Avoscene December 2010

T H E N E W Z E A L A N D AV O C A D O G R O W E R S ’ J O U R N A L

Inside this Issue

Research Project Update l Outreach News l

DECEMBER 2010

South Africa Trip l CEO Tribute l

Directors Bay of Plenty Ashby Whitehead Ph 07 573 6680 alwhitehead@xtra.co.nz Far North Ian Broadhurst Ph 09 406 7308 m. 021 395 906 bernian.avos@xtra.co.nz Mid North Mike Eagles Ph 09 434 7271 m.eagles@xtra.co.nz At Large Roger Barber (Vice Chairman NZ AGA) Ph/Fax 09 435 0785 barbers@ihug.co.nz Kim Crocker Ph 07 548 1090 kim_crocker@orcon.net.nz John Schnackenberg (Chairman NZ AGA/AIC) Ph 07 549 0717 jschnack@ihug.co.nz Tony Ponder Ph 07 572 3019 tony@southernproduce.co.nz Rest of NZ David French Ph 09 238 3359 or 0274 375 315 famille@ps.gen.nz Export Directors John Carroll, Andrew Darling.

Contents Business Strategy

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Avoscene Advertising & Editorial Avoscene is published by the Avocado Industry Council For editorial contact: Natasha Mitchell Sun Media Ltd No.1 The Strand, Tauranga Ph: 07 578 0030 Fax: 07 571 1116 email natasha@thesun.co.nz For advertising contact: Daphne Keller at Sun Media Ltd email daphne@thesun.co.nz Design and production: Kym Johnson, Sun Media Ltd email kym@thesun.co.nz

Industry News

15

Regional Roundups

16

Avogreen

18

Avocentric

22

Research survey results

24

Outreach News

27

Promotions

29

South Africa Trip

38

Printed at: Kale Print Subscriptions NZ $100 plus GST per year (four issues) In New Zealand NZ $27 per single copy

Industry Office PO Box 13267, Tauranga 3141 Ph: 07 571 6147 or 0800 AVOCADO (0800 286 223)

Fax: 07 571 6145 www.nzavocado.co.nz

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4

nt Industry Agreements

in biosecurity readiness and response I know our industry is full of acronyms and this is another new one we need to pay attention to.

There is lots of good reading in this quarter’s Avoscene, but please make time to read this article and familiarise yourself with changes coming up in how MAF would like to work with industry to collaboratively manage biosecurity risks relevant to our industry.

This article is not intending to be an apologist for Government policy; rather to explain what the Government is intending, why our industry needs to pay attention and, as best as possible with limited information, indicate what new costs may be incurred by the industry (and by default, the grower).

In your last Avoscene (September 2010) there were two enclosures • A copy of a letter from the Office of the Hon David Carter, and • A MAF Biosecurity leaflet titled “Frequently Asked Questions”.

Hopefully most of you will have read both and thus can skip the next few paragraphs!

Background – rationale The Hon David Carter (Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity and Forestry) announced late last year new measures around biosecurity designed to provide a more efficient post-border biosecurity system and significantly lift New Zealand’s ability to deal with introduced pests and diseases.

One of the key components of the measures was the ability for primary industries and government to embark on joint decision-making and cost sharing

agreements for biosecurity preparedness and response activities. Historically, decisions have been left to MAF and industry has had little or no input.

The agreements are intended to provide incentives to invest in biosecurity readiness, resulting in faster and less costly responses. The agreement will provide an opportunity for industry groups to identify the biosecurity risks of greatest concern to them, and jointly invest with government to better manage those risks through readiness and response activities.

An example of ‘bad’ or ‘no’ planning To give a broad example of expected benefits, consider the painted apple moth incursion in greater Auckland in the mid 1990s. There was little or no preparedness (identification of the risk and appropriate surveillance in place) and no plan to control an outbreak. Consequently, slow and expensive response planning delayed re-action and subsequently, once action was decided, much of greater Auckland needed to be sprayed from the air at a cost then of about $80m funded by the tax payer.

Some might argue, “Great, we were saved from the cost”, but any delays increase the opportunity for spread and establishment, increases expenses and reduces likelihood of a successful outcome.

Preparedness, surveillance, early detection, planned and costed response and cost sharing agreements likely would have fast-tracked the response and reduced the cost of eradication to a fraction of that amount, still with the majority of cost funded by the taxpayer due to the ‘public good’ element (in that example).

The Minister argues that the agreements are not about government reducing its investment in biosecurity, rather it will help government to target its funding to those continued over ...

5

Government Industry Agreements

Changes in biosecurity readiness and response continued ...

areas that industry signal are important by deciding to invest their own money – yes an element of ‘user pays’, but with targeted government assistance.

This initiative is designed to encourage industry to evaluate their own unique and shared pest and disease risk, determine what is important, design surveillance to identify any incursion, and have in place a reaction plan, fully costed with cost sharing agreed in advance. Industry is not asked to write a ‘blank cheque’ – we set our own upper limit – but, working together to deliver the best and most effective biosecurity system possible.

Actions to date It’s important to acknowledge that MAF is endeavouring to be ‘inclusive’ with all industry and are offering parties the opportunity to influence the process through genuine engagement between MAF and industries. However, MAF is working on a fairly tight timetable, there is lots of detail to cover off on and arguably much of that detail is being worked through ‘on the fly’, hence the real opportunity to influence outcomes through participation. The AIC has been engaged with MAF and other industry from the beginning of the process and will continue active engagement.

There have been four key meetings to date – a ‘design’ workshop, a technical meeting (what are the pests and diseases industry are worried about) – both in September, a further design workshop (October 20 – funding and mandate) and another November 10 (cost sharing).

Costing Possibility There are several key elements to consider before thinking about ‘costs’; the pest or disease of concern, the implications should it arrive and become established, required surveillance to detect and the appropriate response to minimise or eradicate. Thus every known pest and disease has to be identified and considered in detail to determine seriousness and appropriate surveillance and to plan 6

and cost reaction. As a rough guide, We would consider that to complete a full biosecurity risk plan will cost the avocado industry between $50,000 and $80,000.

Further, in terms of surveillance and response costs, consideration has to be given to the extent to which the pest or disease risk is crop specific, ‘pan horticultural’ or indeed ‘amenity or back-yard horticulture’ (has a ‘public benefit / impact’) that government will take responsibility for.

At the meeting on November 10 a range of cost sharing options were presented together with the principles from which ‘public good’ benefit may be determined. These range from fully government funded to fully industry funded with various mixes in between.

The following two ‘rough’ examples are based on these presumptions and serve as illustrative scenarios only.

Low Cost – Shared Risk (Please note that this example is purely conjecture at this stage and serves only to illustrate the process that would be followed to estimate cost shares).

There are a range of fruit flies that are of ‘pan horticultural’ concern and thus of significant public good to restrict entry, particularly from the perspective of NZ exports. Thus fruit fly will have a high level of public good, so assume say an 80%:20% cost share. Also bear in mind that at present MAF already have in place and fund surveillance for fruit fly.

Assume it would cost $10m to eradicate an incursion and that affected horticultural industries have a combined value of $2 billion, Avocados being $50m, or 2.5%. If industry were required to pick up 20% of $10m, then industry share is $2m. Avocado’s share then is $50,000 (or 2.5c per tray on a 2m tray export crop). Note: The cost sharing between industries has not been agreed.

High Cost – Unique Risk Phellinus noxius is a fungus becoming increasingly common in North Eastern

Australia (Queensland particularly) and has a number of possible vectors (including NZ avocado growers visiting peers in Australia and bringing it back on their shoes) which devastates affected avocado orchards in Queensland by entry into the tree probably through wounds. It may also have a public good component as a range of different genera are affected not just avocados.

Assume a cost of $5m to eradicate, clean up and re-plant or compensate affected orchard(s). Assume a government contribution of 20%, then Avocado have $4m to find if full eradication is the agreed course of action.

The Avocado industry may decide that full eradication is not affordable and may not pursue that path. It may and can agree a cap on its financial commitment of $400,000 say (and government presumably would invest up to $100,000), and at the point that amount was required or committed, the Avocado industry would revisit its options with MAF. Of course, it may decide not to spend any of the agreed amount up to the cap – neither then presumably would government.

Should industry and government agree to and spend the full eradication cost, the understanding is government would ‘lend’ the cost we could not fund initially and industry would repay government over a 10 year period, including interest.

(Rather like we are currently funding the avocado sunblotch viroid costs over four years as 2.5c per export tray (grower) plus 2.5c per export tray (exporter)).

Funding mechanism and mandate Two mechanisms are being considered, either as a new or increased commodity levy under the Commodities Levy Act, or as a new biosecurity levy under the Biosecurity Act. Both require ‘mandate’ from growers to initiate.

Commodity Levy We currently have a commodity levy in place which is due to expire in 2012.

A full grower consultation process is required to re-instate the commodity levy (each six years), and subject to grower

support (50% of growers and 50% of production that vote), we could introduce an additional levy facility to fund readiness.

With this option the levy is subject to six yearly grower review and re-instatement, which carries with it the risk that the levy could be overturned.

Biosecurity Levy Amendments to the Biosecurity Act are under consideration which would enable industries that are parties to GIA to establish a levy in a process similar to that for the Commodity Levy Act. This levy could be set in a range (say from 0% to 5%) and if a response event was initiated which industry had agreed to, the levy would kick in as required.

With this option once in place growers do not get the periodic option to review the levy and it can only be removed by direction of the Minister.

What happens next?

The MAF GIA team has completed the initial round of detailed consultation with industry and is now reviewing and revising the proposed rules of engagement based on feedback from industry. From this MAF will draft the Government Industry Agreement for industry consultation and subsequently presentation to the Minister and Cabinet for approval. This is intended to be completed by June 2011.

The Avocado industry needs to decide in principle whether we should be part of GIA (board decision) then set about considering the key risk priority organisms, potential scenarios and organisms impacts, develop a ‘value proposition’ and then determine if we are going to participate in GIA. The legislation supporting GIA is likely to be before Parliament by September 2010 and it would not be until later next year that agreements can be signed.

Following that the real hard work begins, but we’ll look at that later.

of organisms that are a risk to us and remain in control of what costs we are prepared to incur and those we will avoid. Through participation we will receive: • Faster and more effective responses that will reduce costs (loss) to industry by maintaining or quickly regaining market access and reducing damage to production; • A guaranteed ‘say’ in how the prioritised risk organisms should be responded to; • Improved priority setting to ensuring the best use of limited resources (MAFs and the Avocado industry’s); • Expanded scope and capability for readiness and response activities; and • Government support and advice for readiness.

