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TURNING UP THE HEAT

Our next gen leading the way in innovation

syngenta

Www.syngenta.com.au/simodis

CONTENTS

Spring 2023 ■ vol.58 no.03

vegetablesWA

WA Grower

INDUSTRY opportunities

Vegetableswa is offering subsidised tickets to wahu and placement in the bhbc program, so act quick to get yours.

Trical

Trical.com.au

PEAK production

From food fraud to growing methods and cost of living impacts, the vegetables industry is throwing up some interesting challenges.

Pricing – how should it be set?

While those who remember lament the end of the auction system, others won’t speak out about the majors, some are frustrated and others have nailed it – how do we win at produce pricing?

INDUSTRY Insider

The aboriginal heritage legislation amendment and repeal bill 2021 is currently before the state parliament. This bill, a response to industry concern about the aboriginal cultural heritage act 2021, includes amendments to ensure equal rights of review and requirements to report new information about an aboriginal site. Draft regulations supporting these changes have been released for stakeholder consultation. Vegetableswa is actively seeking access to the draft and will advi

edp

Edp.com.au

Turning up the HEAT

When lpg costs started to affect production, zeke zalsman of zaldeesh farms knew something had to give. His solution has upped production and quality, and lessened costs by 25 per cent.

WHAT consumers want

Hort innovation has released the first of its produce pulse findings into consumer behaviour – here’s what you need to know.

Show Me the PROFIT

Our bhbc program is an innovative tool for the west australian horticulture industry. Its success as a pilot program in wa has seen the concept snapped up on a national level. Due to local demand, vegetableswa and planfarm are running it for one more year for all horticulture businesses (not just vegetables) – so you have one year left to extend your profit margins with this heavily subsidised advisory project. Here we meet the incoming project lead sophie alexander.

ENERGY expenditure

Are electric heat pumps a cost-effective solution for greenhouses? That was the focus of vegetableswa-run feasibility studies at three wa farms.

FAST pickings

Meet vange panagiotidis – astalwart of the carabooda growing scene who specialises in fast-rotation baby leaf.

CRATE Expectations

A stalwart of the industry and innovator of the standard crate exchange – we celebrate the life and memories of roy schultz.

The Metropolitan Markets

My earliest recollection of these markets goes right back to when i must have been very young. I was with my family one cold evening standing around a 44-gallon drum that had been filled with firewood and set alight. We were all standing around it trying to keep warm and eating prawns. Mum and dad must have bought them from a small wholesale fish business that was there at the time. We were near the road that ran from the west perth subway directly up to wellington street at

Tscaffidi

Tscaffidi@optusnet.com.au

SPRING is in the soil

We plate up celery, asparagus, artichokes and carrots with dirty clean food meats to celebrate spring harvests.

agric

Agric.wa.gov.au

Ready Set WAHU

Wahu brings the west australian horticulture industry the latest in business development and research innovations – get your tickets now.

The elusive THRIP

Vegetable growers need to stay vigilant for chilli thrips – this tiny pest can create big problems if left unmanaged, and it won’t be content to stay within current crops.

Flavour FIRST

Flavour will drive growth in consumption of vegetables as consumers respond to taste over perceived health benefits.

POWER Problem

As our benchmarking lead bryn edwards departs vegetableswa after nearly seven years, we ask him for his insights. He gives us a frank assessment on what he sees as core issues for the vegetables industry.

TALK TO ME

What is consultation? How and why should we make it a priority?

BIO MATTERS

Vegetableswa is spearheading the fight against biosecurity risks with a video series and roadshow throughout western australia.

WA Biosecurity Video Series Out Now

Prevention is always better than the cure. That’s one of the key messages of a new biosecurity video series that shares practical measures for managing onfarm pests and disease risk pathways. Released recently, it is narrated by dr helen spafford, of the department of primary industries and regional resources (dpird), and features vegetable growers david ellement of ellement produce at mandogalup, paul glavocich of glavocich produce at wattleup and simon vu of km vegetables a

COMPLIANCE Countdown

Are you ready for the mandatory start date of harps version 2 – here’s what you need to know.

