Welcome to the Feb/Mar 2023 Lychee aPeel eNewsletter, we hope you find these industry related topics of interest. The next eNewsletter will be issued in May/June 2023.
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La Nina’s three-year reign across Australia finally ends, promising drier, hotter weather
After three years of dominating weather patterns around the globe, La Niña has now ended. La Niña — the cool phase of the eastern Pacific Ocean, which typically brings rain and floods to Australia on the ocean's warmer western edge — has been weakening for months, as evidenced by sea surface temperatures returning to normal along equatorial areas of the globe. Critically, the atmosphere has now responded to the oceanic change and is returning to a near-average state.
In other words, the weather is finally getting back to normal.
READ MORE - ABC NEWS
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Fruit and veg peak body gets a makeover
Queensland’s peak industry body representing fruit, vegetable and nut growers today (3rd Feb 2023) launched their new advocacy and engagement arm – Horticulture Queensland. The name will be the fourth name associated with the peak body since its inception in 1923. Originally a statutory authority, the organisation went under the name of Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing (also known as COD or COD Industry Services).
In 1991, COD changed their name to Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) and then in 1999 also changed their status from a statutory body to a company limited by guarantee. The change being as a consequence of the general trend of all governments to minimise their regulatory role in industry.
2004 brought about the addition of a trading name ‘Growcom’, a name which the organisation has been known as ever since. When asked about the reasoning behind the latest addition, Chief Executive Officer Rachel Chambers said feedback from members made it clear as to their expectations for the next 100 years.
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Brisbane turns tropical to launch the Year of Horticulture
A mini pineapple plantation has grown overnight with Brisbane awakening to a sight which turns back time. Queens Garden in the centre of Brisbane’s CBD, once the site of the state’s first ever pineapple plot (1838), today is the site of the official launch of the Year of Horticulture.
Organised by peak industry body, Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers T/A Growcom, under their new advocacy arm, Horticulture Queensland, the pineapple is the first commodity to be highlighted as part of a year-long awareness campaign of the state’s 104 various fruit, vegetable and nut crops.
Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers Chief Executive Officer Rachel Chambers said, “Over the next 12 months we will celebrate all things horticulture; educate consumers, retailers, and the next generation of growers; and advocate strongly and loudly for an industry none of us can live without.”
READ MORE - QFVG t/a Growcom
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Australian lychee season extends further into summer due to unseasonal weather
Consumers can expect to see more lychees on supermarket shelves for longer this year as cooler and wetter conditions result in a later harvest than usual.
Key points:
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There is a bumper crop of lychees this season
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Cooler temperatures and wet weather caused a delayed harvest
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The industry is also growing its US export market
And despite a bumper crop being picked, prices have stayed steady, meaning the delay is also good news for growers such as Lush Lychees in central Queensland. Owners Krystal and Paul Caton have processed more than 120 tonnes of fruit since December at their 5,000 tree orchard, 30 kilometres north-west of Rockhampton. "This year we've had the greatest season that we could have asked for in the last seven years of owning our orchard," Ms Caton said.
Late but Great
About 280km south, near Bundaberg, Australian Lychees Association president Derek Foley's orchard had produced a record crop.
"[The crop is] 40 per cent up on what I've ever done before," he said. Mr Foley said the volume of fruit was up on last year across the industry but prices had stayed steady despite the increased supply. "It's been solid," he said.
"I don't think there'd be too many growers complaining about the price."
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Drought, disaster and rural support
Farmers and rural communities face many risks to their business. These include droughts, floods, pests and diseases, and other market disruptions. There are programs and services to help you prepare for, manage and recover from these events.
Do you want to know more about:
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diversifying your production
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managing price and input risks
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farm exit and succession plans
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structuring your business in a tax effective way
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accessing rebates and concessions
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expanding your off-farm income
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maintaining soil moisture and ground cover
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new farm practices and technologies
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other financial, social and personal support?
While you decide what is best for your business, there are people you can talk to about your options. They include:
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farm industry groups
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banks, accountants and agronomists
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federal, state and local governments
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charities and other non-government organisations.
Drought Preparedness Grants offer up to $50,000 as a co-contribution grant to assist primary producers undertake on-farm capital improvements that will improve the drought preparedness of their property.