By not participating, we risk having a share of response costs imposed upon us

with no opportunity to be part of the discussions.

There is a long way to go before the industry is ‘signed up’ and a lot of consultation to yet take place (between ourselves and MAF and with you our growers). There are some initial costs (as indicated above), and assuming participation, ongoing administration costs (subsidised by government over the first six years) and ‘discounted’ readiness and response costs (from the agreed share) for a number of years from GIA signature.

Having agreed readiness and response plans we always reserve the right not to commit expenditure, so the answer to the question “How much will it cost?” is “How much are we prepared to spend to protect our industry (from any particular risk) in a pre-agreed cost sharing partnership with government?”

Recent highlights of AIC activity Volume • Six Irrigation and Fertigation Field Days held in growing regions.

• Fruit storage evaluations are underway for Maluma Hass, Lamb Hass, Hass 3446 and Reed.

• Dry matter evaluations being conducted on Carmen and GEM. • AIC technical manager and AGA/AIC chairman John Schnackenberg attended a meeting of the International Biennial Bearing Consortium in San Francisco.

Value • AvoGreen Monitor and OwnerOperator training complete.

• Australia promotion implemented for 2010-2011 season.

Leadership • Call for submissions for 2011-2012 EMS. • Recruitment process for new AIC CEO.

Conclusion Government industry agreements are going to happen. We can be part of the process and ‘at the table’ in terms 7

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13/08/10 10:32 PM

Packers’ Comment Michael Ruegg NZAPF

Summer’s here My brother and his family came around the other day, for a bar – b – que.

He brought half a cow with him, in pieces. Long, wide, flat, and about half an inch thick pieces. He rides bikes, normally. However today, well no not actually today, it was the day before Halloween – anyway, on the day, he turned up in his Folden, with the family and half a cow, in pieces. And we had a bar – be – que.

Why? Well I’m sure there was some reason for him to visit, and the other one was, as I said, for a bar – be – q.

My bar – b – q is an old cast iron pot belly, outside on the deck. A fatso I think, the potbelly that is, not the deck.

It burns a lot of wood which must be cut and split from open fire size down to pot belly door size. A mix of wood works best – pine, gum, and a bit of manuka do the trick. Even then it still takes around about one hour to heat up. However, when it does, it cooks well. Very well actually. Perfect for half a cow. It also cooks hot, very hot, and so it needs ‘the good oil’.

• Vegetable oil. Smokes as you pour it on.

• Olive oil. Gone in 60 seconds (I know the movie had a Ford Mustang in it – but 60 seconds is just too short) • Canola oil. ????

• Rice oil. See above.

So bring out ‘the good oil’, the avocado oil, and generous amounts of it. No smoke, just half a cow cooked to perfection. Try it, believe me it’s good, very good.

Oh and by the way did you know that it’s made from the ‘third and worse’ class avocados that you can buy here there and everywhere? You know - the type that drags down the prices of the genuine local market avocados. The type that can’t guarantee you a quality purchase every time. Consumers out there buy ‘the good oil’, and Heart Foundation approved, quality guaranteed, local market avocados. And growers ask where your ‘third and worse’ grade fruit are going.

Ask what effect their sales may be having on your genuine local market avocado price. Is it competing against them in the fresh fruit market – or is it adding to the avocado brand as a value added product.

So this summer purchase a good quality avocado to go in the salad that you eat with the half a cow that was cooked on the BBQ (fifth spelling variation) with avocado oil. Actually, to be honest, a salad that big probably needs at least five avocados.

Catch you next time.

9

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Exporters’ Comment John Carroll AVEC Chairman

Challenges ahead Every season has its challenges, and this current one is no different.

Hey folks, we’re in the perishable food business!

The industry had packed for export close to 600,000 trays by mid November, so we were well into things. Despite the concerning winds experienced in September, and the impact that had on a number of individual growers, packouts have been very good, in fact better than we have seen for many, many years.

The key element seems to be less insect damage, perhaps a product of better control and less pest pressure in general.

Whatever, we like it. But it has not all been good news, and particular worries are the amount of smaller sized fruit around for so early in the season, and the high maturity of our fruit. The maturity issue we must watch very closely, and make every possible effort to ensure temperatures are well maintained in the logistics chain, plus fruit does not sit around in-market. Our fruit has a good

reputation, and we cannot be blasé about that.

Of the fruit packed this far, around 12 per cent has been sent to markets outside Australia, and this is important for our future. And the 88 per cent sent to Australia has met a good, yet not spectacular, market. We are, however, entering a critical period, as our New Zealand volumes accelerate at the same time Western Australia really gets into their big crop. The market this summer will be tested again to see how much demand is growing, and the most important weapon we will have is offering a consistent flow. If we are able to flow our fruit reliably and consistently, we will not provide the opportunity for a supply spike that damages value, so all industry participants need to be well aware. We will also be preaching this flow message to the Western Australians. By season’s end, I expect well over 90 per cent of our fruit will have been sold into Australia, so it matters a lot how stable the environment is.

Right now there is some considerable debate about just how large a volume we have in New Zealand and the outcome of those discussions are eagerly awaited. At

the export extremes, there are suggestions our crop could be anywhere from 1.6 to 2.0 million trays and let’s be clear: the 400,000 difference is too large a “margin for error”. So some focused reassessment of volume is taking place to ensure we are providing the market and customers with the best information possible.

On the wider view, we remain committed to breaking down some of the barriers we face in Asia, in particular with residue limits effectively not set.

The settled period of weather over the last few weeks has an exciting feel about it, and the possibility of a major fruit set is looming. If so, it will be much sooner rather than later we will want to embrace the new markets we have either dabbled in, or just talked about, for many, many years.

The coming year is also the first year for AvoGreen, and this has the potential to be a big development over time. With the immediate future in mind, it is probably a timely reminder of the importance of watching your orchard full stop, as I have been told the strong pack-outs this year result largely from good pest awareness from the very early stages of fruit development in late 2009.

By Natasha Mitchell

Bay of Plenty sto

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orm impact less than first thought The wind storm damage experienced in the Bay of Plenty in late September has not had a significant impact on the industry crop estimate, though individual avocado growers will be counting the cost of losses.

The high winds culminated on September 24 and a number of growers across the Western Bay of Plenty lost fruit, tree branches and trees.

Following the storm event the Avocado Industry Council organised grower meetings to provide advice on how to manage tree and fruit loss and broken branches. Then CEO Alan Thorn was also there to reassure growers and encourage them that despite the odds they faced, things appeared worse at first than they actually were, as had proved the case following storm damage in Northland in 2007.

AIC staff were initially worried the storm losses could have a dramatic effect on the Bay of Plenty’s 2010/2011 season crop, however while individual growers have suffered varying levels of crop loss the overall volume for the region has not changed.

Southern Produce/Team Avocado’s John Cotterell provides grower support for nearly 300 growers in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel and says he has seen extremes, from orchardists who have been badly affected to some that were not affected at all.

“The worst effect was people losing whole trees because it’s not just the crop (that’s lost) but the ability to have a crop the following years,” says John.

“You plant a new tree but to get it back to where it’s producing again, it’s at least four or five years before you get any commercial crop off it again.”

The worst damage occurred where people had recently removed shelter or avocado trees to open up their orchard.

“The wind got in and just bowled trees.

It showed you how good shelter works and that holes in shelter don’t do much for avocado trees. Avocado trees are quite brittle, so they break quite easily.”

Former NZ Avocado Growers’ Association

chairman Hugh Moore was one of those who lost trees where he had taken shelter out and was planning on reducing the height of his avocado trees once he had picked this season’s crop.

However John adds that the damage has not been as bad as people first thought.

“It looks terrible when you see a lot of fruit on the ground but when you quantify it you could work out what they’d picked up and at worst it was only seven or eight per cent of their crop.”

“Pack-outs have been surprisingly good as well. We thought people would lose fruit on trees through wind damage and wind rub but people have still had over 80 per cent pack-outs.

“One grower achieved a 96 per cent export pack-out recently for 19 bins of fruit. That’s quite pleasing.”

Trevelyan’s Pack and Cool Ltd avocado manager Daniel Birnie agrees that pack-out reports have been “fantastic” so far.

“The quality hasn’t been affected. We’ve had 80 per cent plus pack-outs,” says Daniel.

Daniel oversees growers from Oropi to Opotiki and says the worst affected orchards he saw were around the Te Puke area.

“We have some growers who have lost half a dozen trees. But everyone is philosophical about it.

“Prices are looking good for this year. And most avocado growers are also kiwifruit growers, so they have something else to worry about now with the PSa bacteria.”

Some orchardists have trees that have fallen but are still alive, so they are picking the fruit from them before removing them.

Uprooted trees and fallen branches are being chopped up and burnt.

A few growers have sent fallen fruit to oil processing facilities but most have mulched it into the ground.

“If you leave it on the ground under the trees a lot will grow and you’ll have to pull out seedlings in a few months time,” says John.

Advice from the AIC on what to do after experiencing storm damage on an avocado orchard: • Where shelter is damaged, plug the holes.

• If sunburn is likely to become an issue, paint trunks that are exposed from any damage.

The tree has snapped off completely: • Remove the tree, cut up and mulch.

• Use the mulch to spread around trees you want to save.

• Look at replanting in spring as far as is practical from the fallen tree(s).

• Consider replanting with the new rootstocks (phytophthora tolerant, more vigorous) e.g. Dusa.

Major limb has snapped off: • Remove the wood, cut up and mulch.

• Use the mulch to spread around trees you want to save.

• Was this tree due for thinning? If so, take it out now.

• Prune for balance so the rest won’t fall over.

• Prop up branches, strap, add rods if necessary.

The tree has fallen over: • Look for signs of wilting to see if the tree will survive.

• Prune the tree and remove fruit to relieve stress on the tree.

• Prune for machinery access.

• Cover exposed roots with fresh soil.

Consider adding NPK to the soil.

• Remove canopy in proportion to root damage.

• Mulch the prunings to spread around trees. This will encourage a flush of feeder roots.

• Apply a foliar application of phosphonate as soon as possible and again in two weeks.

Do not apply to trees still carrying fruit.

• Apply a foliar application of 1% low biuret urea plus 0.5% magnesium sulphate for leaf health.

The trees have lost fruit and are defoliated: • Windrow fallen fruit into the middle of rows.

• Mow with a mulcher mower.

• Apply foliar sprays as mentioned above.

