High temperatures in June caused some sunburn and fruit drop, affecting yield, but not overall quality. Insect and defects were kept to a minimum and although sugar levels rose more slowly than normal, they ultimately topped out at a level consistent with the sweetness expected from California prunes. Economic impacts due to inflation, new regulations (both California and Federal) and restricted inputs and energy have placed significant upward pressure on US businesses and families. South Africa harvested 800-1000t of prunes from 200ha planted in 2023. Good winter rains and cold units have seen good fruit setting for the 2024 season; however, some areas have experienced hail damage. While the price trend is upwards, Charl Herbst reports that it is still too low to motivate growers to plant additional prunes. Chile has 12,417.56ha of prunes and, according to Jaime Lira, there has been no expansion in the past 12 months, simply replacements.

be medium grade, smaller than last

Total equivalent production dry in March 2023 was 97,000t of

year, but still very sweet fruit.

which 20,400t was fresh.

Argentina lost 6000ha of prunes in the last 10 years due to the low profitability of the sector. There is an incipient process of concentration in the sector with fewer growers with larger areas. According to Francisco Araujo, there is currently 10,000ha, which produced 20,000 dry tonnes of good quality prunes. The impact of the Ukraine war has seen prunes (Stanley dry plums) normally sold for spirits diverted into Russia from Poland. This is of concern as this production in some cases replaces Argentina’s at very low cost. Looking forward to the 2024 season, flowering appears to be going as predicted. A good season is expected in terms of water availability due to abundant snowfall in the Andes Mountain range.v

Above: Carbon sequestration monitoring devices are fitted to prune trees to comply with changing regulations in the EU. Opposite page: Italian host, Alberto Levi, right, discussed the impact of carbon sequestration monitoring in prune orchards to IPA executive members, from left, Pedro Pablo Diaz, Jamie Lira and Harold Schenker.

VINE MAGAZINE 19

INSIGHTS

Table grape investment snapshot 2022/23 Want to know how table grape levy funds were invested in 2022/23? This snapshot, recreated from Hort Innovation's 2022/23 Annual Report, shows some of the highlights from the table grape levy investments across the 2022/23 financial year.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS DELIVERED DURING THE YEAR: A renewed industry communications program, delivering the

$1,861,402

Vine, Pick of the Bunch, social media updates, events, videos and content for the industry website australiangrapes.com.au.

invested in R&D An industry extension program to support the adoption of industry best practice and new technologies for table grape growers.

Efforts to help table grape growers adopt the minimum maturity standards through working closely with growers, wholesalers and supermarkets.

$1,165,545 invested in marketing

Maintaining and improving market access for the table grape industry through a trade development program.

Updates to the table grape Harvest to Home dashboard, providing regular household purchase data and insight reporting.

$1,743,903 in levies collected by the

Delivery of the Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) which provides an updated view of current priorities and gaps regarding pest, disease and weed control.

government and passed on to Hort Innovation for investment

20 VINE MAGAZINE

Access to consumer insights through multi-industry investments.

INSIGHTS

Dried grape investment snapshot 2022/23 Want to know how dried grape levy funds were invested in 2022/23? This snapshot, recreated from Hort Innovation's 2022/23 Annual Report, shows some of the highlights from the dried grape levy investments across the 2022/23 financial year.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS DELIVERED DURING THE YEAR: A renewed industry communication program, delivering the Vine

$200,599

magazine, Dried Fruits Australia Currant News, social media content and resources for the industry’s website www.driedfruitsaustralia.org.au.

invested in R&D Investment in innovation and adoption to assist dried grape producers access and share leading and emerging research and knowledge on production techniques to grow skills, improve productivity and keep quality high. Maintenance of existing dried grape scion and rootstock

$1,495

trials with a focus on providing dried grape growers with access to superior varieties of dried grape.

invested in marketing Presence at international tradeshows SIAL Shanghai Exhibition and Anuga European Exhibition to promote Australian dried grapes to overseas markets.

Access to consumer insights through multi-industry investments to

$260,529

understand consumer behaviours, attitudes and purchase intentions.

in levies collected by the government and passed on to Hort Innovation for investment

SCAN TO READ THE FULL HORT INNOVATION 2022/23 ANNUAL REPORT AND FUND REPORTS.

VINE MAGAZINE 21

NEWS

Managing the risks of labour mobility

Australia’s seasonal labour challenges, while they have seemingly abated, are still evident. While backpacker numbers have returned to pre-Covid levels, and

Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme

- Significant changes to PALM Scheme,

which makes it much more difficult for

which are not easy to implement

employers to recruit Pacific workers.

and expensive, making the PALM

All employers need to plan and make sure that they are recruiting from all available programs and avenues.

Scheme uncompetitive due to the extra administrative burden compared to other labour sources.

The issue has become critical for

- The AgVisa is not being pursued by the

employers and must be addressed.

Federal Government, despite other

Understanding the challenges

Asian countries expressing interest

The overall labour shortage in Australia

to alternative sources of labour.

The labour shortages in Australia

has been well documented. It is

are evident at both the level of

important not to assume that, post-

- The introduction of new industrial

individual businesses, and the

Covid, everything is back to normal, as

national economy, through historically

we are experiencing a rapidly changing

low unemployment rates.

and uncertain labour environment in

sourcing labour seems much easier, it is unwise to believe that “everything is back to normal”, according to Steve Burdette, executive officer of Approved Employers of Australia (AEA).

