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Welcome to the May/June 2021 Lychee aPeel eNewsletter, we hope you find these industry related topics of interest. The next eNewsletter will be issued in September 2021.

Plant Health – Farm Biosecurity

New surveillance guide for pests and diseases of tropical crops 


Plant Health Australia’s latest resource for growers is the Exotic Pest Identification and Surveillance Guide for Tropical Horticulture, developed with funding from the Australia Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Inspecting crops for signs of new pests is one way you can protect Australia’s plant industries from exotic pests, as early detection and reporting improves the chances of successfully containing or eradicating new pests. Read more

You can also use this link to download a pdf copy of the Exotic Pest Identification and Surveillance Guide for Tropical Horticulture Exotic Pest Identification and Surveillance Guide

Freshcare

The transition to FSQ4.2 is required for all audits from 3rd May 2021.


Freshcare on-farm food safety and quality audit from 3rd May 2021 will transition to FSQ4.2. Additional FSQ4.2 resources including worked examples and templates for record keeping can be freely downloaded from FreshcareOnline user access. Information to assist the transition to FSQ4.2 is available on:

www.freshcare.com.au/standards/fsq4-2

WA declared free from Queensland fruit fly


WA has been declared free of Queensland fruit fly after a successful 15-month campaign to eradicate the destructive pest from the Perth metropolitan area. A team of more than 550 with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development worked closely with communities in and around Dalkeith and Coolbellup to carry out more than 173,000 property and baiting inspections and collected and disposed of more than 35,000 kilograms of at-risk fruit.  Read more

Chemicals online

 

Infopest Agvet chemical information online helps you find Agvet products that:

• can be used on a particular host (crop, animal or other situation)
• can be used to control a particular pest (weed, disease, insect and other)
• are registered by a particular company (dealer)
• contain a certain active constituent
• have a particular product name
• or any combination of the above.
www.infopest.com.au/about-infopest

 

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority – APVMA

APVMA maintains current details about agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical products registered for use in Australia, or which may be available for off-label use under a minor permit.
APVMA permits search

On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme 

 

The Queensland Government had signed onto the Australian’s Government’s On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme. Under the scheme the Australian Government is allocating $1.7 million to pay rebates to those 398 farmers in Queensland who spent money in good faith and were previously unable to get a refund because the scheme was oversubscribed. A further $1.9 million, to be matched by the Queensland Government, will also be provided for new applicants to the scheme. Read more  

on-farm-infrastructure-rebate

Requirements for new or expanding cropping and horticulture in the Greater Barrier Reef catchment (GBR)


From 1 June 2021, new or expanding commercial cropping and horticulture activities in the Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary regions on five hectares or more of land that does not have a cropping history will require an environmental authority (permit) before the activity or any work takes place.


A cropping history is when the land has been used for cropping or horticultural activities during three out of the last 10 years. There are also transitional provisions that allow some extra time to develop a cropping history for any cropping that has only recently started (in the three years prior to 1 June 2021).


The requirements allow for the expansion of agriculture while ensuring new cropping and horticulture does not worsen the Reef water quality problem.


Growcom has been successful in advocating for a simplification of these standards to ensure they're as easy as possible to comply with and impose the least cost to business, while still achieving their aim of improving the quality of water flowing into the reef. You can find Growcoms latest submission to the consultation process HERE.


Read more 


New or expanding Cropping and Horticulture permit checklist


Hort360 GBR assists horticulture growers to address priority actions required to achieve best management practices across the Great Barrier Reef catchments – from Cape York down to the southern Burnett-Mary regions. The project provides an opportunity for growers to self-assess and/or work with a facilitator, to identify current on-farm practices and demonstrate improvements to management of nutrient, pesticide, sediment and run-off. In addition, the project provides a pathway for horticulture growers to achieve environmental certification as a best practice producer in three key areas: sustainability, productivity, and farm efficiency. Read more

Farm labour crisis sparks competition among states to get overseas workers 

 

New incentives, subsidies and programs are being rolled out in a bidding war by the states to solve a chronic shortage of farm labour. The $13 billion annual horticulture sector, in particular, relies heavily on overseas backpackers and interstate seasonal workers to harvest crops.


COVID has drastically shrunk this workforce leaving fruit and vegetable growers across the country scrambling to find seasonal labour. Cash and other incentives to lure some of the thousands of Australians who lost their jobs because of COVID into the bush to do farm work have largely failed. Queensland strawberry growers are now offering cash prizes of up to $100,000 in a bid to attract enough overseas workers to harvest the state's crop this winter. Read more

 

Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job

www.dese.gov.au/rattuaj

jobsearch.gov.au/harvest/workers/relocation-assistance

$2 million campaign to give Queensland tourists a taste of farm life

www.daf.qld.gov.au/tastefarmlife


An authentic taste of farm life is on the holiday menu for Queensland tourists with the launch of a $2 million campaign to attract visitors to farms and help farmers diversify their income as part of the state’s Economic Recovery Plan.


Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the Queensland Government’s ‘Taste farm life’ agritourism campaign would encourage tourists to get off the beaten track or take a day out of their usual beach holiday destination to discover new experiences in rural and regional Queensland.


“These exciting and memorable holiday adventures are often within easy driving distance of coastal communities and the time has never been better for people to get a real taste of where their food comes from.” Read more

Rate of compulsory super to rise to 10%


The super guarantee — the proportion of wages that employers must contribute to their workers' retirement savings — is legislated to increase half a per cent a year before reaching a final value of 12 per cent by 2025.


This means the superannuation guarantee rate will increase to 10 per cent from July 1 2021 and rise by 0.5 per cent per year thereafter until it reaches 12 per cent by 2025.


Employers will have to dish out more funds to pay millions of Australians' higher compulsory superannuation under new changes announced in the federal budget. And hundreds of thousands of Australians holding casual or part-time jobs are set to be paid superannuation on their wages for the first time.


Under the current superannuation arrangements, if a person earns less than $450 per month from the one employer, they are not entitled to receive the superannuation guarantee.

For years, superannuation industry bodies and social welfare groups have been calling for the $450 rule to be scrapped to help people on lower incomes.

For the first time, regardless of how much money you earn with any employer, you will be entitled to employer-paid superannuation.

But the plan won't come into force until the first financial year after Parliament approves the legislation. The government expects that will occur before July 2022. Read more

Changes to the compulsory super rate: 

Nuffield Scholarship for an Australian primary producer


The Farm Biosecurity Program, run by Plant Health Australia and Animal Health Australia, will again support a scholarship for a primary producer to study a topic relevant to on-farm biosecurity.


Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships are a unique way for primary producers to participate in a life-changing experience, travel overseas and study an agricultural topic of choice.


Each Nuffield Scholarship is valued at $30,000, including one Farm Biosecurity Nuffield Scholarship. Read more

Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment - New Plant Export legislations


On 28 March 2021 Australia's export legislation changed. The new legislation commenced at 3 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time. The new legislation will continue to achieve the regulatory outcomes expected by Australia’s trading partners. The new export legislation looks different, but it is not designed to add regulatory burden or change how industry do business in the short term.


Legislative approvals which existed immediately prior to commencement transitioned automatically. This includes:
• Property accreditations
• Establishment registrations
• Authorised officer (AO) appointments
• Export permits
• Government certificates, such as phytosanitary certificates
• Product inspection records, treatment supervision records, container approvals and bulk vessel approvals.

Read more

The Australian Farmer digital book


The Australian Farmer digital book designed in collaboration with Australia’s farming peak bodies has information on Agtech, automation, plant and animal health, soil management, farm finance, rural health and many more. The digital book is released annually with the second edition available now for free to farmers and rural Australians. 


Australian Farmer digital book 2nd edition

INTERNATIONAL

 

China

Chinese lychee exports may break new record. On May 17, under the supervision of Conghua Customs, a branch of Guangzhou Customs, 4 shipments of a total of 1.9 tons of fresh Feizixiao lychees worth 16,100 US dollars were exported by air, marking the start of the peak lychee export season of the Guangzhou customs area.
Fresh Plaza article


Lychee prices fell to affordable level in China. When lychees became available in mid-April this year, the high prices stopped many consumers in their tracks. In late May, however, the supply became sufficient and prices dropped. The wholesale price fell from 20-25 yuan/kg in the early season to 7-8 yuan/kg now.
Fresh Plaza article


Vietnam

Lychee harvest season gets underway in Hai Duong. A ceremony took place in Thanh District in the northern province of Hai Duong on May 18 to mark the beginning of the local harvest season and the first shipments this year of about 100 tonnes to Japan and Singapore. The latter is a gateway to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to the world. Hai Duong will export 30,000-35,000 tonnes of fruit to China, which has been its biggest buyer for many years.
Vietnam lychee harvest

Australia: A promising export market for lychees from Vietnam: As Vietnam is shipping its first two batches of fresh lychees to Australia, the latter is viewed as a promising export market for these fruits, says the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia. Over the next few days, the two batches will become available across many Australian states.
Fresh Plaza article