QRIDA is administering the Drought Preparedness Grant Scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
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Freshcare Supply Chain Edition 2 gains GFSI Recognition
Paris and Sydney, 18 January 2023 – The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition of Action on food safety, and Freshcare are pleased to announce that Freshcare Supply Chain Edition 2 has successfully achieved recognition against GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2020.
About the GFSI Benchmarking Process
Benchmarking is a procedure by which a food safety certification programme is compared to the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements. The process is designed to be executed in an independent, unbiased, technically proficient and transparent manner. A programme is ‘recognised’ by GFSI when it has been verified that it meets every single GFSI benchmarking requirement, both in procedures and in operations. An independent benchmark leader, supported by the GFSI Technical Manager, assesses whether the application meets GFSI requirements, followed by a public consultation period that is open to all GFSI Stakeholders. The benchmark leader and GFSI Technical Manager then make a recommendation to the GFSI Steering Committee regarding recognition of the programme. The full process is defined in the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements document.
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Queensland Rural Workers’ Accommodation Initiative
The Queensland Government recognises the importance of rural workers’ accommodation in facilitating all aspects of the agricultural supply chain and to support the many regional and local economies that rely on rural industries.
Providing convenient and affordable housing options is not just about rural workers being close to work but also providing services and appropriate accommodation that keep and attract rural workers in our communities. As such, requirements for rural farm accommodation will vary depending on the agricultural commodity being grown and its seasonality.
To assist Queensland’s economic recovery and support small to medium sized businesses and recognising the shortage of housing and specifically workers’ accommodation, the Queensland Government has developed this initiative.
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Australia to consider change to food irradiation rules
An application has been made to amend food irradiation rules in Australia. The proposal seeks to increase the maximum permitted energy level of machines generating X-rays for irradiating food from 5 to 7.5 megaelectronvolts (MeV) as long as the X-ray target is made of tantalum or gold.
The assessment will not start until October 2023 with a comment period planned for early 2024, according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
No change is sought to currently approved foods that may be irradiated or the conditions, including the dose range. The modification involves delivery of the radiation dose. Fresh produce except dried pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds can be treated with irradiation to kill pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. Irradiation does not make food radioactive.
Highlighted benefits
The application was made by Steritech. In 2021 to 2022, the company irradiated 7,777 tons of fresh produce for export.
Reasons given by the firm for wanting the change include to increase efficiency of food irradiation and to reduce dependence on the radioactive isotope cobalt-60. X-rays are only produced when required and the radiation source can be switched off when not in use.
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Delivering Australia’s first national traceability strategy
Plans to turbo-charge Australia’s agricultural traceability systems have reached another milestone this month, with the first meeting of the Australian Agricultural Traceability Governance Group. Traceability is the ability to follow the movement of a product through stages of production, processing and distribution to show consumers and countries we export to, that our products are safe, clean, and sustainable from paddock to plate.
The group, who met last week, will provide guidance on priorities and action for Australia’s agricultural traceability systems. The group will be a part of a broader governance framework for the Australian Agricultural Traceability Alliance, which includes stakeholders such as producers, employees, state and territory governments, retailers, logistics firms and data services providers, and exporters.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt said a key priority for the group is developing Australia’s first ever national agricultural traceability strategy. Further information about National Agricultural Traceability can be found on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website
READ MORE
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Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2021/22
NEW DATA released by Hort Innovation today shows the production value of Australia’s horticulture industry has grown by $6.15B since 2012/13. The new data comes as the latest edition of the Horticulture Statistics Handbook, developed by Freshlogic on behalf of Hort Innovation, is released today. The handbook includes information on 75 different horticulture categories across fruit, vegetables, nuts, and greenlife.
Hort Innovation Chief Executive Officer Brett Fifield said an analysis of the Horticulture Statistics Handbook since 2012/13 shows growth in both horticulture production volumes and values.“Australia is producing 850,000 additional tonnes of produce than we were in 2012/13, and the annual value of horticulture production is up $6.15B compared to the same period. This means the industry has added, on average, around $680M in value every year for the past decade,” Mr Fifield said.
“In 2021/22, the production value of Australia’s horticulture industry grew to $15.62B, with the total production value of Australian’s horticulture industry growing steadily by $381.3M (2.5 per cent).”