Over the years, changes to workforce

Australia due to several factors:

in sending labour to Australia. This means that we have limited access

relations laws and more changes to come could have an adverse impact on many industry sectors. - Union activity is on the increase and are being granted more rights to enter

programs have had a direct effect

- Potential changes to Working Holiday

on agriculture by reducing the

Makers visas that could remove

available workforce through:

the 88-day requirement to work

- Fair Work Ombudsman/compliance

in rural and regional Australia.

audits are increasing and record

- changing the industry requirements

growers’ properties and workforce.

keeping remains very important.

on the Working Holiday Maker visa,

- Phasing out of the 408 visas by

and further planned changes to

mid-2024 could result in 11,000

The PALM Scheme provides work

remove the 88-day requirement

workers returning home and

opportunities for more than 40,000

having to be replaced. This will

people across 10 Pacific countries

put additional pressure on the

and Timor-Leste. Those countries

- introducing new guidelines and

stretched resources in the Pacific

benefit from remittances from

requirements for the Pacific Australia

and the Australian Government.

workers that support families and

- cancelling the Agriculture Visa

22 VINE MAGAZINE

NEWS

communities across the Pacific,

(DEWR) recently released the most

and the skill and knowledge

significant changes to the scheme.

development that visa holders

Critically, changes to the wording

receive when they are in Australia.

of clauses introduce issues, with

The AEA represents the members that participate in the PALM Scheme.

the proposal requiring a “minimum of 30 hours per week employed”,

To manage the risk to labour mobility it is important to consider the following:

instead of “minimum average

More than 28,000 of the 40,000

of 30 hours work a week for the

1. Sources of labour are limited

people working in the PALM Scheme

duration of their employment”.

in Australia. It’s important

are working in Australian horticulture because the short-term, seasonal nature of the work means that they can return to their families every year. The seasonality of horticulture requires flexibility in the scheme and in business. The success of the PALM Scheme is built on trust and good faith between Pacific countries and Timor Leste, the Australian Government, employers, and all stakeholders in participating countries.

Other issues include stand-downs, pay parity, accommodation, transport and covering accommodation

to identify what sources of labour are available to meet your business needs.

and transport costs if workers

2. Plan your labour requirements

work less than 20 hours.

well in advance, particularly

The result is a very expensive PALM Scheme with additional

if you are sourcing workers under the PALM Scheme.

administrative burden making it

3. Weigh up the pros and cons

uncompetitive going forward.v

of hiring employees through labour hire and or directly.

Steve Burdette Executive officer

However, the Department of

Approved Employers of Australia

Employment and Workplace Relations

steveb@approvedemployers.com.au

4. Spread your labour risk by employing labour from different sources and countries (offset the risk of natural disasters such as Tsunami in Tonga, etc).

Steve has expert knowledge of the horticultural supply chain, from orchard development through to market. He has also chaired several national and regional committees, founded two variety commercialisation companies, formed grower clubs

5. Ensure you fully understand new IR laws and implications on your business. Stay up to date with changes to IR legislation as they may be significant. 6. Monitor union movement, as they now have a lot more power to visit sites at very short notice.

and written and co-authored

7. Review enterprise agreements

several technical publications.

(Zombie agreements being phased out) and beware of

Steve Burdette has been the

Participating in the Seasonal

executive officer of the Approved

Worker Programme since the pilot

Employers of Australia since 2021.

was introduced in 2012, Steve

8. FWO audits are being

He has had a strong background

gained extensive knowledge

conducted more frequently, so

in agribusiness, ranging from field

and experience from 2012-18

ensure your record keeping is up

packing, logistics and marketing,

in the recruitment, selection,

to date and workers are being

to commercialising intellectual

administration and welfare and

paid according to your Award

property rights, restructuring/

wellbeing of up to 200+ workers

classifications and or Agreement.

mergers and developing extensive

from the Pacific, which was a key

national and international

driver in establishing the Approved

contacts and relationships.

Employers of Australia Ltd.

multi-employer bargaining.

9. Review and assess your labour mobility regularly.

VINE MAGAZINE 23

NEWS

Building to a brighter season DR IED F R UIT R ECONNECTS WITH EUROP E

COLOGNE, GERMANY

which is expected to be significantly

for our continued success in Europe is

After a four-year absence, Dried Fruits Australia (DFA) has returned to Europe.

higher than the last season,” he said.

to produce premium quality fruits to

Led by DFA and funded by Hort

1 per cent of that market share.

Innovation, the Australian dried fruits joint marketing team attended the Anuga exhibition in Cologne, Germany. Representatives from DFA, Australian Premium Dried Fruits and Sunbeam Foods were among about 140,000 industry visitors from 200 countries at the event. Anuga this year included 10 trade shows under one roof, showcasing about 7900 exhibitors, including the Australian dried fruit industry. DFA chief executive officer Thomas Cheung said his priority for the trip was to reconnect with existing

Of the 210,000 tonnes of dried grapes imported into Europe in 2022, Australia represents less than ‘The potential for Australian growers and the Australian industry in that market is huge,” Thomas said. While he said the challenges from other regions were obvious, and Turkish, South

Thomas said becoming irrelevant to the European market was a real risk if the forthcoming 2024 crop failed. “It is commonly agreed by the industry it would take a long recovery journey if this happened,” he said. “As such, the priority for our growers, producers and processors is to do the

demand for Australia’s premium

best to secure a prosperous 2024 crop.

quality sultanas and Sunmuscats remained high and under-supplied.