• Try to encourage good spring shoot flush.

• Give affected trees light applications of Pot Nitrate or CAN. • Monitor flowering and spring flush.

• Avoid excessive shoot growth in spring by limiting fertiliser input, especially with vigorous young trees.

• Watch for six spotted mite infestation on stressed trees. Apply registered miticides when necessary.

Don’t do nothing – doing nothing is guarantee of alternate bearing.

13

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Proudly supporting

Industry News Library Tray Reports The first library tray reports of the season are now available for growers and packers whose fruit has completed green and ripe fruit assessments.

To see the reports, go to the industry website (www.nzavocado.co.nz), click on Packing-Exporting in the top menu and then click on Library Trays found in the drop down menu and then follow the links.

If you do not know your Username and Password please contact AgFirst for assistance. If as a packer you do not know your report code, please contact Juan.

The library tray reports will be updated on the website on a weekly basis throughout the season.

Change of CEO Update Alan Thorn our CEO has completed his notice period and has resigned his position with the Avocado Industry Council Limited with effect from Friday 29 October, 2010, as has been previously advised.

The Board and Staff of the AIC wish him all the best for the future.

The Board engaged a recruitment company to conduct a search for a replacement. Applications for this position closed on November 2 with a large number of applications received and a very encouraging quality of applicant. Interviews of shortlisted applicants took place in mid November and the top applicants were asked to make presentations to the full Board.

By the time this goes to print we hope to have made a decision and be in a position to make an announcement about a new CEO very soon.

In the meantime the Board have appointed Dr Henry Pak (currently the AIC Technical Manager) as acting CEO. Effectively he will temporarily have two roles.

He will be assisted by the Board Chairman, John Schnackenberg, who will be increasing the time available to the AIC until a replacement CEO takes up the position.

For all matters not otherwise specified, please address them to Dr Henry Pak, Acting CEO henrypak@nzavocado.co.nz John will be actively involved in matters with HortNZ, international avocado associations (AAL, CAC, CAS,

HAB, SAAGA, APAMWG, etc), MAF GIA, the international Avocado Research Consortium and administration.

AIC staff contact over Christmas In the three days between Christmas and New Year statutory holidays (December 29, 30, 31) there will be limited staff in the office; however, should you have urgent queries, the following staff will be on call: • Henry Pak (AIC Technical Manager) phone 021 994 120 • Juan Rosales (Quality Coordinator) phone 021 978 453 Have your say on the Industry Export Marketing Strategy (EMS) for 2011 The industry EMS is up for review January 2011. Submissions from growers, packers and exporters are due Tuesday 25 January 2011 at 5pm. For more information on this process, please talk to your regional rep or the AIC or view the information at http://www.nzavocado. co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/324. A copy of the current EMS can be found on the industry website under Publications.

VII World Avocado Congress 2011, Cairns, Australia - registration now open Held only every four years, this World Avocado Congress presents a great opportunity to see an avocado growing country while learning the latest techniques for growing, finding out all about avocado marketing and how the economy and climate change are going to impact on our industry.

Congress delegate pricing - Special NZAGA member prices There are special prices for Australian and New Zealand member delegates.

Please put your PPIN number on your registration form to be eligible for special member pricing. Go to www. worldavocadocongress2011.com to register.

To keep updated with the VII World Avocado Congress programs, registrations and other activities, please sign up to the Congress’ email update at www.worldavocadocongress2011.com Post Congress Tour The AIC is seeking expressions of interest for a Post Congress Tour in New

Zealand. Visit www.nzavocado.co.nz to fill out and submit the form.

Growers - are you connected?

Don’t miss out on important updates and industry information; make sure you register your email address with the AIC to receive AvoConnect - the NZ Avocado Industry e-newsletter. Phone 0800 286 2236 or email sherylwilson@ nzavocado.co.nz to register.

Important note: To avoid AvoConnect being blocked or ending up in your junk email folder, make sure you add info@ nzavocado.co.nz to your email’s “Safe Sender List”.

Register for 2010-2011 Export Season online now Online Export Registration for 2010-2011 season is available at www. nzavocado.co.nz If you are unable to register online and wish to register manually, please contact Sheryl at the AIC office and a paper form will be posted to you. Please note a $20 administration fee will be added for registrations processed manually. If you do not know your export registration login details please phone the AIC 0800 286 2236.

Registration prices: Growers $270.24, New Growers (PPIN registered after 1 July 2010) $155.25.

Tool for employers to work out leave over Christmas period If you are an employer it is important to know how to manage staff holiday and leave entitlements during the upcoming Christmas period. To help you understand annual holidays, closedowns, and public holidays (including when the four public holidays are taken) the Department of Labour has a range of helpful information and tools to assist. To find out more, visit www. ers.dol.govt.nz/holidays AvoMarket update The AvoMarket reporting function is currently being built and is estimated to be complete early December. Following this the consolidated industry summary report will be emailed to contributors and packers and stored on a member-only page of the industry website.

15

Regional Roundups Mid North

By Mike Eagles Firstly best wishes to Alan Thorn in his new endeavours. Thanks Alan for your efforts on behalf of the industry.

Many thanks to Terry Hailes for allowing us to use his orchard for the successful Canopy Management Strategies Field Day on 1 September. We had a big turnout and it certainly confirmed a few things I have observed or practiced myself. Thanks to Chris Frost, Henry Pak, John Leonardi, Paul Brookbanks and NTL Packers for their contributions to ensuring a successful afternoon. We hope to have more industryled field days in the future.

As I write this the bees are in full swing in my orchard and we seem to be getting enough warm weather to promise hope of a good fruit set. I have had a number of calls from growers concerned with rogue beekeepers bringing unhealthy hives onto orchards and not looking after them and spreading disease, so please be careful out there. Flowering in the Maungatapere area seems very heavy so hopefully we will get a good result.

A result of the continuing fine weather is the risk of another drought. The latest figures I have seen point to a risk of this happening, so take any precautions you can (e.g. mulch, irrigation). A nice soaking of rain at some stage would be very useful.

The AvoGreen courses have been well

16

attended and most people I have spoken to have found them valuable.

The AGA is looking at setting up grower discussion groups in each region to help facilitate the spread of knowledge and information amongst growers. If you are interested in joining one, please email me at m.eagles@xtra.co.nz or phone 09 434 7271.

Far North

By Ian Broadhurst As I write this regional roundup we have just experienced one of the sunniest October’s since 1986. Weather has generally been pretty settled with no events to speak of, highs in the low 20s while lows have been hovering around 12 degrees over the flowering period. In general the spring has been cool with a prominence of South Westerly and North Westerly winds, which hasn’t been great for bee activity in areas exposed to the wind.

Generally flowering could be best described as excellent with an overall nice balance of determinate and indeterminate flush. Flush is well extended on most orchards, which will provide plenty of opportunity for flowering next year and give new fruit set some cover.

Most growers will now be removing their hives as flowering approaches an end and considering their options on controlling mite numbers plus managing leaf roller as the new fruitlets form. With plenty of flush happening, a different range of chemical options are available in controlling mites,

which still remain one of the Far North’s biggest pest issues.

This period is always difficult as we have been managing hives in the orchard and trying to maintain increasing pest numbers without the ability to spray due to the presence of bees, coupled with withholding periods as we try to harvest fruit. It is timely that most of the growers in the north will be implementing AvoGreen as another tool to manage their operations, although for most in the north this will just be a continuation of existing best practice.

I think we all agree about the importance of bees in the orchard as part of the fruit set process but I often wonder about the quality of service we get from the apiarists that provide this service.

In the north most growers are paying $150 per hive for a month of service; any longer usually requires additional payment. Over that period it would be interesting to note how many times the beekeeper visited the hives to check on performance. Has the beekeeper ever been on site to feed sugar to ensure the hives are strong? Avocado flower is high in pollen and low in nectar so requires supplements to ensure performance. Have you ever looked at a hive and wondered about the number of bees entering and exiting? A strong hive will be obvious and worth $150 but I doubt whether a weak hive is worth the same. Unfortunately avocados flower the same time as manuka, which is worth way more than the bee keeper gets for pollination.

I wonder whether the strong hives are left for manuka honey production and the weaker hives are brought in for pollination.

For $160 you can purchase a bee suit, a good investment I would argue, so you could lift the lid and have a look just how many bees are in the hives, even ask the beekeeper to assist you with this so you know you are getting value for money!

Good luck for all those currently picking. I hope the season goes well.

At Large

By Kim Crocker Was it only eight weeks ago that we were watching the approaching storm, hoping our northern growers would be spared another blasting, not realising it was actually heading directly for the Bay of Plenty? And us! Like many, we lost a considerable amount of fruit but no whole trees. At about the time we were thinking it could have been worse, we were visited by another storm. Some of our trees were looking a little defoliated. Surprisingly our subsequent pack-outs have not been too bad.

The unusually low reject rate for leaf roller and thrip was replaced by windrub, which accounted for about 74 per cent of export rejects. Our investment in artificial shelterbelts is starting to pay dividends and I also think the pruning saved us from whole tree loss. The wind just blew through them.

The next problem to arrive, maybe brought on by the severe winds, was six spotted mite – and have they arrived on a mission. We’ve thrown everything at them and the persistent little devils are still putting up a fight. We will

beat them back but with the tree defoliation we can see at the moment there is little doubt our January pack-outs will suffer with sunburn. It may also affect the trees’ ability to support next season’s flowering/fruit.

The mid-November dry spell, nice as it is, is causing us to run our irrigation every two days. The main reason is to push our flush.

Our soil moisture level at 24” is very good but we want to soak the feeder roots. It will be an interesting comparison because our home orchard doesn’t have irrigation. We’ll compare the flush in a couple of weeks and put some comparative photos on the website (www. avocadogrowers.org.nz).

With regard to pruning, we started pruning our main orchard three years ago in an effort to get out of the biennial production trap and to also reduce picking costs (currently about $1.50/tray). Although we are far from having the trees in what we think of as the perfect shape, we are now in our fourth year of continuous production with a good looking flowering for next year – keeping our fingers crossed.

Wishing you all the best for Christmas and the New Year, and successful picking and pack-outs in January.

Rest of NZ

By David French We were experiencing a patch of favourable weather for avocado pollination in November. Many orchards have very heavy flowering and with good pollination

the result could be a heavy fruit set.

In early November Paul Brookbanks and I travelled to New Plymouth to meet the local growers, and have a look at some Taranaki orchards. I was impressed by the evenness of the trees we saw and by an apparent lack of phytophthora. They were also experiencing a strong flowering, but they had very few fruit this year.

