UPFRONT update

On the road

Words Kim Starkie, Industry Development Officer, WA Stonefruit

IN my first couple of months, I have spent around 50% of my time out in the field, visiting orchards and meeting growers across the region. My role is to support all local stonefruit commodities — cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines. I also work closely with the national Cherry Growers Association and Summerfruit Australia to align efforts and create opportunities for the industry.

With harvest just around the corner, it was critical for me to get out in the orchards, on the phone, and create as many opportunities as possible to connect with growers before the season commenced in late October/November with the first cherries in the Perth Hills.

Listening, learning, and connecting

Being out in the orchards and talking with growers has been invaluable. Growers’ feedback has been honest, engaging, and constructive, giving a clear picture of how they see the industry now and into the future.

These conversations have led to my first report back to the committee on emerging issues and grower feedback, as well as feeding into my work plan for this financial year, aligning with the strategic plan and roadmap, and equipping me to leverage support with stakeholders and industry partners.

Season snapshot

This season across all localities has been interesting. The accumulated chill hours through winter were much improved on previous years (see Table 1). The early warmth of spring led to abundant flowering, but as reported by growers in the Perth Hills and Donnybrook, intermittent cold drops have resulted in lower fruit set numbers and some uneven set across orchards.

“While the fruit set is lighter, what’s there is looking good, and growers remain optimistic for a strong season ahead.”

As a beekeeper, I’ve also noticed the distinct smell of forest flows in the Perth Hills during my visits, which could also explain reduced bee activity, with forest forage more appealing than orchard blooms.

The season will continue to evolve, but while fruit set is lower, the quality so far looks excellent. Growers remain positive, noting that stonefruit typically requires heavy thinning, so a lighter fruit set can in fact reduce labour needs without affecting yield potential.

Cherries signal the start of season

Cherries are currently tracking 10–14 days behind their usual schedule but in high numbers. With a few days of heat, the early fruit is beginning to colour up to a pink, though not yet red. In a typical season, we would already be welcoming the first harvest at this point.

For all other varieties, it’s still too early to predict harvest timing, but orchard conditions are favourable.

Innovation in the orchards

One of the most exciting aspects of this role has been seeing the diversity in orchard design and innovation. There’s a real variety of approaches — traditional layouts, narrow plantings, single and twin leaders, tatura trellis, espalier systems, all tailored to suit the varieties being grown and each grower’s management goals.

There are also hundreds of new fruit varieties under trial to evaluate performance, yield, taste, and marketability. This grower-driven innovation, often at their own cost, demonstrates a genuine commitment to the future of the industry.

“The willingness of WA growers to innovate and trial new varieties shows their dedication to the long-term sustainability of our industry.”

I look forward to continuing to learn from these trials and observing how new varieties perform in domestic, national, and potential export markets.

Looking ahead

Future work will focus on soil and tree health, bird deterrents, and staying on top of key pest and disease challenges such as Mediterranean fruit fly and Western Flower Thrip.

These first months have been about listening, learning, and laying the groundwork for stronger collaboration across the industry. The conversations happening now — in the orchards, at events, and through grower networks — will shape the next phase of growth for WA Stonefruit.

“With the season just beginning, the focus remains on connection, communication, and continual improvement to support growers and the broader industry.”