POMEWEST update
POMEWEST
Report
SEASON OF CHANGE
Innovation, recognition, and the future of WA pome
Spring marks the awakening of a new harvest season, a time to embrace learnings and keep abreast of the opportunities and challenges that come with the change of seasons.
Words Nardia Stacy, Executive Manager, Pomewest
SINCE the last WA Grower pome management report, some WA orchardists have truly been making their mark, embracing well-earned breaks and seizing opportunities to travel and expand their horizons. Learning from orcharding practices in other countries, they are discovering innovative tweaks and fresh approaches that can be emulated back home. It is thought-provoking to see how, despite varying conditions and markets, production areas around the globe are united in facing similar challenges. In this edition, we share a report on learnings from the APAL South African Tour and a special insight from Pome and Stone Committee member Mark Scott on a private tour of the US, visiting the Washington State and Californian apple-growing regions.
Back at home, low crop volumes from the last harvest, a residue from last year’s extreme heat event, have led to an unusually high demand for local WA apples and pears.
As a result, prices have increased in response to the basic principles of supply and demand. National Nielsen data sourced in mid-June also mirrors this trend, showing that WA has experienced the highest growth in dollar sales among all states, with an increase of 9.6 per cent. Annual purchases now total $91.11, an increase from $84.70 last year. Interestingly, households are taking home less, with an average of 17.9 kg of apples per year, compared to 19.2 kg the previous year. It appears that lower prices increase the volume of consumption, which makes sense.
The conditions for the upcoming harvest are looking more promising. As I write this article, we are observing an increase in chill hours, and the rainfall has been consistent. If this trend continues and spring starts a bit later, we may see an increased crop, leading to better volumes for 2026.
Awards
Exciting news since our last magazine! Our incredible growers have truly shone on the national stage, with both Sam Licciardello and Nicole Giblett gaining well-deserved recognition for their outstanding contributions to the Australian horticulture industry. The first award was unveiled in June and presented during the APAL Technical Forum in August.
Sam’s achievements were further celebrated at the National Horticulture Awards, where he proudly received the Community Stewardship Award during a star-studded gala dinner that concluded Australia’s largest horticulture conference, Hort Connections, in Brisbane. I was in attendance and thrilled to accept this honour on Sam’s behalf, a proud moment.
Western Australia has been recognised by national peers for its significant contributions, underscoring the unity and strength of our local industry. It’s inspiring to see our community continuing to come together in such a positive way.
Sam and Vanessa Licciardello.
PHOTOGRAPHY Victoria Baker
Perth Royal Show
Looking forward, Pomewest will once again participate in the Perth Royal Show, which begins on 27 September. Our display is now running like a well-oiled machine, with many showgoers now actively searching for their WA-grown Apple Slinkie, which has become a beloved show tradition. The committee recognises that this event continues to be a great way to remind the community about the benefits of eating real food for snacking and to build demand for our WA-branded produce.
Additionally, we will be sponsoring the Donnybrook Long Table event on Saturday, 4 October. This event is once again an excellent opportunity to showcase locally grown pome fruits and promote agritourism in the region.
Annual grower dinners
In the spirit of progress and honouring legacies, Sam Licciardello and Mario Casotti have stepped down from the Pomewest Committee after many years of dedicated service. Their contributions were celebrated at the Annual Grower Dinners held on 9 September in Manjimup and 10 September in Donnybrook, where over 40 growers gathered to acknowledge their combined 25 years of commitment to the industry.
As we continue this journey, we warmly welcome Murray Collins from Pemberton and Mark Martella from Kirup as new committee members. Their exceptional skills in production and quality control, along with their innovative approaches to orchard data analysis, will play a crucial role in enhancing our operations for a sustainable and profitable future. Exciting times ahead.
These dinners, as annual gatherings, are fantastic opportunities to connect WA pome-growing communities. Executive Manager Nardia Stacy presented the 2026–30 WA Apple and Pear Strategic Plan, which now includes a new focus on climate resilience and environmental sustainability. Jen provided an update on PIPS for Profit, and Susie shared her experiences from the APAL South African Tour. We were also joined by special guests including Monica Radomiljac, Chair of the Agricultural Produce Commission, Kim Starkie of WA Stonefruit, Asad Ullah from DPIRD, and Kenneth Kaysan Khayr from ECU, who presented on the NOS project and consumer profiling of climate-affected produce.
We thank all attendees for contributing to open conversations and shared insights. Presentations and images from the events are available on our website.
We always seize the chance to educate attendees about our industry and celebrate the local entities that contribute to the event’s ongoing success.
This edition
We pay tribute to Mick Fry, the innovative orchardist from Donnybrook, who developed the Australian version of the ‘Squirrel’ harvesting system. Susie provides a report on the Future Orchard event held in July at Santa Rita in Kirup. We also encourage our growers to attend our Annual Grower Meetings in September.
In closing, we wish our producers a fruitful beginning to the flowering and fruit-cropping season. On behalf of the Committee, Susie, Jen and I are committed to advancing our collective efforts to improve the industry. Do not hesitate to contact the Pomewest team if you need assistance or want to discuss industry-related matters with us. We will do our best to help. We constantly update our website with local news and events. Check us out at Pomewest.net.au, our Pomewest Growers page, and WA apples and pears on Facebook and Instagram.