THE FEDERAL government has awarded a $450,000 grant to the national peak body for apple and pear growers to improve export opportunities.
The Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant is to help Apple and Pear Australia (APAL) investigate the effectiveness of orchard and packhouse practices in managing pests that restrict trade of fresh apples.
Minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry Murray Watt said quantifying the effectiveness of Australia’s best-practice farming methods would enable growers to produce a premium product for export with fewer chemical treatments.
“This grant will enable APAL to improve export opportunities for Australian apples to premium markets across Asia by ensuring we can sustainably deliver the highest quality fruit to the highest-paying markets in the world,” Mr Watt said.
“By looking at how farming methods control pest presence along the export pathway, this research could also be used to improve trading opportunities for other industries.”
APAL CEO Phil Turnbull said the ATMAC grant would enable the industry to measure the impacts of in-field pest management and packhouse practices to reduce phytosanitary risks in apple exports.
“This grant will not only improve the processes in export pathways, but it will also increase export opportunities for Australian growers while delivering higher quality fruit to consumers,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Together with the CSIRO, the Australian apple industry will invest in world-leading science that will create export pathways not currently available to Australian growers, including the potential removal of the use of methyl bromide in export practices.”
Minister for small business Julie Collins said the grant would give APAL more tools to support Australian producers.
“It’s particularly exciting to announce this funding in the Huon Valley which is home to some of the most innovative growers in the country,” she said.
The ATMAC program provides grants for projects accessing new markets and strengthening market presence through agricultural commodity channels affected by market disruptions and which have restricted access to key destination markets.