“Under the current market conditions: short global supply in sultanas due to

“Europe has also been willing to

a poor Turkish 2023 crop intake, high

pay a premium price for quality

selling prices and relatively lower

Australian fruits, the Italian market

Aussie dollar, all points to favourable

in particular,” Thomas explained.

market conditions for our 2024 crop.”

in both the volume and quality

Sunmuscats is also evident and certain

of Australian dried grapes.

markets would like to pay a premium

24 VINE MAGAZINE

to achieve for the past many years.”

presented fierce competition, the

“Market acceptance of our quality

foundation to launch the 2024 crop,

basis, which we have not been able

African, US and Chilean producers

customers and rebuild confidence

“Our hope was to build a sound

supply the EU and do so on a consistent

for quality Aussie Sunmuscats. “It seems obvious to me that the key

Left: DFA meeting with INC and international dried grapes counterparts. Top right: Australian representatives meet with European agent. Bottom right: The Anuga main entrance in Cologne, Germany.

NEWS

İZMIR, TÜRKIYE The 63rd International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference was held in İzmir, Türkiye, on 13-14 October. Dried Fruits Australia CEO Thomas Cheung and chair Mark King attended the conference after representing the industry at Anuga. The conference aimed to facilitate the exchange of information on worldwide production and marketing.

Presentations included information on

“This is the only opportunity for the

activities of the Dried Fruit Alliance

dried grape industries across the world

Delegations from Argentina, Australia,

in the UK, as well as on the impacts

to gather together professionally,

Chile, South Africa, Türkiye, and the

of climate change on viticulture

with the knowledge shared and

United States, as well as Türkiye's

worldwide, while the conference

the topics covered having the

exporters, were in attendance.

decided to establish a committee to

potential to shape the future of the

work on innovations and marketing

dried grape industry worldwide.

Thomas presented at the conference, providing an update on the progress

issues throughout the year.

“The Australian dried grape industry

made in Australia in the areas of

The conference included technical

is the smallest in the group, but has a

dried grape production, innovation,

visits to Manisa, a major grape

strong and important leadership role in

marketing and varieties.

production area in Türkiye, with a

innovation and dried grape knowledge.”

The conference discussed the world supply and demand position and noted that the seedless dried grape supply

particular emphasis on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Manisa Viticulture Research Institute.

from the sultana/natural seedless raisin

“During these technical visits,

varieties had decreased by 21 per cent

participants had the chance to engage

compared to the 2022 crop, primarily

with local experts and exchange views

due to short starting stock (down 10.3

on grape production techniques and

per cent) and production issues.

recent developments,” Thomas said.

The next conference will be held in London on 24-25 October 2024, after the SIAL Exhibition in Paris.v

Top: Turkish sultana processing plant visit. Above: Mark King during the Turkish vineyard visit.

VINE MAGAZINE 25

NEWS

Growers vote on future of dried grape industry Dried grape growers will soon cast their vote on the future of levies collected for research and development in the Australian dried fruit industry.

While the past two seasons have

Australian Government, included the

presented challenges for growers, who

industry’s extensions and adoption

experienced reduced crop intakes and

and communication programs.

Growers will vote on whether to

when growers and the industry

increase the levy from $11/tonne

are back on track with normal

to $20/tonne.

tonnages,” Thomas said.

performance through development

The proposal to increase the dried vine

“This is about setting up a sound

fruits levy followed a motion and vote

foundation for the future of our

with innovative trellis design

by members at the 2022 Dried Fruits

dried grape growers, processors

Australia (DFA) annual general meeting.

and all stakeholders.”

DFA CEO Thomas Cheung said the

The dried vine fruit R&D levy

dried vine fruits levy had not been

is payable on dried grapes that

altered in three decades and no longer

are produced in Australia.

met the Australian industry’s needs.

quality issues due to wet seasons and disease pressure, the proposed levy would not come into effect immediately. “It will start from the 2025 season,

These levies are collected by the

“We are lagging behind so many other

Australian Government and then

industries nationally,” he said.

entrusted to Hort Innovation. It is then

Thomas said an increased levy

Hort Innovation’s responsibility to

While investment decisions are based on the dried grape SIP, potential future projects and priorities could include: - new dried grape variety trials - increasing productivity and of new technologies combined - demonstration sites leading to overall adoption of environmental and other sustainability practices to meet export market protocols. - design and development of automated management and monitoring systems - uptake and adoption of new technologies and innovations, through extension and communication

work with industry to invest the levies

- development of a comprehensive

dried grape industry’s research and

– together with Australian Government

dried grape industry database

development program moving forward.

funds in the case of R&D – into strategic

- further research into export

would better support the Australian

“Changes are desperately needed

R&D and marketing initiatives.

to support a sustainable industry

Investments specific to the Hort

development in terms of R&D

Innovation Dried Grape Fund are

innovations and new varieties," he said.

guided by the industry’s Strategic

“This change is needed to ensure we can deliver on our strategic plan’s vision to

Investment Plan (SIP) and the Strategic Investment Advisory Panel.

continue as a profitable and sustainable

Previous industry projects funded

industry delivering innovative

through the dried vine fruit R&D

growth and quality dried grapes.”

levy, which is matched by the

26 VINE MAGAZINE

market opportunities The levy vote will be conducted by independent mail ballot and all growers are strongly encouraged to have their say.v

A great choice for web spinning mite control ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. © Copyright BASF 2023 ® Registered trademark of BASF. 214431 1023

P E ST & D I S E AS E

Flick the thrip M ANAGING T HE MYSTERIOUS CHILLI THRIP

Chilli thrips have quickly jumped onto the radar of many horticulturalists in Western Australia (WA). This is despite this pest’s presence in northern Australia for about 20 years.

plant species, is known around the

in Israel, the Solomon Islands, the

world to be notoriously difficult to

Caribbean and South America.

