Australian Stonefruit Grower Magazine Issue 2 August 2016 | Page 3

Editor's Note

Fruitful
opportunities

Jenny's picture?

Spring has arrived and
blossoms are out. A lovely time
of year, following a mild winter and
a welcome bit of rain in most areas.

T

he big news in this issue is all

With this in mind, our cover

about exports. This season, for

the first time, Australian nectarines
are going to China. Thirteen years of
pest assessments and inspections and
what probably seemed like endless
negotiations have finally paid off in

story this issue is on the Californian

This season, for the
first time, Australian
nectarines are going
to China.

industry. USA stonefruit growers are
facing many of the same challenges
as here with rising labour costs,
increasing environmental pressures
and threats from urbanisation.

access to this potentially massive new

However, a strong focus on quality

market.

through the whole supply chain, and

Australian production must seem
like a drop in the ocean to the Chinese; Australia
grows around 80,000 tonnes of stonefruit annually; they

continual variety development are
helping to keep consumers excited about stonefruit.
Other stories include a timely reminder of the threat

produce over 13.5 million. With a population over 1.357

of brown rot – rain during flowering increases the risk of

billion, the problem could be just having enough fruit to

this devastating disease. Prevention is better than cure, so

send!

timely fungicide applications are essential. We also visit

Part of the agreement with China is reciprocity – we can’t

the Steritech irradiation facility in Brisbane, report on new

expect to export if we don’t accept imports (with quarantine

research on SPLAT for managing fruit fly, interview grower

security of course). The first shipments of Chinese

Rowan Berecry about the practicalities of producing the

nectarines are now arriving in Australia, by air and sea.

Queen Garnet plum, and detail how to calibrate the DA

Such imports compete directly with Californian stonefruit,

meter for measuring fruit maturity.

now in its fourth season in Australia. The Chinese fruit
will certainly be cheaper so it will be interesting to see how
quality and sales compare.
summerfruit.com.au

It’s a bumper issue – hope you enjoy it!

-Jenny Ekman
august 2016 | Australian Stonefruit Grower

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