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China
The export of lychees has a price advantage this year
"The main production areas of lychees in China are Hainan and Guangdong, and the two production seasons are in April and the middle and late May respectively. Judging from the weather conditions at the front end of the production season and the current flowering period, this year's lychee production will increase compared with last year, and the Guangdong production area is estimated to increase production by 30%," Mr. Lin Bo, the general manager of Guangdong Zefengyuan Agricultural Products Co., Ltd., told FreshPlaza.
Madagascar
Slow sales mark the start of Madegassian lychee season
In week 49, the first Madegassian lychees of this season were shipped out. "We are observing a normal start to the season, similar to other years. On one hand, volumes are within the normal limits. However, due to inflation and continued high freight rates, prices are above last year's level, although freight costs have already passed their peak," says Oliver Wanner, buyer and seller at Giovanelli Fruchtimport.
The lychee campaign also started this year, with South African air-freighted goods in week 46 to 49. "The supply situation was quite good, but demand was nevertheless somewhat limited, as higher-priced products are currently somewhat less in the focus of the consumer. This then meant that certain lots could not be marketed."
Brazil
Brazilian lychee season affected by weather and war
The harvesting of Brazilian lychees started later in January this year due to unexpected rain in December last year (2022). This coupled with the consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine affected the production and export of their lychees says Paulo Farias, of exporter Log America Trade. “In 2022, in addition to the consequences caused by the war, we also had unexpected climate changes that affected the fruit growing production chain. For example, the case of lychees: there were delays in the production cycle and in the harvest, there was excessive rainfall and the harvests foreseen for December took place in January,” says Farias.
Despite these events lychee is shown to be a promising product with great growth potential as an exotic fruit in Brazil says Farias. “Another key factor in the success of lychees was the contemporary and flexible vision of our fruit grower, Ricardo Pinto. He diversified the production of lychees by planting several varieties, some of which were new to the Brazilian market. As a result of the dedication of our partners and our work as a great team, Log America Trade has become a differentiated company that today manages to deliver a wide range of differentiated products to international customers.”
South Africa
South Africa expects a better litchi season
South Africa’s litchi harvest is expected to rise by 10 to 15% over last year, which was a light year. “We’re expecting a good season,” says Bram Snijder, chairperson of the South Africa Litchi Growers Association. “The expectation is that we’ll export around 1.5 million 2kg cartons, of which around 10% will go to the United States.”
He notes that the early Chinese New Year is actually very favourable for the South African industry as a large portion of the fruit will arrive by sea in the two weeks before the event. A few litchi growers in the Onderberg and Malelane areas have started harvesting early volumes of Early Delight and Third Months Red. Growers indicate that the harvest is a week to ten days earlier than usual.
Lull in U.S. lychee market makes way for South African fruit
South Africa has begun its lychee season a week to 10 days early because of the weather. “There were a lot of warm days with the temperature getting to 37-38 degrees so it just advanced the crop,” says Nick Bernal of Seasons Farm Fresh, Inc. “The crop is very good with Brix at 19-20. It’s very sweet fruit getting good color.” Arrivals by air are landing early this week and the fruit will continue to ship until early February.
Good, sweet fruit will help move the volume this year as part of Seasons Farm Fresh’s plan to expand the program. “How much bigger the program can grow will depend on how quickly they can get the fruit off. It’s a bigger program overall and we’re hoping for close to 120,000 boxes for the U.S. market this season,” says Bernal.
South Africa finishes with an earlier, but stronger, lychee season
Shipments of lychees from South Africa will finish in the next two weeks with limited volume and close the door on a more sizeable season. “This was a much bigger season than was originally planned. We more than doubled the program,” says Nick Bernal of Seasons Farm Fresh, Inc., who notes that between the three different importers who work with the South African lychee growers’ group, more than 200,000 4.5-kilo cartons were shipped this season.
There are a few reasons behind the growth of the program. “This year the fruit from South Africa has been excellent. It’s really helped drive sales with very high Brix and great color and sizing. Retail and wholesale markets have responded well and we’ve had no problem selling the stock we have,” says Bernal.
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Seasonal updates & Area reports will be available in the March edition of Living Lychee
Upcoming Events:
26th April 2023 - Growcom Farm Business Essentials - Childers
FOR MORE INFORMATION
4th-5th June 2023 - Soil to Food 2023 Conference – Cairns
FOR MORE INFORMATION
5th-7th June 2023 - Hort Connections 2023 – Adelaide
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Your suggestions and comments are always welcome.
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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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