What was it all about?

Spanning from 2018 to 2021, this project promoted and exchanged leading and emerging research and knowledge on production techniques to enhance industry capacity, production, participants breadth of skills, along with maintaining quality dried grapes that match customers’ expectations. 

Program activities included workshops, seminars, field walks and focus groups for growers and technology transfer activities. Technology transfer activities included the development of a certificate IV in horticulture for the industry, a two-year trial on the use of Chlormequat sprays to meet European MRL requirements, a layout of the industry Best Practice Guides, and coordination of a development program to fund, build and trial a mechanised vine pruning system.

The project also delivered annual benchmarking on 12 sites across the Sunraysia region. Key elements of the program have involved capturing viticulture activities during the year. Benchmarking data can be found in “The Vine” magazine.

This project carried on from earlier investment Dried grape industry development project stage 2 (DG13001).

ACT NOW

Access a range of learning materials delivered through the project via the Dried Fruits Australia online learning platform

Go to the Dried Fruits Australia YouTube channel to see video presentations on minimal pruning and irrigation management (Irrisat)

See The Vine magazine and the fortnightly Currant News for industry news and updates

Catch up on past events by watching videos on pruning with Michael Treeby, pruning swing arm trellis with Ivan Shaw and vineyard cooling with Vinay Pagay.

Watch video recordings of the Tech Transfer events

You can also read the article ‘Cutting costs in the vineyard’ that summarises the two-day workshop that was held in June 2018 on reducing winter pruning costs.