Traditionally these orchards have supplied local market only and usually don’t start harvesting till late summer.

The main concern was that very few of them were irrigating their orchards. If they do get a heavy fruit set and a long dry summer, I think they will really struggle to size fruit and push any new flush for next years flowering sites and so the biannual cycle will become strongly entrenched.

One of the growers had easy access to a good water supply and Paul and I encouraged him to try installing an irrigation system on at least one of his blocks for this summer to see if it could make a difference.

Irrigation and fertigation were the subjects for the latest round of Outreach Field Days, held mid-late November. These are two tools which I believe growers can utilise to help break or lessen the bi-annual bearing effect.

Remember at this time of year we are effectively trying to grow three crops: 1 - The current crop which we are harvesting at the moment, 2 - Next seasons crop, which is just setting, and 3 - The summer flush which will be next seasons flowering sites.

This requires plenty of food and water.

Good luck with your fruit set.

17

By By Dr David Steven IPM Research Ltd

Good reasons Looking closely at what pesticides our industry uses is an interesting and illuminating exercise.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year From the team at the Avocado Industry Council

18

We are very dependent still on “old chemistry� with a relatively low uptake of more recent developments. There is plenty of scope for change, and some good reasons to do so.

Admittedly the emphasis for AvoGreen has been to promote the use of monitoring in order to avoid applying unnecessary sprays, rather than on promoting the use of selective chemistry over older, broad-spectrum products. The two approaches, monitoring to show that a spray really is needed and using selective pesticides to conserve natural biological control agents, are the two central pillars of successful IPM programmes around the world.

Different situations at times have favoured using one approach over the other, however the two approaches actually do neatly complement one another so that both working together gives the most rapid progress.

The pattern of pesticide use across the industry shows us where we are and provides one measure of progress. Data for the last three years effectively shows what was happening before AvoGreen became mandatory for export and so serves as a baseline against which we can measure the changes that actually do take place. In this article I want to focus on the type of pesticide applied, and not on the number of sprays used.

The average data for the three seasons 2007-09 from the electronic spray diaries is summarised in the table on page 19.

The results for individual active ingredients that are of the same type of pesticide are combined. Note that the use of phosphorous acid as a fungicide treatment is not included because this pesticide is injected into the trees rather than sprayed on to the crop. Note also that tank mixes of several pesticides were counted as if there had been a separate application of each.

One unexpected finding was the continued use of two products that are no longer sold; Averte (a mix of the organophosphate (OP) diazinon and the synthetic pyrethroid (SP) permethrin) and Benlate (containing the fungicide benomyl). Benlate stopped being made at the end of 2001, and Averte in 2003 with the last sale of Averte by the proprietor to a distributor in 2005. The registration of both products has now lapsed after a few years had been allowed to use up stock in the supply pipeline or in growers’ spray sheds. Some growers must have stocked up, but the deregistration does put the continued use in jeopardy. There is also a very real risk of product degrading during storage.

One of the major findings of the analysis that was no great surprise was that copper compounds are the pesticide products most sprayed onto avocado trees. Given the emphasis on requiring a regular preventative programme of copper sprays to maintain fruit quality down the supply chain to our overseas consumers this was expected.

for change With fungicides, only products containing activity of the OP component has been further applications to avocados still are “old copper compounds, and those very few extended by adding the SP. “Broad-spectrum” chemistry” products. Organophosphates applications of Benlate already mentioned, means that as well as killing the target pest, and carbamates disrupt the cholinesterase were sprayed on avocado trees during the three sprays of such products will kill beneficial component of nerve transmission in insects, seasons. However a wide range of insecticides insects that are also present, such as predators but as we humans have very similar systems, were used, with products containing 17 and parasitoids. these pesticides have an intrinsic toxicity for distinct active ingredients or mixes from 10 However the third-most used group of us as well the pests targeted. More modern different functional types of insecticide (Table pesticides was the selective leafroller sprays, pesticides attack physiological processes 1). The most commonly used chemical was the Success and Entrust Naturalyte containing in insects which are found only in insects, organophosphate chlorpyrifos at 20% of all spinosad and products containing the insect and so have a much improved safety for pesticide sprays, with the OPhumans. The heavy use of OPs SP mix Attack second most increases growers’ exposure which is Table 1: Average use of pesticide by type on export avocado crops used at 12%. Almost half of cumulative. over 3 seasons, 2007 – 2009. the different insecticide active The very basic nature of the ingredients were each only physiological system disrupted by Type of pesticide Active ingredients, % of use Colour coding

or Products, included used less than 2.5% of times. the action of OPs also helps explain

in this group So even though avocado why these pesticides have a broad Insecticides growers use a wide range of spectrum of activity across the OP = organophosphate chlorpyrifos, diazinon, 28.2 insecticides, use is heavily insects and related groups – such

malathion, acephate concentrated on a few actives. basic processes are part of the core OP – SP mixes Attack, Averte 13.6 To put this another way, the functioning of many organisms.

SP = synthetic pyrethroid Mavrik 2.7 three most-used insecticides, Although the most toxic OPs carbamate carbaryl 0.2 chlorpyrifos, Attack/Averte selective leafroller sprays spinosad, Success, 12.9 (from our point of view) have been Entrust tebufenozide, and Success, accounted withdrawn and are no longer in

Mimic, Comic for more than half of all use, the potential of this group to neonicotinoid thiacloprid, 5.0 insecticide sprays applied. Or poison humans as well as insects

Calypso, Topstar that although 17 different mectin abamectin, Mit-e-mec, 4.3 has given rise to a perception that insecticides were used, Proclaim all OPs are “bad”, and that none mineral oil D C Tron-Plus, Excel Oil 2.3 chlorpyrifos was used more should be used. This has resulted in Bt Dipel, Bio-Bit, Delfin 1.6 often than the combined consumer action groups targeting pyrethrins Pyganic, Pyrethrum 0.1 total of the 10 least-used their continued use. The older insecticides.

Fungicides pesticides are also under review by The range of insecticide copper Kocide, Champ, ERMA, with diazinon and acephate

Blue Shield 29.0 types used on avocados helps currently under the spotlight and counter the risk raised by a chlorpyrifos listed for examination The colour coding indicates the selectivity expected for that group, where red is poor (nonhigh dependence on products selective, avoid use), orange indicates some doubts and green shows preferred products. in the next two years. having a single common The ultimate selectivity of an application depends on: There are good reasons why OPs are mode of action that pesticide • the actual active ingredient, still used on avocados, but there are resistance will develop in one • the rate of use, and also some very good reasons not to • how the application is effected. or more key pest. As both sixuse them, some of which I’ve raised spotted mite and greenhouse here. Growers need to consider all thrips belong to groups aspects carefully when deciding what notorious for becoming product to use once monitoring shows that a resistant and so exceedingly difficult to control, growth regulator tebufenozide, e.g. Mimic. spray is needed. Cost should not be the sole Such sprays control leafroller caterpillars this aspect needs to be encouraged. criterion. without seriously impacting on the natural The two actives most commonly used are both broad-spectrum, “old chemistry” products. This term describes OPs and carbamates in particular, but here it also includes SPs. In mixed OP-SP products, such as Attack, the already broad spectrum of

biological control agents. This enables the predators and parasites to assist in controling pests, and results in a more stable orchard ecosystem.

Almost a half, 45%, of all spray

Dr David Steven, IPM Research Ltd PO Box 36-012, Auckland 0748 AvoPest: 0508 286 7378 dsteven@ipmresearch.co.nz Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author

19

20

Photo by Matt Leamy.

By organic avocado grower Matt Leamy

Real heroes If one was to compare conventional to organic production, in many ways the act of comparing produces less than desirable side effects (particularly asking the comparer to form a view that marks your position on one side of a fence or the other).

Were we to hold to the principle of always improving our system, one would not even see the fences but only a search for understanding. But we do compare, it’s in our nature.

So back to the comparison. And to use the word biological rather than organic, which is strongly associated with certification and the politics connected with that. Looking past the surface and into the depths of that comparison, in my humble opinion it can be taken back to one fundamental principle: an appreciation of the role of micro biological life within the production ecosystem.

If that idea resonates with you then perhaps a wander through some of the 15 organics articles published here over the last three years may ring a bell or two.

The organic chapter published last year

in the NZ AGA Growers’ Manual puts some detail into it and if that makes sense to you then the reading list at the end of that chapter is full of research, data and sound observation.

Having made the significant time commitment to doing that and, providing it makes sense to you, one might well arrive at the idea that biological management principles should be the new conventional. Yet they are not by any measure. And it is a fair question to ask why. My own view is there are many reasons, most of which I won’t look at here. But one is close to home and worth a mention.

The community of organic growers are the pioneers. These are the growers who for years have gone into new territory, a place with no manual or map. The last 10 years has brought us a great deal of sound information from international speakers and authors (see reading list as above), it has been up to the community of organic avocado growers to interpret the ideas and make them into practical working systems.

This is a resource-expensive exercise to do.

You have to make prototypes, and then they need to be rebuild and sometimes rebuild again.

Since my first involvement in organic avocado it was clear there is a wide interest within this industry in what we do and how we do it. Over the last few years, with

government funding through Organics Aotearoa NZ, the aim was to test a few prototypes and begin to deliver the technical help growers needed to have the confidence to go organic without feeling as though they had to be a pioneer. That funding brought $60,000 of value into the industry but was finished over a year ago with no options for further funds.

We made significant progress but it was finished before the map was drawn, so the pioneers must continue exploring.

My own opinion is, from where the sector is now, there are two primary obstacles to progress. One is the marketing of organic fruit and without going into detail there has been a recent grower driven initiative to make this work for growers and their export partner. The other is technical support. People, resources and a system to gather and distribute technical information on biological growing is key to moving organics to reaching its huge potential and taking the best of those practices into the wider industry. If there are folks reading this that feel their toes have been stood on, I make no apology; you have not made enough impact in the industry.

This is the last article I shall be contributing as the organic representative.

To the real heroes out there can I say, it can and has been done; keep reading, talking and thinking.

21

By Natasha Mitchell

Achieving above the aver The mission statement for Ashby and Linda Whitehead’s Rangiuru orchard, Ashlin Avo’s, is simple: to be the growers of the finest avocados. With production volumes well above industry average and a good export pack-out rate, they are achieving their goal.

