Champions in the field Andrew and Sharee Hobbs have been in the dried grape industry for just five years, but it’s their four decades in other horticulture industries that gave them the experience to excel in producing a high-quality product. The Cardross couple’s Bruce’s Sport was crowned Best Dried Fruit when Dried Fruits Australia (DFA) announced its Quality Award winners for the 2021 season at the 70th Mildura Field Days in May.
“The fruit variety helped – Bruce’s Sport is a pretty light-coloured fruit.” While Andrew said he and Sharee couldn’t take all the glory – after receiving some advice on harvest timing – the win consolidated their four decades in horticulture, and the work, dedication and continued interest in all horticulture crops. “Our careers cover multiple crops from citrus, wine grape, nuts and vegetable growing both in corporate and owner operator/family farming roles in SA, Victoria and NSW,” he said. Surprise dried fruit growers Despite all of their experience in
In announcing the category and overall
horticulture, Andrew and Sharee
winners, DFA board deputy chair
had never intended to become dried
Warren Lloyd said under the right conditions, Australia produced the best dried grapes in the world.
grape growers when they bought their
Warren said 2021 was a good year, with great drying conditions.
nut industry, Andrew said the couple
“Great conditions produce great quality fruit,” he said.
existing dried grape plantings and
“So all these people who have won the awards this year, you have produced the best quality fruit in the category in the world – you’re a world champion.
Those plans changed when Andrew
“It’s a mighty fine achievement to produce the best quality fruit in the industry.
“The traditional lead time on pistachios
“It’s great to acknowledge the work of our growers and the people who have won should feel justifiably proud of what they’ve achieved.”
out if it’s actually making money and
Experience offers path to success
the net return per hectare is better
Andrew said the award win came as a pleasant surprise for the couple, who had not long been in the dried grape industry.
than wine grapes.”
“We always try to achieve above average, and certainly always hope for
10 hectares, and about three hectares
higher,” he said.
jujubes.
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property in 2016. With his most recent experience in the had planned to slowly push out the replace them with pistachios. started his consultancy business and ran the numbers on the existing dried grape crop. is seven to 10 years,” Andrew said. “We thought ‘why would we push it paying the bills here?’. “The numbers on it surprised us. Even though there’s more labour involved,
In 2019, the couple bought another dried grape property nearby, bringing their dried grape production area to of a completely different crop –