The first complaints from home

manage, and can cause significant economic damage to horticulture.

Sap-sucking insects, these pests cause deformities in flowers, leaves,

With this in mind, WA table grape

stems and shoots. They are also a

growers are encouraged be vigilant

known vector of several viruses,

as the season warms, combating chilli

including tomato spotted wilt virus and

thrip populations by implementing

tobacco streak virus, however they

effective control and monitoring

are not known to transmit viruses in

gardeners in the Perth metro area

programs where possible.

table grapes. In WA, while it has been

were received in 2020. This was

reported on table grapes, strawberries,

following year, by berry growers in

So where did they come from?

2021/22 and it has now spread to

Chilli thrips (S. dorsalis), also known

many other hosts reported, including

as strawberry and yellow tea thrips,

a wider range of fruit and vegetable

are native to Asia. They were first

crops. Nightshades and acacia are

recorded in the US in Florida in 1991

also listed as hosts and may be

While the greatest risk to table grape

and established there in around 2005.

responsible for overwintering. Table

growers occurs in the first year of

Since then, they have become a major

grape producers with vines in their

a vine’s development, growers are

pest for many horticultural crops. They

first year of development should

urged to not underestimate the

have also been reported in various

take particular caution, as without

pest. It has a wide host range of 225

parts of Africa and are established

treatment damage to the growing

followed by table grape growers the

capsicums, chillis and tomatoes. Carnarvon table grape growers also identified the pest earlier in 2023.

28 VINE MAGAZINE

blueberries, blackberries, capsicums, chillis, roses and tomatoes, there are

P E ST & D I S E AS E

tips may mean that the vines need to

over a short time. In the Perth region,

resistance management guidelines

be re-trained in their second year.

up to 13 generations may be possible.

and rotation of chemical activity

This would likely be higher for those

groups will be critical,” Colin said. “We

under rain covers, under high tunnels

still have concerns, though, because

and in greenhouses. Understanding

there aren’t a lot of treatment

the life cycle of the pest will help with

options that we can rotate.”

Damage on mature vines (anything after the first year of development) only occurs on new lateral growth and second crop bunches in southern regions. Most concerning, though, is that the northern

management options and schedules.

While biological controls are being used

regions, such as Carnarvon, have an

In terms of seasons, they are most

in other commodities, Colin said they

increased risk due to the warmer

active from spring to autumn. In

were unlikely to be a control option for

year-round climate that allows for chilli

Western Australia, dryness and higher

chilli thrips in table grapes at this time.

thrips to develop at a faster rate.

temperatures create conditions

Identification

conducive to chilli thrips feeding, spreading and reproducing. Like

In other commodities, control was improved when adjuvants were used. However, growers are urged to always

This type of thrip is pale yellow. It’s

most thrips, they prefer to feed

very small – 0.5-1.2mm long – and

on new growth, which result in

hard to distinguish from other

undesirable feeding scars, distortion

species without a microscope. Key

of leaves and discoloration of

Elliot Howse, research scientist in

distinguishing features are eight

buds, flowers and young fruits.

the insect and disease management

segmented antennae, red ocelli and two

So how do we control it?

space for the Department of

Chilli thrips can quickly develop

Development, said that despite the

resistance to chemicals, but

pest’s difficult identification, it was

according to Colin Gordon, the

important to be scouting for chilli

senior technical officer for table

thrips across the warmer seasons.

pairs of bristles below the prothorax. Its life cycle, comprising egg, larva, pre-pupa, pupa and adult, lasts from 15-40 days, depending on temperature and host plant. For example, it takes 11 days to become an adult from first instar larva on capsicum plants and 13 days on squash at 28°C. Adults can survive for 15 days on eggplants and 13 days on tomato plants. They can

grapes at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, calendar-based control programs are – for the short term – the “best option” for table grape producers.

check the label and the APVMA website before applying a treatment option.

Primary Industries and Regional

“It is also important to maintain a monitoring schedule from spring to autumn, use more selective chemicals and apply insecticides from different chemical groups in rotation and those

have many generations in a single year

“Thrips are likely to develop insecticide

insecticides must be registered

and populations can build up quickly

resistance rapidly, so following

for use in the crop,” he said. “Avoid using products from the same chemical group more than the recommendations, to prevent resistance. Resistance management guidelines can be found on the Croplife website.” So, what further work is needed to combat the establishment of chilli thrips? There is a need to develop a better understanding of this pest’s biology across growing environments and hosts. We know they are prone to developing insecticide resistance, so it is important to develop an understanding of how they interact with chemistries. To combat insecticide

VINE MAGAZINE 29

P E ST & D I S E AS E

resistance, further work is needed to develop biological control agents either by optimisation of currently

Identify damage

leaves and buds brittle, resulting

If you see these symptoms,

crop loss. Infested soft fruits can

the pest is already well

develop corky tissues, sometimes

resistance management guidelines,

established in the crop.

with zipper-like scarring on larger

visit croplife.org.au.v

Chilli thrips have piercing and

This story was made possible thanks

sucking mouthparts, and cause

to the Hort Innovation-funded

damage by extracting the

Australian Berry Industries MT22010

contents of individual epidermal

project. Thank you to Aileen Reid

cells, which leads to damaging

and Helen Newman of the Australian

feeding scars (usually silver,

Produce Commission, Cezar Moraes

brown or black), distortion of

of Biological Services, Elliot Howse

leaves and discoloration of buds,

and Colin Gordon from Horticulture

flowers and young fruits. Upward

and Irrigated Agriculture at

rolling of leaves (referred to as

available biological controls or investigating new opportunities. For more information on

DPIRD WA for contributing to the writing of this article.