The Whiteheads started developing their Gridley Road property in 1991 when they purchased an eight hectare abandoned apple, nashi and tamarillo orchard. With the help of his father, Ashby cleaned up the land part-time while continuing to work as an engineer.

“I’ve always had an affinity with the land and I’ve got a philosophy: if you’re not there and it’s growing for you (as an orchard does), it’s a winner.”

They planted 3.5 hectares of avocado trees in 1996 then in 2000 purchased a further 13 hectares. Another half a hectare of avocados went in in 2002 and quarter of a hectare more last year, taking today’s total to 4.25 hectares of avocados.

There are also four hectares of Green kiwifruit just starting to come into production and the balance of the land is used for grazing beef steers.

The idea is to have a diverse portfolio to spread risk.

“I prefer avocados because you have to do less work,” says Ashby.

The avocado trees were planted at seven metre by seven metre spacings and Ashby’s aim is to grow what he describes as “big umbrella trees” that allow plenty of light into the orchard. Once the trees reached seven years old, he started “lollipop pruning” trees on diagonal lines with the plan of eventually removing these trees to increase the spacings to 14m by 14m.

“This allows more space and light between the trees. If you’re not growing grass between trees, you’re not growing good fruit. You should be mowing between trees.”

The orchard’s first crop was picked in 2001, four years after planting. The return from this crop, around $30,000, covered the orchard’s setup costs.

Today the orchard provides Ashby with a full22

Ashby Whitehead enjoys picking his own fruit as every piece means more income.

rage time job because the Whiteheads have decided to do their own avocado picking and orchard management to keep costs down.

Picking season on the orchard runs from mid-October through until the end of February.

“I advise people to pick and lighten the load as soon as you can. We minimise stress on the trees by doing a first pick in October and then after Christmas pick again.”

Since 2005 they have employed staff part-time to help with picking as volumes have increased.

“I don’t mind picking because every one I pick is income for me. My passion is money, money, money, or return on investment. I didn’t plant the trees for the heck of it.

Ashby says he has always been a hands-on grower.

“I do my own soil and leaf samples and get Colin Partridge (from Southern Produce/Team Avocado) to write a fertiliser programme.

“I do my own spraying. In fact, I even built my own sprayer. And we have a 6.4 metre Hydralada, so we keep the trees at a maximum height of seven metres as that’s the maximum height you can pick from that.”

The Whiteheads target the export market because returns are higher. In the 2009/2010 season they produced 18 tonnes of avocados per hectare and their export pack-out was 60 per cent.

“A 70 to 80 per cent pack-out is where we all need to aim.”

As production volumes increase industry-wide the export market will become increasingly important, Ashby says.

The couple export fruit with two exporters, Freshco and Primor.

“I see it as good business sense – not having all your eggs in one basket but having a diverse portfolio.”

They have achieved average orchard gate returns of $45,000 per hectare for the last

five years. Costs are minimal because they do all their own orchard management; they spend approximately $7000 per hectare on sprays and fertiliser.

Prior to losing fruit, tree branches and six trees in the wind storm on September 24 this year, they were estimating production of 18 tonnes per hectare for the 2010/2011 season but now they expect 10 tonnes per hectare. However this is still above the industry average of approximately eight tonnes per hectare.

Ashby is aware many orchardists are not achieving the production levels Ashlin Avo’s is and is always willing to share his Production figures for Ashlin Avo’s 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

29t/ha from 3.5 hectares 14t/ha from 3.5 hectares 26t/ha from 4 hectares 21t/ha from 4 hectares 18t/ha from 4 hectares

knowledge and experience with others for the improvement of the industry as a whole.

“Our aim is to produce an average or above average volume and I’m always open to new ideas.

“The average grower needs to be more in tune with their trees and figure out what makes them tick.

“New entrants to the industry need to

do their due diligence when buying an orchard and make sure it is planted in the right area to be able to reach a good return on investment.”

They also need to understand avocados experience biennial bearing and that people are not going to make a living from 20 trees.

Ashby believes some of the factors contributing to their orchard’s success include having an irrigation system to use during dry summers; ensuring there are plenty of bees in the orchard during pollination; and not skimping on fertiliser, applying it individually to each tree.

“I apply nitrogen, zinc, gypsum, boron, and sometimes lime if needed.

The way I look at fertiliser is if I don’t eat my breakfast, lunch and tea, I don’t get any energy. You’ve got to keep feeding the trees, even if they don’t have fruit. If they don’t have fruit, it’s because they weren’t set up properly in the first place.”

Keeping pests under control, injecting annually against phytophthora disease, and applying copper to minimise fruit rots are also important.

The orchard experiences slight biennial bearing fluctuations but this has luckily not been a major problem so far, as it is for many growers.

“I believe the Bay of Plenty is marginal for growing avocados.

Anecdotal evidence tells you the further north you go; the better it is for growing, solely driven by temperature. So if you can mitigate frost by having frost draining areas, you have to do that.”

Ashby advises keeping grass short in the orchard so as much heat as possible goes into the soil.

He also encourages people to talk to other growers and says there is a lot of great information available on the internet.

Ashby is a Bay of Plenty regional representative for the New Zealand Avocado Growers’ Association.

23

By AGA chairman John Schnackenberg and AIC communications officer Midge Munro

Grower survey The Board has been singularly impressed and delighted with the 31 per cent response rate from growers to this demographic survey conducted earlier this year.

The need for such a survey was flagged by the Communications Strategy Committee in its report to the Board in early 2007 in order to assist formulation of appropriate technical transfer and general communications with growers and we are delighted it is now complete. Our communications officer, Midge Munro, has done an outstanding job in putting the survey together and subsequently with her analysis and presentations of the results.

The Board met in early October to consider this survey. The two key issues the Board considered were AIC performance and understanding grower alignment with the industry strategy and as a consequence, the underlying business plans and priorities.

AIC performance generally ranked “Good” with some areas of performance ranked Very Good, particularly around responses to biosecurity issues. The Board has been very aware that across a broad range of issues we need to lift our game – this survey confirms it – and we are facing the issues head on.

Of fundamental importance to us from this survey is lifting ‘engagement’ with our key stakeholders (a key element of the Board planning session from 2008 when it was determined we needed to be inclusive with our stakeholders and take them with us). The balancing act is not to raise expectations (through engagement) unrealistically, as at the end of the day we are elected by growers to govern/direct the industry on your behalf, but ensure stakeholder opinions and issues are heard and given due consideration in developing and updating our business plans, goals, strategy and if necessary, our vision.

The challenge remains effective two-way communications with all stakeholders and the successful and enduring establishment of key personal relationships between the leadership of the AIC and key stakeholders. Further, being able to be ‘inclusive’ yet (from the export/EMS perspective) ‘independent’.

There was nothing that has come out from this survey that would change the Board’s mind as to the Vision and general Goals and Strategies that underpin the Vision; however, there are some new ideas emerging from the survey results about actions we can take to help in the support of our growers and the achievement of the Vision.

We have determined to reinstate our Mission statement to make it clear we are here for grower profitability and 24

y 2010 results sustainability, first and foremost, as this is not obvious from the Vision statement.

Probably the one key thing to come from the survey is the fact that around 55 per cent of growers have entered the industry for ‘lifestyle’ reasons. We need to do further analysis of this to ensure we understand whom of these growers are none-the-less serious growers.

An overarching concern for our industry is our poor ‘average’ production (other than alternate bearing). Many growers have consistently good annual average yields (above 15t per ha) but with industry averages ranging from 5t to 8t per ha, clearly most are not. Understanding the ‘why not’ is important to develop the appropriate response for our poorer performing serious growers, lifestylers or not. Equally, the opportunity exists to work with the high achievers to further lift their averages.

An aim of this survey was to be able to group growers together or define the different categories of growers, for example growers who are the same age may have the same opinions and characteristics or those who have the same amount of experience may be similar in the way they view the industry and participate in it; however, It was found that grouping the growers by these factors did show any other significant similarities other than that which they had been grouped by. The factor that emerged as the most meaningful way to categorise a grower was by their location. When grouping the growers according to region, trends were able to be clearly seen.

In Table 1 a selection of characteristics have been put together for the two main growing regions to give an example of the regional variances.

What this information tells us is that we need to target our field days, information and support in accordance with regional characteristics.

An extension of this grower survey is another survey which will target the

top 50 growers and then those growers at the bottom of the scale (in terms of performance (T per Ha) over a period of time). It will be focussed on technical approaches. This data will add an extra dimension to the data the AIC has collected in the broad grower survey and will help define sub categories within regions in terms of performance. This survey will be

implemented in the coming months.

The aim of all this information gathering is to target the right support to the right people to get the industry to the Vision.

To view the survey report, go to the industry website and look for Grower Survey under the Publications menu http://www.nzavocado.co.nz/index.php/ pi_pageid/349

Table 1: Characteristics of growers in two main growing regions (Bay of Plenty & Northland)

Bay of Plenty Variable Weekly Hours spent working on avocado <5 hours business 97% <1500 Orchard Size (trees) Income reliance 66% rely on their

avocados for 20% or

less of their total income

Regional Trend Northland (Mid and Far)

Specifically Far North

10-20 hours 83% <1500

30+ 59% <1500

40% rely on their avocados for 20% or less of their total income

46% rely on their avocados for 20% or less of their total income

10% rely on their 23% rely on their

avocados for 80% or avocados for 80% or

more of their total more of their total income income Number of years 5-10 5-10 in the industry Biennial Bearing Climate/Tree Health Main Challenge Main success for those with Good Yield + Quality Biennial bearing Main Success Regular cropping Good Yield Main challenge for those Canopy Management with regular cropping Most popular topic to Pollination and fruit set Canopy Management learn about Proportion of growers who have made no investment in orchard in past 5 years and have no plans for 25% 9% investment in next 5 years Proportion of growers who have made investments in orchard recently and plan to make more in next 39% 67% 5 years Proportion planning 31% 22% to disinvest in industry Main reason growers Uneconomic Retire/Ill health disinvest in industry

39% rely on their avocados for 80% or more of their total income 2-5 Tree Health

Regular Cropping

Canopy Management

7%

89% 15% Just want to sell

25

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26

DEALER AND SERVICE NETWORK THROUGHOUT NZ

By AIC outreach coordinator Paul Brookbanks

Lessons on irrigation and fertigation With the September pruning field days well behind, a further round of field days were held mid November on irrigation/fertigation.

The middle of export harvest is never the best time for a field day, as growers have lots to consider. On top of this, those of you associated with kiwifruit will be affected by the Psa outbreak. This issue does raise an important point on orchard hygiene and the need for caution when it comes to transfer of pathogens from one orchard to another. More on this another time!

