Stepping into the field

Over the next 12 months

I will spend a lot more of my time out in the field visiting growers to find out how Dried Fruits

Australia can help them on a practical level.

Over the past few months, DFA released a suite of resources to help growers recruit workers when it comes time for winter pruning.

As part of the Victorian Governmentfunded Seasonal Worker Project, DFA produced a seasonal worker brochure, a short film on winter pruning swingarm trellis, as well as a fact sheet on mechanical pruning. The mechanical pruning fact sheet highlights the findings of the DFA benchmarking project and mechanical winter pruning project, which demonstrated that a move to mechanised winter pruning could save growers up to $942 per hectare.

Downy mildew impact

Downy mildew is a topic on everyone’s mind. A survey that 25 growers responded to indicated a very mixed impact across the industry. Almost 60 per cent of respondents had less than 10 per cent crop loss, almost 30 per cent had between 10 and 90 per cent crop loss, while 12 per cent had more than 90 per cent losses. While this is a better result than anticipated, it is of little solace to any of you with major crop loss.

I encourage growers who have been severely impacted by downy mildew infections, and who are anticipating financial hardship as a result, to contact the Rural Financial Counselling Service.

The service provides confidential, independent and free business and wellbeing support for farmers and small business owners navigating financial stress and uncertainty. RFCS can be reached by calling 1300 735 578. Alternatively, you may wish to discuss your situation with your accountant or business advisor. Farm Household Allowance is a Federal Government support designed to help at times like this. On a practical level, I liaised with AgSmart, Australian Premium Dried Fruits and Sunbeam to get additional chemicals on the DFA spray diary approved list for downy mildew control.

Recognising top producers

DFA will again highlight and reward the best producing dried grape businesses in the industry with this year’s Top Crop competition. Winners will be those businesses that produce the highest value crop, per hectare, based on their final yields, grades and any deductions and publicly known base level pricing. The individual awards will be for each major variety, including Sunglo, Sunmuscat, currant, Selma Pete, Sugra 39, and sultana (and other sultana types).

These awards focus on commercial outcomes rather than solely on quality. For example, in the Sunmuscat category, an 11.6 tonnes per hectare 5 crown brown entry with no deductions will score better than a 10 tonnes per hectare 5 crown light entry.

To enter, contact DFA and register your business. As part of this registration, DFA will need to confirm your production areas for each variety award you want to enter. In nearly all cases this will involve a phone call with DFA to locate your patches on Google Maps. If more details are required, we will arrange to visit you.

All participating entries must:

- Include all the producing patches in your business regardless of age of planting for each variety entered.

- Be a minimum combined total of 1 hectare for each variety entered.

- Provide documented evidence of tonnes delivered, grades and deductions received, from the relevant processors.

- Be 4 crown brown or better in grading. Entries close 17 March, with final yields, grades and deductions provided to DFA by 15 May. Awards will be presented at the DFA-sponsored Mildura Field Days. Each category winner will receive a $500 Mildura City Heart gift card.

Dried grape project support

Horticulture Innovation has broadened its local staffing presence in Sunrayasia, with Nicole Dimos-Byrnes appointed to the role of industry service and delivery manager for dried grapes. Nicole will now be the point of contact for all Hort Innovation dried grape projects. Congratulations to Nicole on this appointment.v

Stephen Kelly

Dried

Fruits Australia field officer

03 5023 5174 projects@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au