Victorian Cherry Association Conference 2015
FGV IDO Tony Filippi attended the first day of the VCA Conference held at Healesville back on the 14th of May, to find out more on the latest information available that growers could benefit from to improve their businesses.
The theme of the conference was about growers exploring ways to “maximise income by growing premium cherries” which is a key focus for all fruit producers viability in Australia.
Whilst there he also delivered presentations on two topics of interest to this industry namely Export Market Access and Queensland Fruit Fly which were based around his experiences in the citrus industry. Copies of presentations can be found below.
Growers were also provided with latest updates of key industry projects from both Dugald Close and Penny Meesham of the Tasman Institute of Agriculture (TIA). The main focus of the updates was on fruit quality and production under tunnels; the use of various cultural practices to limit nose cracking in cherries and the influence of water and growth regulators applied at key stages of growth affecting quality, for more information on all the projects visit the TIA Fact Sheets and Tools website under Cherries, link is Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture > Centres > Perennial Horticulture Centre > Fact Sheets & Tools > Fact Sheets and Tools.
Also to add to the theme of export, Dr. Andrea Magiafoglou presented a status report on the “Australian Cherry Industry Biosecurity Management Program” which was developed to address the industry’s export needs in regard to management of pests and diseases of quarantine concern this document is based around production businesses achieving recognition as Pest Free Places of Production (PFPP).