Taiwan

Lychees from Taiwan’s Kaohsiung region have been successful in finding overseas markets, despite the current pandemic. A combination of transportation subsidies, online marketing and the work of social media influencers has contributed to unexpected success for the fruit. 
Fresh Plaza article


India

Muzaffarpur district’s Shahi litchi shipped to the UK. For the first time, Muzaffarpur district in Bihar has dispatched 523 kilograms of GI tagged fresh litchis to the UK on May 24. Bihar is the largest cultivator of the fruit in India.
Fresh Plaza article


Bangladesh

Litchi season may end earlier than usual this year. The litchi season may end earlier than usual this year as unfavourable weather conditions led to lower production of the tropical fruit. The season is usually 45 days long but it might not last for even a month this year. According to traders and plantation owners in Dinajpur, production was nowhere near the expected level.
Fresh Plaza article

Hort Innovation

 

Using industry engagement and research data to shape growth in Northern Australia horticulture sector

Australia's peak horticulture research and development body is expanding its presence in Northern Australia, with the recent introduction of a Regional Extension Manager, to help connect growers in dealing with specific challenges across the region.

Hort Innovation's General Manager of Data & Extension, Dr Anthony Kachenko presented at this week's Northern Australia Food Futures Conference in Darwin, telling delegates that the Northern Australia representative Dr Olive Hood is looking to engage more closely with members of the horticulture industry. Read more

Draft Strategic Investment Plans released for industry feedback


Hort Innovation has been engaging with growers and industry stakeholders to develop a refreshed SIP for each levy-paying industry within the horticulture sector. 


These workable drafts are the first take following initial industry engagement. Further discussion and comments were welcome to ensure the final document represents a balanced view of stakeholders from across the industry, helping Hort Innovation prioritise and implement relevant R&D, marketing and export needs over the next five years.


Feedback will be incorporated following the cut-off date with the final SIPs launched from July 2021.


 

TABLELAND, NORTH QLD & NORTH QLD COASTAL
Tableland & North Qld areas, Rain during April unsettled some varieties causing trees to continue flushing. Temperatures during the day are still warm although showery and overcast. Overnight temperatures cooling down slightly. Water does not seem to be a problem this season as Tinaroo dam level is at 94%. Too early to predict how the season will progress in the North. (Frank)


CENTRAL QLD
Yeppoon area, the wet March is now a distant memory. The full dams, however, keep a smile on our faces. The little bit of late flush has either been eaten by leafroller or hardened off now, and with cooler mornings (14 this morning), and the ground drying out, we are hopeful for a good flowering.  (Signed: Ian, The Eternal Optimist)


SOUTH EAST QLD
Bundaberg area is still experiencing dry conditions, little rainfall has been received over the past few months which has resulted in the continuation of trees being irrigated. New flush is still trying to harden off, with overnight temperatures cooling down to 10 degrees. Still early days with flowering still to come. (Derek)


Sunshine Coast/Nambour area, the flush on the Kwai Mai Pink trees continued hardening off during May. Young trees have tried to push a second flush out, hopefully the cool weather should pull that up. A little bit of leafroller around on the late flush but loopers were nowhere near as bad as last year. (Chris)


NEW SOUTH WALES
Northern NSW
, the trees are still flushing as it has been very mild and wet. But the weather forecast is for much cooler nights over the next few weeks so that will hopefully chill them off. Overnight minimums have been around 10 to 13 degrees. No pest pressure at this stage. (Ted)

Upcoming Events

 

Water use efficiency field day


Learn techniques to improve water use efficiency and maximise crop yields


Presented by Dept of Agriculture & Fisheries, Australian Mangoes and Irrigation Australia, this field day will bring growers up to speed with the latest in irrigation technology and teach you how to improve water use efficiency, maximise crop yields and quality, resulting in saving money and water consumption. Registrations are required for either event.

REGISTER: BOWEN  
REGISTER: MAREEBA


 


Australian Lychee Growers Association (ALGA) 

An invitation to the Australian Lychee Growers Association (ALGA) grower members and associate members to attend: 
• Annual General Meeting
• Wednesday 15th September 2021
• 1.30pm @ Emperors Choice Lychee 302 Sippy Creek Road Tanawha Q 4556


An invitation to all ALGA grower members, associate members and all levy paying lychee growers to attend:
• Lychee Growers Meeting
• Wednesday 15th September 2021
• 2.15pm @ Emperors Choice Lychee 302 Sippy Creek Road Tanawha Q 4556



CLICK HERE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION

Your suggestions and comments are always welcome.

Lychee aPeel has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the lychee research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

Copyright © 2020 Australian Lychee Growers Association ALGA, All rights reserved.

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