“chilli leaf curl” in capsicums) and reduced leaf size are also common. A severe infestation of chilli thrips can make tender

30 VINE MAGAZINE

in complete defoliation and total

fruits, such as capsicum. On citrus, chilli thrip damage can appear as bronzing and silvering on the rind. Chilli thrip infestations are not always easy to identify and can sometimes be mistaken as other pest problems, such as broad mite, so monitoring is important.

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P E ST & D I S E AS E

Managing grapevine disease with UV-C Researchers have known for a while that ultra-violet light can be used to damage the reproductive spores of powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator), suppressing spread of the disease. Even better, a low dose of UV light kills the pathogen without harming the plant.

treatments. However, they did report

each row, pulsing light. Autonomous

that sensitivity to UV-C light varied

models have their own wheels,

between strains of powdery mildew.

while the tractor-mounted versions

How does UV-C work to control powdery mildew? Powdery mildew has a natural defence mechanism, activated by blue light in sunlight, that protects DNA in the fungal conidia from damage by UV light. At night when there is no blue light, the

have UV light banks suspended on a frame, looking much like an overrow sprayer. Reflectors inside the tunnels help the light “bounce around” because the light must be multidirectional, reaching all the foliage.

Is UV-C a commercial option?

Some innovative grape producers,

mildew’s natural defence mechanism

together with technology companies,

is inactive. Therefore, at night-time

A commercial, tractor-mounted

have embraced the research and

powdery mildew becomes very

unit (UVBoosting™) is operating in

made it a commercial reality – and

vulnerable to UV light, especially UV-C.

French vineyards. UVBoosting™

claim success using UV light to control

Applying treatments at night, ideally

powdery mildew within a reducedchemical program. Various research teams across Europe and the USA are now exploring use of UV light to control disease in a range of other crops. Most of the grape research on UV

with about four more hours of darkness after the treatment, ensures that the damage to powdery DNA is maximised, and not countered by the positive influences of blue light.

suspends the light banks on frames. Small, tractor-mounted research units used in trials have also been scaled up for use in commercial vineyards in the USA. Driverless UV-C units are available commercially in Europe, USA and New Zealand. SAGA

How are UV light treatments “applied” to vineyards?

Robotics™ have an autonomous unit

pathologist Dr David Gadoury.

Banks of UV-C lights are mounted on

be quite narrow and may struggle to

In their vineyard trials, powdery

frames or inside tunnels that hang over

straddle Australian table grape and

mildew was suppressed after weekly

the vines. The tunnel units move down

dried grape trellises. In New Zealand,

and powdery in grapevines is from the USA, by a team led by plant

32 VINE MAGAZINE

(Thorvald) operating in vineyards in Italy, although the tunnel appears to

P E ST & D I S E AS E

the dose applied in northern hemisphere production systems would also provide the same level of control in Australia.” Grapevine pathologist Dr Bob Emmett, formerly from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, saw the first Cornell UV research unit in the early 1990s. He agrees with Andrew. “We definitely need to confirm the efficacy of UV-C application under Agri Automation – in collaboration with

Safety is also a concern - UV-C is a very

Vertex Engineers – is launching UVEX.

powerful light wavelength so operators

Does UV-C also control other disease? UV-C is being used in an increasing range of situations for infection control. Researchers are now investigating whether UV-C is effective in in vineyards for control of Downy mildew, Botrytis bunch rot, Pseudomonas or other diseases. More on this later.

What are the benefits of using UV-C in a powdery management program? UV-C treatment is not weather dependent, so the unit can operate in rain and in windy conditions. There are labour savings if the UV light can be applied by an autonomous unit without stopping to replenish a tank mix. Powdery mildew populations suppressed or controlled using non-chemical methods are less likely to develop fungicide resistance. MRL concerns can be avoided.

What are the concerns? The biggest downside for Australian grape producers is that the frames and tunnels designed for UV-C treatment in narrow winegrape canopies may not suit the diversity of trellises and canopy

need protective equipment. Also, correct calibration is crucial, as too high a dosage could cause damage to the vine.

If it works in USA and Europe, can’t we immediately start using it in Australia? Delivering the UV-C light should be no problem. Over-row and tunnel equipment are not new in Australian vineyards. We have over-row sprayers, and we also have tunnel sprayers applying drying oil to dried fruit, and over-row harvesters for winegrape and dried fruit. Driverless tractors and other autonomous equipment is also available for Australian vineyards. So, if UV-C does work under Australian conditions, and the UV light banks are cost effective to run, then we should be able to re-purpose the technology

Australian conditions because of differences in climate and the range of grape varieties and vine canopy architectures in our vineyards,” Bob said. “Also, the variation in UV tolerance within our powdery mildew populations might be different.” On the positive side, there is a lot of interest in non-chemical management options as alternatives to using fungicides, across a range of Australian horticultural crops. The Australian Table Grape Association is certainly watching this space, and we may see UV-C appearing in Australian vineyards soon.v Alison MacGregor Project lead – Extension Australian Table Grape Association amacgregor@atga.net.au Sources and for more information: Clarke, J. (2022) The Science Behind UV Light in Vineyards | SevenFifty Daily (news story) Cornell University (2020) Robots use UV light to fight grape mildew - Cornell Video (1 min 40 secs video)

to apply UV-C effectively and safely.

