5 minute read
Executive Manager's report
contacts
Pomewest Committee and Officers
Advertisement
Mark Scott, Chair e: markpscott@bigpond.com Mario Casotti e: mario@casottigroup.com Wayne Ghilarducci e: strathspey@modnet.com.au Jason Jarvis e: twinpack@bigpond.com Harvey Giblett e: newtonbros@wn.com.au Sam Licciardello e: sam@orchard1sixty.com.au Susie Murphy White, Project Manager e: susan.murphy-white@dpird.wa.gov.au Nardia Stacy, Executive Manager e: nardia@fruitwest.org.au
Pomewest budgeted Income 2020/2021
Project General Account Budget including FFS (Project Grant Funding APAL, HIA and DPIRD) Biosecurity Account Budget (FFS) 474,210
47,500
Project $ New Technology Project (Susie Murphy White) 87,000 Maturity Standards Legislation & Compliance 35,000 Medfly Surveillance Trapping Network (Ashmere 61,557 Consulting) Systems Approach to Market Access 40,000 Promotion & Publicity Local Project (Fresh 45,000 Finesse) including other projects including investment in BWEB Annual Meetings & Communications 15,000 Industry Sponsorships & Association 4,500 Memberships Strategic Plan 33,000 Administration including salary & office costs 187,000 APC charge @10% of FFS income 42,000
Total 550,000
Project
Codling Moth (DPIRD) Biosecurity Liaison Officer APC charge @10% of FFS income
Total
35,500 16,520 6,000
58,030
APC fee-for-service charge
POME FRUIT EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JANUARY 2015 Type of fruit $/kg
Fresh fruit — apples, pears, Nashi, other 0.015
Processing fruit Biosecurity FFS for fresh fruit 0.005 0.002
From the Pomewest Executive Manager
Season update
BY NARDIA STACY EXECUTIVE MANAGER, POMEWEST
Happy 2021 from our team. While you have all been busy in the orchard harvesting stonefruit and preparing for the upcoming apple and pear harvest, new circumstances have contributed to the realisation that the New Year will continue to be a challenge for most of us.
What’s new
Early in the new year we were alerted to an additional Queensland Fruit Fly (Qfly) incursion, located in Coolbellup on December 23, which triggered an incident response from DPIRD. The main issue for us is that the suspension area includes the Perth Wholesale Markets in Canningvale, which adds a degree of complication in managing the outbreak. Pomewest have been proactive in attending meetings with DPIRD about the situation and have been sharing communications along the way, so our growers stay well informed of the situation and management via their individual market agents. If no further Qfly’s are trapped, I expect we will revert back to area freedom in early April. We are hoping for that as a best-case scenario.
On behalf of the apple and pear industry we take this opportunity to commend DPIRD in their efforts, particularly in the Dalkeith incident, which was particularly challenging. Qfly freedom is essential for market access and will be essential for our export opportunities going forward. The next challenge was the lockdown introduced on January 31 in Perth, Peel and the South West areas.
Questions regarding essential services, travel and mask wearing were raised again. This incident reminds us that we are still living in a world managing the COVID-19 virus, and the importance of being prepared and managing risk to our own individual businesses.
The new season also challenges our Maturity Standards program which we are committed to continue.
This program holds growers accountable for their part in providing good quality tasting fruit into the market and providing the best start to the season. Early indicators show that the message is still slow getting through. We implore everyone to engage with the project for the sake of our growing reputation of excellence.
We encourage you to take full advantage of our offer of support by referring to our testing guide publication and contacting us for pre-harvesting testing and advice.
The APC Project call process has commenced and we remind everyone that the project selection will be influenced by the key objectives of our newly formulated strategic plan from 2021–25, which aims to improve productivity and profitability for our growers. The main focus will be improving and increasing Class 1 pack-outs for both apples and pears, increasing household spending trends and building exports. We have prioritised some tactics and will be looking at developing and investing in projects that will assist us to deliver these outcomes.
What’s in store for 2021
At the time of writing this report, we are in the process of working with stakeholders Apple and Pear Australia Ltd (APAL), the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Hort Innovation to look at holding an export readiness workshop in late March.
This will aim to engage with producers who have identified export as a solution to diversify business and manage opportunities for further growth. This will include our support of medfly disinfestation trials for Pink Lady® and Bravo™ apples, in order to negotiate future access more lucrative markets. Details have been shared via our usual newsletter communications. We are also trying to re-engage with the breeding program and plan to utilise the expertise of DPIRD to promote cost effective production improvement projects and create shared pathways for future investment, as well as clearer targets for the industry. We are also keen to support various events in March and April, such as the Buy West Eat Best Belmont Forum activation, the Warren District Show and the Donnybrook Easter Apple Festival. We are keen to promote the new season and industry’s commitment to quality with our maturity standards program. Our participation will largely depend on the COVID-19 situation at the time.
I am also hopeful now that the federal netting program is underway and some of our producers are able to access assistance to implement protective orcharding, which is definitely the future of growing and minimising climatic and environmental risks to cropping.
Both Susie and I are working hard to maintain our service to you, via Pomewest, in return for your investment via the APC Fee for Service. The federalnetting program — minimising climatic and environmental risks tocropping. We are also actively involved in building external relationships to raise awareness of industry issues, provide an industry perspective and exploring every fund leveraging opportunity based on our own innovative ideas and strategies for the future. Our committee and staff always welcome ideas on how we can improve our services to you, so please contact us with your suggestions. I wish everyone success with the This edition upcoming season. We re-cap on the last five years of future orchards, remind you about on-farm biosecurity practises as part of managing risk of incursions, and we do a focus story on Keusch family’s Kingwood Orchard, located in Donnybrook. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all of our growers to contact me if you need any assistance with industry matters. I am committed to my role to the industry and welcome your calls or emails to discuss issues.
MORE INFORMATION
Contact Nardia Stacy, Executive Manager, 0411 138 103 or nardia@pomewest.net.au