The AIC November field day focused on irrigation/fertigation as well as a brief on ‘reading your trees’.

During the fruit-set period in avocados, it is critical that soil nutrients are in a mobile state (soil solution) for root uptake. One guest speaker explained the design of irrigation systems and their installation and maintenance as well as soil moisture measuring devices and their correct interpretation.

Also up for discussion was the management of irrigation to assist in maximising yields. According to Graeme Thomas of GLT Consulting, Australia, ‘water stress has a long term effect on the vascular system of the avocado resulting in blocked xylem vessels reducing the efficiency of nutrient and water movement within the tree for up to 2years after the stress period has occurred! (Talking Avocados Autumn 2008 p. 24).

The other speaker covered the topic of nutrition via the irrigation system, better known as ‘fertigation’. The benefits of fertigation, types of mixes including compatibilities, solubility and timing in avocados will be covered.

Based on the harvest data to date for this season’s pick, fruit size appears to be down. Last summer was particularly dry and hot resulting in high transpiration rates. To say the reduced fruit size is a consequence of water stress is at this stage unproven but fruit maturity is occurring early and this could also be due to the summer drought.

The field days were a good opportunity to listen to some experts on the subject

and hopefully they challenged growers to consider the benefits of irrigation.

To date regional discussion groups as part of the AIC Outreach Programme are getting off the ground slowly, but there will be groups operating in the Bay of Plenty and Mid North before Christmas.

The focus of these groups will be organised around the phenological stage of avocado trees at the time of the meeting.

An Information Kit will cover various topics/issues concerning avocado production and management with questions relating to these topics and for discussion group members to work through. References to information sources will also be provided with each topic.

The Information Kit is not a re-written Growers Manual but a guide to sourcing information relevant to management and production. Various resources will be added to the Information Kit as time allows, including web-based information sources and media options.

Happy picking and have a Merry Christmas.

Best wishes, Paul.

It’s avocado festival time again The Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival 2011 is on Saturday, January 15 at Uretara Domain (Katikati A&P Showgrounds) from 11.30am-6pm.

Following the success of the Guacamole and Avocado Cheesecake competitions at the 2010 event, next year’s festival will also feature an Avocado Bread Loaf competition. Details of these competitions are on the festival website www.avofest.co.nz Festival entertainment includes jazz duo Llovisna, rock/pop covers band Five O’Clock Shadow and Christchurch cabaret style band D’ and D’.

There will also be avocado cooking demonstrations and of course a wide variety of food and drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic) available for festival-goers to purchase.

Tickets cost $20, with an early bird price of just $16. These can be purchased now from Westpac Katikati, Katikati Information Centre, Westpac 11th Ave. Tauranga, Westpac Greerton or by phone order through Finer Wines Katikati 07 549 3463.

Family members under 18 years of age accompanied by their parents get in free.

Patrons are encouraged to bring their own picnic chairs and tables to ensure there is enough seating available.

Any profits from this Avofest will be donated to the Cancer Society’s new Lions Lodge in Hamilton.

28

By AIC communications officer Midge Munro

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29

By Natasha Mitchell

CEO through times of Alan Thorn joined the Avocado Industry Council as CEO in February 2006, at a critical time in the industry’s development - the Avocado Scab issue came along shortly after his appointment yet he lead the industry through this challenging time with his strategic focus and the valuable relationships he had established within the industry and wider.

Alan’s first priority on coming to the AIC was to get to know people in the avocado industry and build relationships between the industry and key third parties.

“Alan has the ability to bring people from different parts of the business together and make people work together. He provided an environment to work towards a common goal,” says Roger Barber NZAGA Vice Chair.

“He got on pretty well with the staff and overall he really got involved and developed a passion for the avocado industry very quickly.”

His relationship skills bore fruit early on when the Avocado Scab issue erupted (six months into his tenure), “When the industry was going through a bit of a crisis with the scab issue, Alan was fairly new to the role but from my perspective he and his staff got the industry through a pretty critical period. He had the ability to interface with people in high places in Wellington and he used those skills crisis management skills, and the industry came out of it with credibility,” Says Tony Peacock, Freshco operations.

Ron Bailey NZAGA life member agrees, “The contacts he had in Wellington were invaluable. When the issue popped up, he and Henry [AIC technical manager Henry Pak] were in a position to really work those contacts. The industry owes him a vote of thanks for the effort he put in at 30

that point.”

“Alan had a lot of contacts in government and he’s used those while working for the AIC. That’s certainly been of big value, especially in terms of biosecurity, food safety, the scab issue, ASBVd and more recently Light Brown Apple Moth in the US,” says Roger.

Avocado Scab (and later ASBVd) strained relations between the New Zealand and Australian avocado industries. Ron Bailey explains how Alan focussed on the rehabilitation of this political linkage, “It wasn’t easy with the Australian industry but we’re back on track again now, which is important.”

“Alan is a people person and he will be remembered for his quick adaption to the CEO role during a challenging time - the Scab and ASBVd episodes, and for subsequently taking the NZ-Australia relationship to a new and very positive level,” says Jerome Hardy, technical manager, Primor Produce Ltd. Alan was focussed on what the ultimate goals were for the NZ avocado industry, “He was more strategic focused. He took time to address the big picture stuff,” says Ron. Paul Alexander, audit and inspection services business manager, AsureQuality explains, “The industry was looking for long-term strategic direction (when Alan was appointed CEO). I think Alan definitely has good, strong planning skills and he brought a lot of those into the industry.”

Alan’s strategic focus has played an important role in securing the future success of the industry. It drove the decision to address the ASBVd issue and work with MAFBNZ on the project to clarify the pathogen’s status in New Zealand, pre-empting any market access issues.

“He [Alan] played a role in helping get MAF to accept New Zealand was free of the Avocado Sun Blotch Viroid (ASBV),” says Ron. It was during this project that relationships between the industry and key parties were cemented, “During Alan’s time with the AIC we have improved the relationship with research

providers, particularly Plant and Food and MAFBNZ,” says Roger.

Tony recognises the challenges Alan faced, “It’s not an easy job (being CEO) and the industry going through huge issues. There were a lot of politics and different agendas from different people to deal with.”

“His job was harder than most CEO roles because of the sheer number and divergence of opinions and vested interests.

Yet he always made the grower view his priority. In grower meetings he was always able to listen to the inevitable criticism graciously and did his best to act on it,” says Jerome.

“He has faced a lot of challenges over the last five years and he did the best he could, given the circumstances, and goes on to his next role with my best wishes,” offers Paul Robertson, Seeka Avofresh manager, Seeka.

After the constant focus on where the industry is going and what it needs to do to get there, Alan has left the industry in good stead for future, “The industry has changed in the last few years. We are more focussed on what we need to do to keep markets open for the wave of fruit that’s coming, and on new market development. We’ve moved the focus from Australia to Asia,” says Roger.

Geoff Greenwood, marketing director, Fressure Foods agrees that the industry is in a better place now, “My background is marketing and marketing strategy and I wanted a more formal strategy for local and export markets for the industry.”

Alan was also heavily involved in the Plant Market Access Council (PMAC) an advisory body to MAF and NZFSA and drove a lot of change in how that organisation operated.

His MBA skills also came into the fore in the administration of the industry with a pronounced lift in the quality of reporting to the Board.

Under Alan’s direction, the industry has changed. His skills in strategic planning and his ability to stand back and see the whole picture helped set the current direction of the industry. The focus is now more on facilitating access to Asian markets and removing some of the barriers, and acting now so the access is there when the large crops come on.

change

31

By Etec Crop Solutions Northern regional manager Darren Faire

Concentrate spraying deliverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effi Less time spent spraying, less tank fills and overall grower cost savings are the benefits of adopting concentrate spraying. This was the message delivered to growers at AIC field days in Katikati, Whangarei and the Far North.

The field days were the culmination of over three years of extensive research and considerable investment into examining concentrate spraying of avocados using super spreader adjuvants.

All three regional field days saw good grower turnouts to hear about the findings and benefits of adopting low volume concentrate spraying. With the field days now complete it is timely to recap and summarise the research behind concentrate spraying and the requirements needed to successfully implement this exciting new spraying regime.

The challenge of spraying avocado trees with conventional dilute sprays The sheer size of many avocado trees has meant that effective pest and disease control has often been difficult.

Prior to the Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) AIC research conventional wisdom for avocado spraying said to get better coverage simply use higher water volumes. Good quantitative and comparative data on conventional high volume spraying has however shown that high volumes do not automatically lead to high deposits on the target and that there can be considerable variation between deposits on the lower, middle and upper canopy zones and also the outer and inner canopy. To further compound the challenges of effectively spraying avocado treeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the fact that avocado fruit and leaf surfaces vary significantly in their wet-ability. The upper leaf surface is easy to wet with 32

sprays, the fruit are more difficult and the lower leaf surface is extremely hard to wet using high volume spraying and conventional adjuvants.

Avocado Industry Council SFF funded research In 2004 three years of comprehensive field and laboratory trials assessing adjuvants for low water volumes commenced. Du-WettÂŽ, an organosilicone super spreader was used in this trial work. Du-Wett is the most researched organosilicone-blend adjuvant to be formulated specifically for use on horticultural crops with in excess of $2 million spent on researching and tailoring its use in concentrate spray programmes both here in NZ and around the world on apple, wine grape, vegetable, citrus, kiwifruit and cereal crops.

The AIC research project found that using 3 x concentrate spraying (i.e. 1000 litres per hectare instead of 3000 litres) with Du-Wett super spreader gave the best spray coverage and deposit results compared to conventional dilute applications.

Du-Wett markedly improved the distribution and coverage of pesticide sprays on all difficult to wet surfaces.

The improved deposits resulting from 3 x concentrate sprays on typical medium and large trees are shown in Fig. 1. Du-Wett in concentrate sprays increased average deposits by approximately 25% on both tree sizes compared to dilute sprays containing a conventional adjuvant. Du-Wetts super spreading properties compensate for the reduced volume of water and because trees are not physically over sprayed, less spray run-off to waste occurs. In addition, spray distribution and coverage are improved by the concentrate sprays containing DuWett; inner canopy deposits are increased to almost equal outer canopy deposits on the densest medium-sized trees, compared to dilute sprays where inner canopies typically receive only half the deposits of the outer canopies (shown in Fig. 2).