Cornell University (2019) UV light vs. powdery mildew Cornell Video (1 min 42 secs)

There are questions about the efficacy of

Wong, A., Moyer, M., Gadoury, D., Mahaffee, W (2022) UV-C Light as a Tool to Manage Grape Powdery Mildew. BIO Web of Conferences Vol 50. http://www. researchgate.net/publication/362525929 (science journal paper)

UV-C against Australian powdery mildew. According to Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development grape pathologist Andrew Taylor, while the technology for delivering the UV-C light is relatively straightforward, we need Australian trials to look at efficacy.

Gadoury, D. (2019) The potential of light treatments to suppress certain plant pathogens and pests. Research Focus 2019 (2):1-7. http://www.ecommons.cornell. edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6035809-2f6b4045-abfb-e15172cea5aa/content (Good graphics and images and a summary from the research team at Cornell University)

architectures in Australia. Also, UV-C may

“Australia has one of the highest levels

not have good efficacy against Australian

of UV radiation in the world,” Andrew

strains of powdery. The technology hasn’t

said. “So, investigations on UV dosage

Opposite page: Agri Automation - in collaboration with Vertex Engineers - is launching UVEX, their disinfection solution.

been tested under Australian conditions.

requirements are needed to determine if

Above: SAGA Robotics' Thorvald autonomous unit

VINE MAGAZINE 33

MARKETING

Spotlight on Jesse White D I S C OV E R M OR E AB O UT T HE PERSON BEHIND THE MARKETING P ROGRAM

International marketing expert Jesse White has had a successful 10-year career building brands in global markets. Now, he’ll use his extensive marketing acumen to help the Australian Table Grape Association deliver a strong international marketing program for the 2023/24 season.

So just who is Jesse White? And

international marketing campaigns

After departing Global Victoria, I

what will he bring to the table

from 2019-2021. Prior to Bastion I

wanted to get involved with the SIAP

for table grapes? The ATGA sat

spent time in Singapore and China

further, putting my hand up to serve

down with Jesse to talk about his

helping brands to grow in Asia, a

as a member. I’m excited to have

career, table grapes, and what he’s

region I am very passionate about.

been appointed and I think it’s a great

looking forward to this season.

During my time at Bastion, I developed

opportunity to be able to contribute.

Jesse is the director of Kinesys Agency,

another passion – for horticulture

I’m contributing to the SIAP from a

a specialised international horticulture

– and a bit of in-depth knowledge.

trade development and marketing

and consumer goods marketing agency and consultancy service, and of Syncret, which provides strategic export market entry advice for exporters. He has had a decade-long career working in both the public sector and private businesses, in Australia and Asia, including Global Victoria, the Victorian Government’s international trade agency, Bastion, Australia’s largest independent full-service marketing agency, and Market Engine,

From Bastion I moved on to Global Victoria, where I worked with Victorian exporters of food and FMCG to reach new markets

leverage overseas offices, Austrade, the

experienced firsthand the passion and demand for Aussie produce. It’s always fulfilling to get behind a product that you know is 100 per cent the best in the world. involved with the Table Grape SIAP.

How did your interest in

the government perspective as well.

Having strong links to Asia, I have

Tell us about how you became

Investment Advisory Panel (SIAP).

internationally, and also leveraging What that entails is looking at how we

enabler for the Chinese market. member of the Table Grape Strategic

I have gained delivering campaigns

and develop existing ones.

a software-based e-commerce Since September, Jesse is also a

perspective, bringing experience that

I became involved unofficially with the Table Grape SIAP while I was still working with Global Victoria.

can tap into government resources, Victorian Government, and international governments, to find the best way to streamline our efforts and make things more efficient and productive – with growers’ interests in mind. What are you looking forward to most this season? I’m most looking forward to working closer with growers and exporters to continue to refine how we deliver

From 2021 to 2023, I worked with

this program. I have so much to learn

the Table Grape SIAP and Hort

from industry about not just the table

I was recruited by the agency Bastion,

Innovation to reshape how we were

grape product and all its varietals,

the incumbent marketing service

doing marketing for table grapes

but also our export markets. Every

provider for Grown in Good Nature

internationally and domestically,

time I speak with exporters, I learn

(previously known as Taste Australia

and reprioritise the markets we

new things about our trading partners

and Now! In Season), to lead the

were investing marketing funds in.

and consumers in those markets.v

horticulture develop?

34 VINE MAGAZINE

INSIGHTS

Dried grape insights Greece

2023 ESTIMATED PRODUCTION

1000t

Variety: Sultana & Raisins

Uzbekistan 20,000t

Turkey

206,346t

(All figures metric tonnes packed weight )

GREECE

USA

150,253t

India

145,000t

Chile

Iran

58,000t

90,000t

South Africa Argentina

AUSTRALIA

China

190,000t

53,000t

Australia

34,000t

7309t

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE KEY POINTS - World supply of marketable dried

2022: 1,056,145t 2023: 802,599t ↓ -24.01%

about 1.1 million tonnes, to last year currants reduced by 9 per cent - Weather events were main causes for dried grapes crop intake volume reductions

1240t Currants 2798t Sunmuscats

grapes volume dropped by 21 per cent, -G oldens reduced by 8 per cent, while

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION BY VARIETY (TONNES):

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE 2022: 171,076t 2023: 152,309t

550t Sunglo 469t Other

2252t Sultanas

↓ -10.97% VINE MAGAZINE 35

PROCESSING AND MARKETING

Promising outlook for 2024 AUST R ALIAN P REMIUM DRIED FRUITS

Promising early spring weather has provided some long-needed positivity to the Australian dried vine fruit industry after some very challenging years.

