Managing Director of Piñata Farms, Gavin Scurr.
Piñata Farms HarVests its First substrate strawberries Piñata Farms has announced that it is picking its first substrate-grown strawberries at Wamuran on the Sunshine Coast after venturing into substrate production over winter. Piñata Farms is a proud Queensland family business with origins dating back to the 1960s in the state’s southeast. Founded by pineapple farmer, Geoff Scurr at Wamuran, Piñata Farms is now operated by Geoff’s sons, Gavin and Stephen Scurr. Piñata Farms is the largest pineapple producer in Australia, one of the largest strawberry producers and holds the breeding rights to grow specialty Honey Gold mangoes, produced in every mainland state except South Australia. Piñata Farms grows winter strawberries at Wamuran and summer strawberries at Stanthorpe, southern Queensland, for year-round availability. Fruit is produced both in the open field and under polytunnels. Substrate strawberries grow in coconut coir on tiered shelves. Managing director
Gavin Scurr said the quality of fruit produced using the substrate method had so far exceeded expectations. “The eating quality is superb and the berries have a vibrant colour with a natural sheen. Because they’re growing under polytunnels, they’ve stayed warm throughout winter and that’s resulted in brighter, cleaner fruit,” Mr Scurr said. Mr Scurr said Piñata Farms had invested more than $1 million in erecting 1.5 hectares of polytunnels at Wamuran and another eight hectares at Stanthorpe in southern Queensland as part of its strawberry business expansion.He added that while commercial substrate was in its infancy in Australia, Piñata Farms believed that it would that it would become widespread in the next 10 years. “Set-up costs for substrate and polytunnel production are extremely high. However, we’ve decided to make the move now so when the rest of the industry goes that way, we will have already trialled and refined these methods,” Mr Scurr said. Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses . October . 2016. 67