CEO Report – 2017 yields up as we set our sights on 2018

At the recent series of Future Orchards® walks the Orchard Business Analysis 2016-17 figures were shared and showed average gross yields for the sample have risen from 38t/ha in 2011 to 48t/ha in 2017 with the top-level producers achieving 90 t/ha. Packouts were also rising, with the model average approaching 70 per cent.

While this is an excellent improvement and demonstrates what can be achieved by using best practice orcharding techniques, growing production necessitates growing markets. This is a significant challenge for our industry and a priority for APAL.

High on that agenda will be developing export markets to help deliver on the goals set out in the Apple & Pear Industry Export Development Strategy of increasing exports of apples and pears to 10 per cent of marketable yield by 2027.

Looking forward, China offers a tremendous opportunity for Australian growers, and with the stonefruit protocol now signed, attention shifts this year to negotiating access to China for mainland apples.

The Apple Market Access Steering Committee, made up of APAL, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) officials and industry representatives, met recently to progress development of workable protocols setting mainland apple access to China.

In the domestic market, APAL proposed to key stakeholders, a more disciplined, planned approach to how we market our fruit. This approach is grounded in the disciplines learned from branded varieties and is also a priority for APAL. Any success will require ongoing industry participation, cooperation and commitment.

The recently-completed Packhouse Optimisation Project which analysed the data of 10 Victorian packhouses and one in Tasmania has confirmed the significant cost associated with grading and packing that contributes to Australia’s relatively high cost of delivering fruit to market.

These are preliminary figures but they create a foundation upon which we can start building up meaningful data against which businesses can benchmark themselves and base investment decisions.

In December I visited Adelaide Hills growers hit by the devastating hail storms of late October. The extent of the damage was very distressing to see. It will be a hard few years ahead for the region and all credit to Susie Green and the Apple & Pear Growers Association of South Australia (APGASA) for her efforts put in to supporting growers.

Our priority is to get the best returns for growers and we will be working with APGASA to support the SA industry as best we can.

Pleasingly, the National Residue Survey (NRS) has expanded from January 2018 to include microbiological and heavy metal screening in addition to the original pesticides residue testing. This will avoid duplication at packhouses and supports the process of delivering consumers a high-quality experience.

You will have noticed that APAL is putting time and energy into seeking your ideas and input to ensure the national, combined industry conference the Hort Connections 2018 in June will be both educational and informative. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the conference.

Harvest is moving into full swing. Early indications suggest the national apple and pear volumes will not be vastly different to those of 2017, but we will see as the season unfolds whether this proves to be accurate.

I hope conditions are favourable throughout the harvest period and I look forward to visiting your growing region in the coming months.