The Australian dried vine fruit

She comes to APDF with a

industry was well represented

wealth of experience and will be

at the fair, with both processors

a great addition to the team.

Warm days, combined with just the right amount of rainfall, has meant

and Dried Fruits Australia all having representatives attend.

will be pleased to know that he has not

agent Bosch Boden Spies (BBS)

left our business but has taken on a

who manage all Australian dried

role of managing one of our vineyards.

vine fruit sales in the EU.

I’m sure he’ll keep in contact with

There were some spirited and

returning to not only APDF but

challenging meetings with customers

our partner growers as well.

from Italy and Germany who’ve

and early September. Preliminary bunch counts in newer varieties such as Selma Pete, Sugra 39, and Sunmuscat are promising for the 2024 crop. Nevertheless, it's important to remember that there's still a

been disappointed with the quality of fruit that has been sent into the market over the last few years, particularly when the premium for

the customer base and BBS have

impact from the previous season. However, this is unlikely to significantly affect APDF, as Thompsons constitute a diminishing portion of our overall intake, now accounting for less than the combined volume

sultanas in the upcoming season. Our growth trajectory aligns well with the demand side of the equation. The key challenge lies in ensuring a consistent and highquality crop for the 2024 season.

producers (Turkey, USA, Greece)

going in our favour due to the major all facing similar challenges to the ones we faced over the last couple of seasons like excessive rainfall at

double our 2023 intake, which was a

critical times and vineyard disease.

touch over 3000 tonnes this year.

This has led to decreased volumes,

We recently had the pleasure of

poor quality fruit and higher prices.

attending the Anuga Food Fair in Cologne,

We hope to be much better placed to

Germany, which ran from 4-8 October.

compete next season in terms of pricing

Anuga is the world’s largest and most

and quality against competing origins.

important food and beverage fair. It

We also take this opportunity to

takes place every second year in Cologne

announce the appointment of

and is sub-divided into 10 separate fairs,

our new grower communications

each covering a different category.

officer – Megan Rogers.

36 VINE MAGAZINE

(03) 5025 6210 | megan@apdf.com.au

of our world-renowned golden

Provided we can avoid any weather-

in a good position to more than

Megan Rogers

fruit, eagerly anticipating the arrival

Market dynamics also seem to be

the growing season, we should be

Grower communications officer

maintained their interest in Australian

of other sultana varieties.

related calamities for the rest of

Enquiries:

Turkey, Iran and South Africa.

to consider before harvest is complete.

bunches due to the downy mildew

relationships with over the years.v

higher than competing origins from The positive aspect here is that both

with most growers noting lighter

most of the growers he’s formed close

Aussie fruit has been substantially

considerable amount of time and factors

Thompsons are a mixed bag this season,

with Larry Dichiera over the years, you

We were hosted by our European

there is some cautious optimism

Buds started to shoot in late August

For those that have worked closely

Top: Frank Bartz, sales Italy BBS, Craig Greenwood, CEO APDF, Andreas Schroda, sales Germany BBS, and Zak Arapovic, head of sales at APDF, at Anuga Food Fair in Germany. Above: The BBS booth at the Anuga Food Fair in Cologne, Germany.

PROCESSING AND MARKETING

Focus on industry rebuild S UNB EAM FOODS & ANGAS PARK

While the 2023 crop is off growers’ hands, we are still battling through to process the lower quality fruit that was presented this year.

Some of the badly affected vines from

This has posed many challenges

have been suitable for bunch

for the retail, export and industrial

formation and the drier conditions

channels that have received a lower

have kept diseases at bay.

quality offering than anticipated.

Sunbeam on show

The export market, in particular, which is highly sensitive to fruit colour, has been affected by the lower based colour fruit.

downy mildew in 2023 have not bounced back 100 per cent, but overall the crop is being set up for a good season. The weather conditions, aided by the El Niño weather pattern,

Sunraysia residents may have seen the Sunbeam “Add a little SUNSHINE to your LUNCHBOX” advertising

While some markets appreciate the

billboard displayed on Fifteenth Street

difficult growing conditions, many rely

opposite Mildura Central in October.

on the consistently lighter coloured Australian fruit to differentiate their products from the rest of the world.

This eye-catching sign highlighted the Sunbeam snacking range, along with our partnership with

Interestingly, the world’s largest

WIRES (Wildlife Information

producer Turkey also suffered

Rescue and Education Service).

poor growing conditions this year, which resulted in a smaller crop and poorer quality. Many of our markets are keen to get

This is part of our advertising campaign promoting back-to-school snacking.

Prunes

their hands on the renowned high

The 2023 prune grading has produced

quality Australian product but the

a mixed result across the growers,

last two seasons have seen a supply

with pittable sizing averaging just 51

of lower quality (and quantity) fruit

per cent, but to get this average there

to the market, which will necessitate

were some high results and some lower

a strong marketing push to regain

results that arrived at this number.

our relevance and credibility across

The hot and cold weather conditions

the various export customers.

the later flowering prune varieties.

the Sunbeam export sales team have

The flowering appeared to be very good,

Anuga (Germany) and SIAL (China), to get “face to face” with our longstanding buyers to start to rebuild the confidence in the Australian product. These relationships are key to building a solid foundation for the increased crops that will come online over the next few years.