The importance of correct sprayer set up and adjuvant choice

iciency gains for avocado spraying Medium sized trees

Large sized trees

Fig.1: Average leaf deposits

Critical to the success of concentrate spraying is the requirement to have sprayers accurately calibrated and set up – a point that cannot be emphasised enough.

If you are considering switching from dilute to concentrate spraying ensure you use a professional calibration expert.

Most growers will know of organosilicone adjuvants such as Pulse® which has been sold in NZ for some time. Organosilicones such as Pulse are commonly used to enhance the uptake and performance of herbicides like glyphosate. It is important that these herbicide adjuvants are NOT substituted for Du-Wett. The herbicide specific organosilicone adjuvants have different chemistries to Du-Wett and if used with insecticides or fungicides on avocadoes have potential to cause serious damage to the crop. The prescriptions developed for Du-Wett use on avocadoes do not apply to conventional adjuvants either as they lack the super spreading capacity that is required for successful concentrate spraying. Do not substitute any unproven adjuvant for Du-Wett (or Du-Wett Rainmaster™), they are the only adjuvants recommended in the AIC spray programme.

Field efficacy testing Over a period of 18 months Du-Wett was tested in concentrate programmes applied to large commercial orchard blocks in both Northland and the Bay of Plenty. Throughout a full growing season concentrate blocks were compared directly

Medium sized trees

Large sized trees

Fig.2: Deposits on inner as a proportion of outer canopy

to paired blocks applying conventional dilute sprays of the same pesticide programme. Pest and disease monitoring was undertaken in orchards and at pack houses with residues monitored at harvest.

Avogreen monitoring confirmed the concentrate spray programmes were at least as effective (and sometimes better) in controlling pest and diseases as the dilute programmes. In addition to pest and disease control, the grower involved in the BOP trial commented that he could spray his orchard in one day instead of the normal three by using the concentrate programme (a common benefit of low volume spraying using Du-Wett) and that the concentrate programme saw a lift in his export pack out on small sized trees from 72 to 92% and on large tress from 70 to 87%.

Summary Du-Wett (and Du-Wett Rainmaster) adjuvants provide the avocado industry unique tools to successfully implement concentrate spraying. If wet weather is forecast use Du-Wett Rainmaster instead of Du-Wett as Du-Wett Rainmaster contains synthetic latex and helps provide rainfall wash off protection to sprays.

The adjuvants use rates and prescriptions have been rigorously tested with scientific data to support their benefits. This data is available to all avocado growers.

Concentrate spraying using Du-Wett allows avocado spray volumes to be reduced three fold, as a result chemical

deposits will be higher and more evenly distributed on the target surface with pest and disease control equivalent to, or better than dilute applications. The reduction in water volumes will deliver significant work rate efficiencies and an overall decrease in the cost of spraying to all avocado growers.

Critical points for successful adoption; • Have your sprayer calibrated accurately for concentrate applications.

• Follow all prescriptions to identify correct volumes for your tree sizes, canopy densities, row spacing’s, travel speed etc.

• Do not substitute any unproven adjuvant for Du-Wett and Du-Wett Rainmaster. They are the only adjuvants recommended in the AIC spray programme.

Further research As this article goes to print field research work is being carried out examining concentrate spraying using Du-Wett in aerial (helicopter) spray applications and also ground based sprays applying oil’s for mite control.

References Faire, D. (2009, March). Low water volumes to revolutionise spraying. Avoscene, p 27.

Gaskin, R and Manktelow, D. (2007, December).

Adjuvant prescriptions. Avoscene, pp 25-26.

Gaskin, R. (2009). Adjuvants for concentrate sprays on avocados. AIC field day handout. ™Du-Wett is a Trademark of Elliott Technologies Limited, New Zealand. ™Du-Wett Rainmaster is a Trademark if Elliott Chemicals Ltd ®Pulse is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies, USA. 33

red is the new green NORDOX is the ReD cOppeR that has a gReeNeR eNviRONmeNtal fOOtpRiNt • Low per hectare application rate • Superior disease control • Meets the highest international environmental, health and safety standards ensuring both environmental and grower safety • European quality • Pours and handles like a liquid • No dust, no foaming • Ask about our handy measuring jug Available from nationwide from: Horticentre, Farmlands, Skeltons Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. P6085. See www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/ for registration conditions.

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34

2925

Research project quarterly progress reports Project title: Phenology Models 40401 Year: 5 of 8 Goal: To establish the differences in the timing of avocado tree phenology in the Western Bay of Plenty from year to year to enhance tree management.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • The “Phenology” project is in the process of being refocused with more limited observational work and starch sampling to be incorporated into Pruning/Harvesting Strategies’ project.

For work done and planned in the next quarter refer to “Pruning strategies”.

Project title: SFF Know Your Trees 10801 Year: 2 of 3 Goal: To reduce avocado growers’ reliance on prescriptive tree management.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • There has been another meeting of consultants and AIC staff to critique the guide prior to the evaluation stage.

• The validation process is continuing Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Meeting of the project team scheduled project update • Involvement of Dr John Leonardi (AAL) in this project • Evaluation and revision of the guide will continue as planned • Validation of the guide will commence

Project title: Monitoring Dry Matter 40103 Year: 8 of indefinite Goal: To monitor fruit dry matter accumulation in the three major avocado growing regions of New Zealand to

indicate the earliest possible time harvest maturity is reached.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • Maturity samples have been collected on a monthly basis • Four sampling rounds completed so far • Seed coat maturity table included as an additional indicator of fruit maturity • Results are being posted on the industry website Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Two more sampling rounds needed to complete dry matter monitoring for 2010 • Grower fruit summary forms to be posted out.

Project title: Manipulating Storage Reserves 40607 Year: 3 of 4 Goal: To develop tools that manipulate shoot growth and development to maximize potential fruit set and retention each year through maintaining or increasing storage reserves.

Progress: In line with 2010 budget project has become part of Bud Development.

Significant progress during last quarter: • Project recoded from ‘Manipulating Storage Reserves’ and became ‘Bud Development’ • Investigated options for third party to process and examine bud samples • Visited BOP Polytechnic to evaluate the use of microscopes and digital imaging facilities • Follow up on other laboratory contacts re cost of bud preparation • Wax infiltration was not satisfactory due to the hardness and impermeability of the buds. An alternative method based on resin infiltration has been trialed and provides excellent results, but is

expensive. The current collection of buds will be prioritized for examination to maximize information and reduce costs. This new techniques allows us to clearly distinguish the different stages of primordial bud development. This means that we can examine a sequence of buds over time and determine the timing of floral initiation and possibly also the level of determinancy.

• Climate data is being collected in detail at an orchard site.

Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Engagement with Plant and Food Research to identify key stages of microscopic bud development and hence validation of visual assessment scale.

• Climate data is still being collected.

Project title: Chemical flower thinning Year: 4 of 4 Goal: To evaluate the effectiveness of chemical flower thinning agents to reduce initial fruit set.

Progress: Postponed until spring 2010 Significant progress during last quarter: • Nil Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Orchard participants to be sourced and contracts to be drawn up • Trial to be implemented and measurements recorded

Project title: Germplasm – Rootstock trial Year: 2 of 8 Goal: To determine if the new rootstock and fruiting cultivars meet claimed horticultural performance indicators that are superior to the current industry standard Progress: Delayed due to plant

35

Research project quarterly progress reports ... continued propagation delays, at this stage may well have plants ready for one of the sites to be planted in spring, with one to be planted in autumn and the third in Spring 2011.

Significant progress during last quarter: • None Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • None

Project title: Germplasm – Geneblocks Year: Ongoing Goal: To maintain in good health a collection of most of the commercial avocado cultivars present in New Zealand Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • General maintenance carried out • Soil and leaf analysis on geneblock trees in Bay of Plenty and fertilized accordingly • Te Puke geneblock pruned Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Maintenance and general observation

Project title: Germplasm – Importation of New Cultivars Year: Ongoing Goal: To manage the importation and commercialization of new avocado cultivars of commercial importance to New Zealand.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • Royalty collection system proceeding smoothly • Growers surveyed as required and reporting as appropriate to plant breeders • Evaluation of post harvest performance of new cultivars continued • Fruit quality assessment started July 2010 with Maluma Hass from both the Te Puke geneblock and Riversun, and Carman Hass and Hass 3446 from Riversun.

Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Continuing evaluation of Maluma Hass and clonal rootstocks at Kaiwaka site • Continuing fruit quality assessment for Maluma from both the Te Puke geneblock and Riversun, and Carman and Hass 3446 from Riversun.

• Schedule exploratory audits of high health scheme at two nurseries • Sign off on sublicence agreement for Bounty with Riversun Nursery • Experimental plan and protocol for 36

managing trees in rootstock trial at Kaiwaka

Project title: Extending the Marketing Year: 2 of 3 Goal: To extend storage life enabling access to more distant markets and more effective inventory management.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • Nil Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Data evaluation and report

Project title: Phytosanitary 40901 Year: 1 of indefinite Goal: To investigate phytosanitary issues that has the potential to affect our export markets.

Progress: On track Significant progress during last quarter: • Tecto trial data evaluated and written up.

• Waterblaster reports sent to packhouses that participated in the waterblaster trial. The report allowed packhouses to compare their performance with the industry averages and suggestions were given to make improvements.

Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Evaluate the effect of the adding oil to “Sportak” • Repeat evaluation of “Tecto” fungicide for use in the USA with new season’s fruit

Project title: Pruning Strategies 41001 (includes Flower Pruning) Year: 1 of 5 Goal: To investigate different pruning strategies and how they impact on the tree phenological cycle Progress: Commencing Significant progress during last quarter: • Shoot growth, root growth, starch, flowering and temperature measurements have been collected as per protocol.

• Feed back on findings of the flower pruning survey communicated to participants • Meeting of growers, contractors and consultants to explore different structural pruning strategies • Growers/contractors have expressed considerable interest in the project and

a willingness to participate in any trial work.

• The “Phenology” project is being refocused with more limited observational work and starch sampling and incorporated in to ‘Pruning/ Harvesting Strategies’ project • Soil and leaf samples taken for analysis Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Continue collecting phenological data as the season progresses • Organise a follow up visit to the orchards in spring 2010 to assess flowering on pruned wood • Trial to investigate different pruning strategies is being initiated • Pruning Strategy Regional Field Days planned for September • Participation of John Leonnardi (AAL) in the pruning trials • Discuss results with Plant and Food Research scientists

Project title: Grower Survey 50/50 Year: 1 Goal: To survey the top 50 growers/ bottom 50 growers to identify any common trends in management practices Progress: Commencing Significant progress during last quarter: • First draft of survey written Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Survey draft to be critiqued for content and possible changes made • Survey template to be designed • Participating growers to be identified and survey posted out

Project title: Early Maturity 41004 Year:1 Goal: To investigate early maturity quality issues in relation to fruit size Progress: 75% Significant progress during last quarter: • Trial set up to identify fruit with nonviable seed coat on tree (no growth) • Initial measurements conducted and small fruit (no growth) identified • Fruit harvested and placed into coolstorage for quality assessment Significant progress planned for the coming quarter: • Follow up measurements • Calculate the number of fruit that haven’t grown and have dead seed coats.

