Growing North Queensland horticulture

By Ry Collins, General Manager, Bowen Gumlu Growers Association

Challenges aside, it’s a fantastic time of the year to be living and growing in North Queensland. Our region, like many others, was hammered through the autumn months with unseasonal rains having a serious impact on production of our winter vegetable crop. Losses of key commodities, such as tomatoes, were reported to be in the tens of millions. Producers were resilient in adjusting to these conditions, readily getting out to make repairs to their properties and planting new crop, ensuring they could go some way to recouping their costs. As North Queensland growing regions move from winter vegetables into the mango season, the Bowen Gumlu Growers Association (BGGA) continues to make advancements around a number of key initiatives to future proof our industry.

Bowen Pipeline

BGGA, along with a number of producers in the Gumlu and Bowen regions, attended meetings on the Bowen Pipeline project to support the water demand assessment being undertaken and gain some understanding toward the expected cost and availability of future water through this project. Although still some way off, the project has the potential to increase land in the region under irrigation by 11,000 ha and offer benefits toward long-term water security.

Connected Farms

Another initiative developing in the region is the Connected Farms precinct in Bowen. Over the next few months, the region will see a new fixed wireless tower and data centre installed locally and established specifically for improved digital connectivity and bandwidth available to producers in the area. Increased connectivity will allow producers to implement and adopt additional technology and agtech to their farms such as wireless sensors, internetenabled devices, automation and other precision technology that we hope improves production and efficiency for producers in the region.

Technology Uptake Program

BGGA has entered into an agreement with AgriFutures Australia to deliver a project under the National Producer Technology Uptake Program. The program is focused on supporting access for farmers to new technology, increasing their awareness of new innovations in machinery, computer and production systems, wireless, digital and other technologies. Growers involved in the program will participate in a one-day workshop with a specialist facilitator to discuss current business practices, challenges and technology focused options to address the challenges. This will be followed up by a grower group study tour to another producing region in Australia to observe and gain information on relevant technologies and agtech in practice and, finally, participation in on-farm demonstrations and trials of new technology. Growers participating will also be able to access an online resource being developed by AgriFutures Australia to more easily connect with agtech vendors, obtain pricing and identify the potential return on investment that may be made through adopting new technology in their business. Through all the challenges facing the industry, it’s important to maintain perspective that many of our current issues, be it bad weather or cost of inputs, will hopefully only be temporary. If we ensure we are continuously looking forward and pursuing new ways to adapt, be more productive or sustainable, then we will ensure our industry is able to meet any challenge and continue to be prosperous for our growers and communities into the future.

Technology in the spotlight: This drone from NQ Aerovation is just one of a swathe of technology that was on display at the BGGA Innovation Field Day in November.