Trade optimism despite delayed season

News from our CEO

This harvest season has been another challenging year for everyone.

Climatic conditions have impacted several growing regions again this year.

Queensland had to contend with a lot of rain at the wrong time and this led to some issues with gaining maturity in the fruit.

Like last year, grapes were slow to reach the minimum maturity standard and at the same time had low acid levels. So, while the fruit may have had low brix, it was still edible, but the taste was bland.

Hot weather in Sunraysia has certainly helped the growth stages of the fruit, but by all accounts, harvest is around three weeks later than what growers say is a normal year.

Domestic prices for this time of the year have been strong, which has affected the volume of exports in January. Exports are expected to pick up from February onwards.

China is now out of lockdown, and this will support continued volumes being sent there and hopefully consumer confidence returns to what we have expected prior to Covid.

Other export countries are expected to want the same volumes as last year, with growth countries being Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

The ATGA has started promoting to Japanese importers that additional varieties are just around the corner, with the expectation the 2024 harvest season will see full varietal access into Japan.

The USA is still a work in progress to improve the protocol assisting the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in sourcing the information requirements to be sent back to the USA for assessment.

Currently we have New Zealand inspectors in Sunraysia conducting pre-shipment inspections after the SO2/CO2 fumigation. They arrived on 23 January and stay for three weeks before going home and then replaced by another for three weeks at a time.

In December, the Korean inspector conducted the annual audit verification, choosing Mundubbera farms, as they had not previously been to Queensland. The inspector spent two days assessing all facilities and farm practices and procedures. Pleasingly, the Korean inspector was impressed with everything observed as assessed, which allows everyone to export to Korea for this export season.

Japan has indicated it will conduct annual audit assessments in late March, with international auditors visiting Sunraysia and auditing selected farms, as well as DAFF procedures regarding Japan.

Growers need to be aware of the potential fruit fly numbers in the vineyards this season. The weather has been conducive to increased numbers of fruit fly. The advice from Fruit Fly Murray Valley is that the volume of flies being trapped so far is exceeding other years. Be diligent in maintaining your sprays and trap surveillance and take action if fruit fly is detected near or on your farm. Read more on page 33.

In other biosecurity news, Hort Innovation recently announced an $8.7M investment to trial tree immunisations that protect Australia’s horticulture industries against the deadly Xylella and Huanglongbing (HLB) diseases.

Table grapes will be one of the horticultural products in the research project, due to the risk to industry of Xylella and its associated exotic vectors.

The project will be delivered through Hort Innovation and led by the USbased agricultural biotechnology company Silvec Biologics alongside the University of Queensland.

The trial will employ a method developed by Silvec Biologics to immunise trees, vines and bushes against diseases. The researchers will combine this technology with elements of BioClay to improve how trees are immunised. Xylella is of great importance to table grapes, as it has the ability to scorch and weaken leaves, eventually causing the tree to die.

Instead of hearing from the ATGA chair on this page, we spoke to Jeremey Boyd and other grower representatives about season challenges, remaining positive, and connection. As an industry, it’s important to reach out if you or someone you know is having a tough time. Read more on p. 22.v