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By AGA vice chairman Roger Barber

Impressions of the South A

Maluma Hass fruit.

Fogger applying low volume copper.

Alan Thorn and I recently visited South Africa to negotiate the next stages of evaluation of the new plant material the Avocado Industry Council has imported, to look at its performance in South Africa, and to catch up with any new cultivars in the pipeline since my previous visit to the SAAGA Conference three years ago.

The trip was timed to coincide with Westfaliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two day Conference and Field Day held August 11 and 12. Prior to the conference we met with Andre Ernst at Allesbeste Nursery to sign a licensing agreement for the field evaluation and commercialisation of Maluma Hass in New Zealand.

Following the Westfalia Field Day we were able to catch up with Stefan Kohne at the Hans Merensky Institute, the source of most of our new rootstock material.

The final stage was a trip from Tzaneen in the north down to Nelspruit to meet with Anton Hough.

Anton holds the Plant Variety Rights for the Bounty rootstock. It was impressive to see the performance of trees on this rootstock in his orchard under conditions of heavy soil, and to look at his clonal nursery operation.

Any serious meeting was invariably preceded by a 10-minute discussion on how strong rugby was in New Zealand at the moment (having just won the Tri Nations) and listening to the reasons for the current woes of rugby in South Africa. After such a discussion with Andre at Allesbeste and the formal signing of the agreement for Maluma Hass, we were able to witness Maluma in production in his orchard.

A significant volume of this cultivar is now being exported to Europe. A tasting session convinced us this is potentially an exciting commercial proposition for New Zealand. The crunch will be how it performs under our conditions, and more importantly its post harvest quality and shelf life in transit.

Westfalia Conference The Westfalia Conference was a full day affair that started by profiling the historical development of avocados on their estates, from the first plantings in 1930 to more than 1300 hectares today. Annual production now tops 16,000 tonnes. Five orchards are now in production, mainly around the Tzaneen district, but with organic production from their Everdon Orchard in Natal.

38 Flowering Maluma Hass on Bounty rootstock at Nelspruit.

African avocado industry Most of the planted area around Tzaneen was previously Eucalypt forest with high levels of phytophthora in the soil. Seedling rootstocks quickly succumbed to this pressure. The sick trees were replaced by clonal trees on Duke 6 rootstock.

Unfortunately this rootstock developed a debilitating stem pitting canker and large areas were replanted on Duke 7 with much better success.

Further development in their breeding and selection programme continues to identify improved rootstocks. Now more than 90 per cent of nursery production from the Westfalia Nursery is on Dusa rootstock. This is a valuable lesson for our emerging new clonal plantings, and highlights the importance of a full evaluation in each of our main production areas. We can then identify the best option for a particular district. Dusa has consistently given a 20 per cent yield increase over Duke 7. Even greater benefits should be possible in New Zealand over our seedling Zutano rootstocks. Time will tell!

The rest of the conference was an update of the science programme at the Hans Merensky Institute. This covered a range of subjects including the breeding, selection and evaluation of new rootstocks and varieties, spray efficacy and application techniques, processing, post-harvest

research and the development of a carbon footprint for avocado production.

Overseas speakers focused on industry developments in Chile, Peru, Brazil and the USA. Merensky Field Day The field day the following day demonstrated a range of new technologies developed on the estates including canopy management. Low volume spray application using foggers, compost making, clonal nursery production, and the performance of the new Carmen variety under high density planting systems.

New cultivar evaluation Following the field day we were updated on recent progress in the rootstock and varietal breeding programme by Stefan Kohne. Four additional new rootstocks have been added to the evaluation trials since my visit three years ago. Also an early Fuerte variety is under evaluation. It was interesting to note that greenskin varieties like Fuerte still achieve a price premium over darker skinned varieties such as Hass.

Implications for the New Zealand industry The age old adage “necessity is the mother of invention” underpins the

reason that the South African avocado industry has embraced clonal rootstocks and still commit a large proportion of their research budget towards developing improved rootstocks. High phytphthora pressure gave them no option as they were necessary to revitalise their floundering industry in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

In New Zealand clonal rootstocks were available back then as both Duke 6 and Duke 7 had been introduced before our borders closed to new imports to prevent the entry of Avocado Sun Blotch Viroid.

However first plantings on these stocks suffered high mortality rates in the field and they achieved a bad reputation. The main reason was premature release from nurseries into the field. It is important that a full transition from the nurse rootstock onto the clonal stock occurs under controlled nursery conditions, not when the trees are under field and transplant stresses. Also growers were not convinced that the higher cost of clonals was justified.

We now have a different situation as older orchards are replanted. Seedling rootstocks will not establish well in a replant situation where fungal inoculum potential is already high in the soil. It is important that the industry evaluates the new plant material without further delay, so that the best choices can be made for our future plantings.

39

Make sure you book your advertising space for the next issue of Avoscene due out in March 2011.

Contact Daphne at Sun Media on 07 578 0030 or email daphne@thesun.co.nz.

Booking deadline is March 2nd, 2011.

THE NE W ZEAL AN

D AV O C AD

O GROW E

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T H E N E W Z E A L A N D AV O C A D O G R O W E R S ’ J O U R N A L

MARCH 2010

JUNE/JULY 2010 ERS’ CADO GROW A L A N D AV O THE NEW ZE

JOURNAL

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Inside this Issue

Export and local markets PDA’s and crop monitoring Insidel this l NewIssu l Using pheromone traps products and services e l Add an Avo this Summer l Lea froller mo nitoring

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prep time: 5 minutes cook time: n/a

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recipe ide as,

6 slices pump ernickel bread into 4cm round cut s 12 pieces pickl ed ginger dill sprigs Method:

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Mash toget her avocado, mayonnaise and wasabi. place a dollop of avocado on each round mixture , top with a and garnish prawn with ginger.

visit adda navo.com

By AIC quality coordinator Juan Rosales

AvoGreen training update One of the challenges we encountered when implementing the industrywide AvoGreen programme was how to train the 400 plus growers who expressed their interest in becoming AvoGreen Owner-Operators.

To overcome this challenge the AIC implemented the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Train the Trainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; system, with the participation of more than 40 experienced AvoGreen monitors who expressed their interest in becoming AvoGreen trainers. The candidates were trained and assessed by David Steven from IPM Research, in conjunction with the AIC. From these monitors, 11 confirmed their interest and were selected after an evaluation process, which included a test and the delivery of two courses on behalf of the AIC, their evaluation and

accreditation was completed.

The list of accredited trainers and their location is given below: Diane Bryant-Jones - Far North John Wilkinson (Horticentre) - Whangarei Sarah Gurnsey (Horticentre) - Whangarei Derek Schofield (Horticentre) - South Auckland Marilyn Robertson (Seeka) - BOP Cathy Harris (Cropcheck) - BOP Jojette Drost (Cropcheck) - BOP John Emett (DMS Te Puna BOP Colin Partridge (Southern Produce) - BOP Alastair Reed (Fruitfed) - BOP Val Baker (Trevelyan) - Te Puke In addition to this, three AIC staff members completed their accreditation as AvoGreen trainers.

Monitors The training provided to monitors consists of two parts. The first includes

the AvoGreen Basic Training module delivered as a Powerpoint presentation including all theory aspects of IPM, AvoGreen and pest monitoring. The second part, which is still underway, includes up to two field training sessions on the main avocado pests. The option of being exempted from field training sessions has been granted to growers who have demonstrated previous experience with avocado pest monitoring Both John Wilkinson and Sarah Gurnsey from Horticentre in Whangarei warrant special mention for undertaking training of more than 100 growers during the seven courses they delivered in Whangarei on behalf of the AIC. Their expertise and knowledge on avocado pest monitoring and the AvoGreen programme has been acknowledged by many of the growers who attended their courses and feedback from the course assessments overall has also been very positive.

We would like to thank all of the trainers and wish the monitors well for the coming season.

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850 FIVE DIE. EVERY

YEAR

PEOPLE ARE

INJURED ON FARMS RIDING

QUAD BIKES.

Reducing injuries from quad bikes Every year about 850 people are injured on farms riding quad instructions.” bikes. Five die. This toll has prompted the Department of Labour Over the next few months the department will be promoting the to promote four basic safety steps: four basic safety steps in rural communities. It will also publish • Ensure riders are trained/experienced enough to do the job new safety guidelines for farm quad bikes that include other • Wear a helmet important ways to prevent accidents – like keeping bikes well 1• Choose the right vehicle for the job 2 – pay close attention to 3 4 maintained.

Education by itself is not enough to change behaviour, so what your quad bike owner’s manual says about carry passengers.

Riders must bemanuals say passengers shouldn’t be carried.

Most manufacturers’ from April 2011 wear the campaign will broaden to also Choose the right Always Don’t letinclude kids ride trained/experienced enforcement. Inspectors will be focusing on farms, and where Also consider the maximum towing and carrying limits for your vehicle for the job a helmet adult quad bikes people are working with quad bikes in a dangerous way Inspectors bike enough to do the job are likely to take enforcement action.

• Don’t let kids ride adult quad bikes. The manufacturers of all The department will pay particular attention to accidents quad bikes sold in New Zealand say children under 16 should not involving farm workers. If someone working on a farm is seriously ride quad bikes rated over 90cc.

Farmers who don’t follow these safety steps risk penalties under the Health and Safety in Employment Act injured or killed by a quad bike and these basic safety steps haven’t “Quad bikes are often referred to as All Terrain Vehicles or ifATVs,” someone working on their farm is seriously injured or killed. says Department of Labour chief adviser on health and been followed then the Department is likely to prosecute the safety, Dr Geraint Emrys. farmer.

“But they can’t go everywhere and do everything. Riders need For more information about quad bike safety on farms, visit to respect their limits and follow the manufacturers’ operating www.dol.govt.nz or phone 0800 209020.

PLA 11220.2 OCT 10

Quad bike injuries can be prevented – they aren’t part of the job.

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