HARPS

Harpsonline.com.au/growers

Nutrien

Nutrienagsolutions.com.au

CHUỖI CÁC HOẠT ĐỘNG VÀ HỘI THẢO VỀ AN TOÀN SINH HỌC

Các chuyến thăm nông trại tại các khu vực trồng trọt của geraldton và carnarvon được thực hiện nhằm nâng cao nhận thức của người trồng trọt về an toàn sinh học và thúc đẩy các thực hành canh tác có trách nhiệm. Đoàn công tác đã kiểm tra bẫy dính tại các nông trại và tiến hành khảo sát đánh giá để phát hiện sớm hai loài gây hại: sâu đục lá ngoằn ngoèo (serpentine leafminers) và sâu keo mùa thu (fall armyworm).

POMEWEST Report

SPRING is in the air

From industry events to a heritage trail, it’s a strong start to spring for both growers and consumer activation.

She’ll be APPLES

We celebrate leading women who are driving the apple and pear industry forward.

Researcher ROADSHOW

Pips3 has just finished a whirlwind national tour – catch up on the insights from this research project.

Quality COUNTS

Industry testing shows that apple maturity is trending up, creating satisfaction for growers and better taste for consumers.

WA CITRUS Report

Time to be VIGILANT

As we say goodbye to the rain and feel spring in the air, it’s time to be on the lookout for pests.

GREAT provenance

Country of origin and growing regions can now be distinguished thanks to an australian citrus traceability program.

Officer in TRAINING

Want to be on the frontline of biosecurity? Plant health australia is training up a team of industry liaison officers.

Don’t get STUNG

Citrus gall wasp is still a concern, so stay vigilant to ensure it doesn’t establish in your orchard.

Become an EARLY DETECTOR

How to help keep wa free from asian citrus psyllids? Call on the community.

Incursion UPDATES

The wa citrus industry receives insider information on current responses at the latest wa horticulture biosecurity advisory council meeting.

STONEFRUIT WA Report

Stonefruit UPDATE

Discover the big changes in the stonefruit committee and how we are looking ahead to not only protect, but also drive, our industry.

WORLD OF opportunity

West australian stonefruit quality is world-class – it’s time we reignited and expanded our export potential.

MINOR USE PERMITS

Your current minor use permits – these can also be searched by specific crop or pest types at https://portal.apvma.gov.au/permits.

WA crates

Discover & Deal Direct

Direct2farms.com.au

vegetablesWA

CONTENTS

SPRING 2023 ■ VOL.58 NO.03

UPFRONT

04 CEO report

07 President’s report

08 Discuss Three professionals solve a big industry issue.

12 News Latest updates for our industry this season.

16 Roadtest Zeke Zalsman on his solar heat pump system.

FEATURES

18 What Consumers Want Latest research from Hort Innovation on consumers and vegetables.

22 Show Me the Profits Meet the new project lead on the BHBC Program and learn what it can do for you.

26 Energy Expenditure Results from our feasibility studies into heat pumps in greenhouses.

GROWER

30 Fast Pickings Vange Panagiotidis of P&A Pan in Carabooda.

34 Crate Expectations We salute one of our founding fathers: Roy Schultz.

38 Spring is in the Soil We serve up artichokes, celery, leeks and carrots.

BUSINESS

44 Ready Set WAHU What to be excited about at the next WA Horticulture Update event.

46 Pest Management What you need to know about the chilli thrip.

50 Opinion Manus Stockdale on flavour expectations and provenance.

52 Sustainability We talk industry sustainability with the outgoing lead of the BHBC Program Bryn Edwards.

54 Compliance Donna Mogg of Fair Farms on consultation.

56 Biosecurity Inside our bio-roadshow and video series release.

58 Quality Assurance Joel Dinsdale on HARPS changes.

60 Vietnamese Translation biosecurity.

POMEWEST

54 Update

65 She’ll be Apples Celebrating the leading women in pome.

68 Researcher Roadshow PIPS3 hits the road on a national tour.

70 Quality Counts Apple maturity testing is all about taste.

WA CITRUS

72 Update

74 Great Provenance Traceability moves into the citrus industry.

76 Biosecurity The latest information you need to know on staying safe.

STONEFRUIT WA

80 Update

82 World of Opportunity What’s happening in export.

PERMITS

84 Minor-use permits listing.

Cover Zeke Zalsman of Zaldeesh Farms, p16 and p26.

Photography

Frances Andrijich