TABLE GRAPE NEWS
Send-off for industry’s knight Former ATGA chair and long-term board member Richard Lomman has resigned from his role on the peak industry body.
sceptical about whether it would work,
ideas, happy to be challenged, and
and the extra efforts everyone had to
always happy to listen to others and
put in,” Anne said.
encourage others to contribute”.
“Throughout the first trial in 2004
A knight of the table grape industry
and in subsequent years, he led a
and industry body, Richard’s advocacy
team of 30 growers and 13 wholesale
extended past the northern region,
The king of his St George property,
partners that increased the proportion
including encouragement of the
Camelot, and leader within the table
of grapes on the market that were of
southern growers and market access.
grape industry, Richard has been a
satisfactory eating quality – from only
champion of growers at state and
44 per cent to over 90 per cent. It was
national level.
a huge turnaround.”
The only ATGA chair to have been
Anne said that maturity program led
situated outside of Sunraysia, and the
to the early season grapes’ ability
inaugural and long-standing chair of
compete effectively against other
Table Grapes Queensland (formerly
summer fruit.
GrapeConnect), Richard has a long list of achievements within industry, including establishing minimum maturity standards for Queensland growers, pioneering table grape production in non-traditional regions,
“It significantly reduced the market build-up and collapse in prices that had started to threaten the viability of many growers and the strength of the category.”
engaging growers and stakeholders
ATGA CEO Jeff Scott said the success
and supporting regional community.
of the program was a “testament to
Former industry development officer
Richard’s perseverance”.
for Growcom and private consultant
Richard – who resigned from his
Anne Larard worked closely with
posts in December last year – was a
Richard and applauded his efforts over
driving force behind the Table Grapes
the past few decades.
Queensland program, which heralded
“Richard had a vision in 2003 that ended up transforming consumers’ experience with early season table grapes, and got people purchasing grapes more frequently again,” Anne said. “He worked incredibly hard with other growers, and with marketers, to find ways to fund research into eating quality and then to introduce a minimum maturity standard for grapes from Queensland.
the adoption of national minimum maturity standards, now accepted by national retail chains and growers, and enabled a “large shift in the purchasing behaviour” of Australian table grapes, said Anne. Queensland delegate for the ATGA board Mark Leng said Richard’s commitment to improving industry also included supporting his regional community and district, campaigning for table grape production in nontraditional growing regions, being
Anne said there were many within
prepared to face a challenge and “very
industry who were dubious about the
dogged in his determination to see the
efforts required for the program.
best result reached”.
“It involved a lot of extra work and
Mark said during Richard’s time within
travel, and many in the industry were
industry he was “supportive of new
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Jeff expressed his gratitude to Richard for his role in improving the industry as it is today. “I have enjoyed Richard’s objective and thoughtful input into many discussions we have had in regards to improving the table grape industry for the long term over the past many years.” v