The fruit set has been quite spasmodic across the various apricot varieties. The contributing factors to this are mainly adverse weather conditions that interrupted the later stages of flowering. A short period of hot days followed by days of low overnight temperatures have stressed trees and flowering has not transformed through to a good fruit set. It appears that it will be only a medium to light yielding season at present, but the fruit should have good sugar accumulation and be larger in size.v Enquiries: Grower Services | 03 50514 400 Supply Manager - Dried Fruit David Swain | 0407 834 044 Field Officer - Dried Vine Fruit Gary Simpson | 0429 960 234 Dried Tree Fruits Operations Manager – Loxton Luke Fitzsimmons | 0431 894 515

have led to a poor fruit set across

In preparation for the coming season, attended international food shows,

Dried tree fruit

but the weather conditions restricted the number of flowers to set fruit. The forecast lower crop will provide challenges as a normal crop only just covers the demand for retail whole and pitted prunes. There has been a very positive response to Angas Park’s tree planting incentive program announced in July and these

The start to the 2024 crop has

trees can’t produce fruit quick enough

experienced ideal conditions.

to meet our demand requirements.

Above:A billboard promoting Sunbeam’s snacking range has been on display in Mildura.

VINE MAGAZINE 37

PROFILE

Profile Nathan Walker

Nathan Walker has been involved in the dried grape industry for 12 years, starting his career at the largest dried fruit farm in Australia. Now he’s General Manager Operations at Duxton Dried Fruits, where he’s noticed a shift in the industry in areas of mechanisation and dried grape varieties to combat rising costs of labour and to manage risks in the industry. What's your title/role with Duxton Dried Fruits? General Manager - Operations. How long have you been involved in the dried grape industry? 12 years.

38 VINE MAGAZINE

How did your involvement in

Where do you see the industry going

the industry come about?

and how do you see things changing?

I started my career in the dried

Over the next five to 10 years, I see

fruit industry in 2012 at the largest

the dried fruit Industry switching

dried fruit farm in Australia.

to a more mechanised standard.

What do you like about the

Is there anything new or innovative

dried grape industry?

that Duxton Dried Fruits is doing

I thoroughly enjoy the challenge that

on blocks or in the business?

every season brings and how the

Following the significantly wet

majority of growers in the dried fruit

weather in recent years, Duxton Dried

industry are willing to pass on their knowledge on to other growers.

Fruits has been trialling different ways to aid in early sugar production

How have things changed over the

to minimise the risk of colder/

years you've been in the industry?

wet weather later in the season.

The dried fruit industry has begun to

Duxton Dried Fruits is also looking

mechanise many of its operational

into alternative varieties for

tasks to combat the rising cost of

upcoming developments to spread

labour and I am excited to see what

out harvest timing and minimise

the future holds for the industry.

the risk of colder/wet weather.v

COMMUNITY

Notice board Industry members gathered for the August event of the Mallee Horticulture Technical Network.

Left: Murray Valley Winegrowers Inc CEO Paul Derrico, ATGA CEO Jeff Scott and DFA deputy chair Warren Lloyd. Centre: Costa agronomist Chris Potgieter. Right: DFA CEO Thomas Cheung at the August event of the MHTN.

Left: Agriculture Victoria's Jeremy Giddings, agronomists Penny Nesbitt and Chloe Cai. Right: Jeff Milne, ATGA's Jenny Treeby and Perfection Fresh agronomist Andrei Goergen.

Mark King (Chair) Producer, Pomona

David Swain Sunbeam Foods

Warren Lloyd (Deputy Chair)

Steve Sinclair Sunbeam Foods

Producer, Irymple

Craig Greenwood

Stephen Bennett Producer, Merbein

Australian Premium Dried Fruits

Ashley Johnstone Producer, Irymple

BOARD

Ashley Chabrel Producer, Barmera

Michael Scalzo Australian Premium Dried Fruits

James Shopov Producer, Duxton

Rowena Smart Producer, Red Cliffs

BOARD

Jeremey Boyd (Chair) Victoria

Joe Garreffa New South Wales

Rocky Mammone (Deputy Chair) Victoria

Anthony Cirillo New South Wales

Dominic Sergi Victoria

Peter Nuich Western Australia

Adrian Cordoma Victoria

Zoe Dichiera Queensland

Robert Nugan Victoria

Bill Avery South Australia

Don Albanese Victoria Disclaimer: Dried Fruits Australia, the Australian Table Grape Association and Hort Innovation acknowledge contributions made by private enterprise through placement of advertisements in this publication. Acceptance of these contributions does not endorse or imply endorsement of any product or service advertised by contributors and we expressly disclaim all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in the Vine. Reliance on any information provided in the Vine is entirely at your own risk. Dried Fruits Australia, the Australian Table Grape Association and Hort Innovation are not responsible for, and will not be liable for, any loss, damage, claim, expense, cost (including legal costs) or other liability arising in any way, including from any person’s negligence or otherwise, or from reliance on information contained in the Vine, or your use or non-use of the material. Copyright © Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited 2023. Copyright subsists in the Vine. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) owns the copyright, other than as permitted under the Copyright ACT 1968 (Cth). The Vine (in part or as a whole) cannot be reproduced, published, communicated or adapted without the prior written consent of Hort Innovation and both ATGA and DFA.

VINE MAGAZINE 39

GREEN

BLUE

SLOW

Your grapes deserve the best Using fresh science to protect fresh produce