Avocado experts will be coming to Wauchope to present the Central NSW Avocado Regional Forum on Wednesday 10 April at the Wauchope Country Club.
A range of avocado experts will be speaking on the day and the technical theme for the forum is “Nutrition and fruit quality”. All avocado industry members interested in avocado production are invited to attend and registration is essential.
The Central NSW Regional Forum is the first of six regional forums that are planned across the country as part of a greater project that is being delivered by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) concerned with avocado industry development and extension (AV23010 Avocado industry development and extension project). This Hort Innovation funded project, partly funded by avocado levies, is responsible for delivering a range of events and resources to promote best management practices. The ultimate goal of the extension program is to enhance the Australian avocado industry’s profitability, preparedness and competitiveness.
The regional forum events are already funded by avocado levies so are free and have been developed in consultation with avocado growers by the extension project’s regional leads. This is to ensure the content will be relevant and specifically suited to the needs of growers and their regions. There are many other events and activities planned as part of this project over the next five years.
Central NSW is one of eight avocado growing regions operating in Australia. Avocado growers in the Central NSW region mainly grow the Hass variety of avocado and they harvest their fruit from May to end of October. According to Avocados Australia’s “Facts At A Glance” Report for the period 2022/23 the Central NSW growing region produced around 9,120 tonnes of avocados.[1]
The Central NSW Forum will provide a chance to give avocado growers and packers an update about the industry. Presentations will cover topics such as the Avocado industry extension project, the Industry Benchmarking project, and an update on the fruit quality project. Speakers presenting on the day include Ian Tolson (avocado grower and Avocados Australia CNSW director), John Tyas (Avocados Australia CEO), Adam Goldwater (Applied Horticultural Research), Dan Armstrong (RMCG), John Agnew (Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries), Hayleigh Dawson (Avocados Australia’s Market Development Manager), and Graeme Thomas (GLT Hort Services).
Growers and speakers will also take part in a round robin session during the day. The event also includes an orchard walk at a local avocado orchard.
John Tyas, CEO of Avocados Australia, will be presenting the industry update at the forum.
“The Central NSW Regional Forum is an excellent chance for avocado growers and packers in the region to hear about industry-wide activities and to hear from experts about best practice,” Mr Tyas said.
Bridie Carr, a Senior Extension Horticulturist with QDAF and the project leader for the AV23010 extension project, said that avocado grower consultation underpinned the development of not only the new extension project but also the regional forums.
“Grower consultation is vital to the extension project as a whole but also in ensuring that our extension program of activities are relevant and address the specific conditions and needs of each avocado growing region,” she said.
Avocado industry members interested in attending the Central NSW Regional Forum should register online for free at https://www.trybooking.com/CPTRW
The Avocado industry development and extension project (AV23010) has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy, co-investment from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Western Australian Government Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.
ENDS
[1] Avocados Australia Facts At A Glance 2022-23, https://avocado.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2022-23_AAL-Facts-at-a-glance.pdf , accessed 13 March 2024.
Key Facts:
Avocado experts will be coming to Wauchope to present the Central NSW Avocado Regional Forum on Wednesday 10 April at the Wauchope Country Club.
Avocado industry members interested in attending the Central NSW Regional Forum should register online for free at https://www.trybooking.com/CPTRW
About us:
About Avocados Australia – www.avocado.org.au
Avocados Australia (AAL) is the representative industry body for the Australian avocado industry. We provide a range of services to our members and the broader industry to foster growth and development. Avocados Australia is a not-for-profit member-based organisation and our members include avocado growers, associated businesses and industry people. Avocados Australia seeks to work with all parts of the chain, from production through to the consumer. By working together, we seek to continually improve the ability of growers to provide a healthy, profitable and safe product for all consumers.
Contact details:
For more information contact: Anna Petrou, Communications Manager, Avocados Australia Limited on (07) 3846 6566 or 0488 384 222 or co@avocado.org.au.