Bumper season for Bundaberg bounty

By Bree Watson, Chief Executive Officer, Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers

A powerhouse of horticulture production: there is always something being planted, grown, or harvested in the Bundaberg region.

Whilst their start was delayed by several weeks late last year and early this year, we experienced bumper lychee and melon crops, and now move into macadamia and avocado seasons among other commodities.

We’ll be commencing strawberries in the coming months and vegetable crops are looking strong. Corn plantings plummeted a few years ago due to pest issues. However, these plantings have now increased back to usual levels.

Pest incursion

Effective management of plant pests and diseases continues to be an ongoing challenge for producers in the region. A second detection of guava root-knot nematode (see page 20) in Queensland now poses a significant threat to our plant industries including chilli, ginger, sweet potato, and watermelon among others.

Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers is hosting two guava root-knot nematode workshops in the coming months, and we know that reducing its impact on the entire industry is the only way we can manage this significant threat.

Out and about

In March, I joined the Queensland delegation to EvokeAG conference in Adelaide. The theme, Down to Earth, represented the need for innovators, connectors and change makers in agrifood innovation to bring big ideas down to reality.

I couldn’t visit Adelaide without going to the South Australian Produce Market. With thanks to Brisbane Produce Market for connecting us, I was able to arrange a group of 16 growers, researchers and industry representatives from the Bundaberg and Bowen regions, two of Queensland’s biggest powerhouse production regions, to see local produce on display, meet wholesalers and better understand some of the challenges with sending produce to this state.

Ongoing water concerns

Recently Sunwater customers received notice on how they will manage storage levels in Paradise Dam during the construction phase. Upon learning the water level in the dam will be further reduced, we were immediately sent back in memory to September 2019 when the then Minister Lynham announced they’d be pulling the plug and reducing the dam wall.

Whilst current water allocations will not be impacted, medium priority customers in the Burnett River sub-scheme will be from 1 July of this year. There’s a saying in our industry that no one has a better memory than an irrigator and we have vivid memories of 22% water allocations in 2021 and skyrocketing costs for water transfers. Pulling the plug on the dam again will mean that water that cannot be taken up by irrigators will flow to sea again. Just like it did in 2019. Commitments were made to restore the dam wall, and this was a major relief to growers, however, it will still be several years before we can once again boast we have the best water security in Australia.

Representations

Recently I was honoured to be elected as the new Chair for the Queensland Horticulture Council (QHC). The QHC was formed in 2015 to bring together the regional horticultural groups in Queensland and plays a vital role in deliberating horticulture policy in Queensland. It meets regularly with the Agricultural Minister, Mark Furner MP, and I’m looking forward to ensuring the views of horticultural producers throughout the state are considered and valued.

New CEO for J.H. Leavy & Co

Jacob Darling has taken on the role of CEO of Brisbane Markets wholesaler, J.H. Leavy & Co, replacing Ben Bartlett.

According to the Darling Group’s Managing Director, Andrew Darling, the announcement was bittersweet considering Mr Bartlett’s impact on the company.

“Ben was instrumental in the development of Darling Group’s Australian business, starting out with us at Global Fresh Australia with the national sales and marketing of NZ avocados and kiwifruit,” Mr Darling said.

“When Darling Group acquired J.H. Leavy & Co. from the Tighe family in 2016, Ben took the helm and managed a successful transition which has provided us a more significant platform to grow from today.”

Jacob Darling’s produce career began in the USA with Tom Lange and Co. He then returned to the family business in 2016 taking up a role with J.H. Leavy & Co before returning to New Zealand in 2017 to lead Darling Group’s Sales and

Marketing team.

Since then, he has driven the development of Darling Group’s international trade and 12 month supply strategy, growing it into an $35m business with goals to increase this to $100 million over the next five years.

Jacob became COO of Darling Group in 2022 where he took on oversight of Darling Group’s NZ avocado supply and packing business, Just Avocados, while also still maintaining active involvement in international sales and marketing.