What is it all about?

This investment is proactively supporting the Australian summerfruit industry's export growth by enhancing its ability to maintain and increase its share in the global market. The program seeks to build export capacity and capability, ensure continuous improvement in the quality of exported produce, and foster vital connections and support across the supply chain.

Challenge

The summerfruit industry has a goal to increase exports to 40,000 tonnes by 2030. This includes increasing the export tonnes to China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the other 30 plus countries, as well as adding additional tonnages to new markets of Vietnam (plums), New Zealand, USA, South Korea and Japan.

This three-year program aims to achieve an increment growth of exports of 1,700 tonnes per annum (taking the exports from 20,500 tonnes to 25,600 tonnes) and achieving access to at least two new export destinations.

Response

This program will build export capacity and capability, strengthen supply chain connections in key export markets, improve the quality of produce and build on the success of previous trade development investments.

Specific project activities will include:

• Fruit quality initiatives such as:
  • Modelling of tree growing degree days (GDD) to (i) give guidance on thinning so that small fruit is avoided and to (ii) help predict harvest. Accurate harvest prediction help plan marketing activities and workforce requirements. 
  • Market intelligence reports and competitor reports; development of interactive portal which can show retail versus wholesale pricing, compare markets and seasons. 
  • Work with Agriculture Victoria (AgVic) and QDAF scientists on the “Serviced Supply Chains” project (see below for more information)
  • Identify key export varieties through grower and exporter surveys, Chilean data, consumer testing, nursery information and PBR analysis.  It will be important to identify regional differences in grower surveys.
• Grower study tours to speak with importers, others in the supply chain retailers to better understand challenges and recent changes.
• Updated resources for retailers and wholesalers.
• Revisiting relationships and the MOU with CIQA in China to progress collaboration and progress the irradiation agenda.
• Promoting Australian summerfruit at key trade events in Asia and the middle east
• Maintaining a representative in Vietnam for the 2024-25 season to launch plums in this market and provide on-ground support.
• Seeking new market access for New Zealand, USA, South Korea and Japan and working with DAFF and other stakeholder to achieve these aims.
• Work with all stakeholders to advance industry objectives.
• Facilitate export registrations (accredited properties and packing facilities) to protocol markets.
• Provide and update training resources such as the Export Manual, IPDM manual and MRL/WHP lists for protocol markets.

Benefit

This program’s activities will bolster the growth and global competitiveness of the Australian summerfruit industry through strategic export market development. This initiative is crucial against the backdrop of the industry's ongoing transition from a processing-focused to a predominantly fresh fruit export-oriented sector, which has seen an increasing demand in Asian and Middle Eastern markets.