Harvest focus: export with Travis Georgopoulos

Higher yields and good quality fruit is positioning Goulburn Valley-based pear and apple growers and established exporters GVIP Orchards well to lift export volumes this year. 

Third generation Orchard Manager Travis Georgopoulos said after the damaging hail events of 2022 and 2023, the current season had been a return to a ‘more normal’ year and, despite a hot dry summer, yields had bounced back and quality was good. 

“We had very favourable spring conditions and that has contributed to clean skin and good packouts,” he said. “It did heat up in summer. With the bigger crop load, warmer weather and the earlier season, there were some challenges in the region getting size into the fruit and a lot of irrigation required, but we got there in the end.” 

GVIP Orchards has 1,500 acres (607ha) planted and grows Williams, Packham, Beurré Bosc, Corella, Josephine and its own early red pear Red Sienna Pride® as well as Gala, Granny Smith, ANAPB 01 (marketed domestically as Bravo® and internationally as Soluna™) and high-coloured Cripps Pink cultivars.  

Travis, who works alongside parents Chris and Mary and brothers Christian and Alexander, said despite the heat, Williams had packed out at up to 80 per cent Class 1 with subsequent picks around 65–70 per cent. 

Travis said it’s important to maintain supply to export partners despite the ups and downs of the domestic crop and market. Photo: Abram Rasmussen, ARC Media

GVIP has been exporting since 2009 and exporting is a key part of their marketing strategy. 

This year Travis said GVIP Orchards would be participating with other Goulburn Valley growers in a Canadian Packham program as well as sending Williams pears to Asian markets including Indonesia and Singapore and exporting through the Soluna apple program, for which they are a licensed grower and packer. 

Depending on the season, exports account for on average 30 per cent of the marketed crop. 

Travis said while there was certainly risk and also additional compliance, monitoring and administration, “if you get the quality right, then you’ll get reward”. 

“It’s definitely a high-risk market, and can be difficult, but I think we don’t really have a choice because we need to get some volume offshore and off the domestic market where we can.” 

But he said getting quality right so fruit that might take – in the case of Canada – over 35 days to arrive was in condition to both pass QA tests on arrival and give consumers a good eating experience was critical to a successful outcome. 

VIP Orchards is participating with other Goulburn Valley growers in a program exporting Packham pears to Canada. Photo: Abram Rasmussen, ARC Media

It was also important to maintain supply to export partners despite the ups and downs of the domestic crop and market. 

“Even when the domestic demand is high, you have to maintain your relationships and remember that they have to maintain a market share and if the Australian product isn’t there, they can lose their share,” he said. 

“This year, with the higher yields, we’re in a better position, and hoping that everyone in the region is also in a better position, to contribute to export.” 

This article was first published in the Autumn 2025 edition of AFG.