Fruit, veg growers say biggest customer ‘is the rubbish bin’, as millions of tonnes of food is wasted
Fresh produce growers scramble to meet “forecast” supply deals with supermarkets, but every year millions of dollars of surplus food goes to waste. So what’s going on? ⌘ Read more

Beijing on cusp of removing crippling tariffs from Aussie wine
Beijing appears to be just weeks away from removing tariffs that have crippled Australia’s wine industry since 2020, with an interim decision by China’s authorities reporting that the duties are no longer necessary. ⌘ Read more

Fruit collector’s favourite time of year arrives as obscure figs come into season
A South Australian farmer wants to see more of the thousands of fig varieties become more widely available to consumers. ⌘ Read more

Newly announced wine taskforce to spotlight glut as industry reaches crisis point
Very low prices for wine grapes and low demand is putting excessive pressure on the wine industry, leading to the formation of a taskforce to report on the challenges faced by Australian growers and winemakers. ⌘ Read more

Sunburnt fruit getting ‘cooked’ on the tree as dry spell continues in WA
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts below average autumn rainfall across the South West, with drought conditions across parts of the North West also set to stretch on. ⌘ Read more

Fruit fly outbreak worries SA growers as restrictions imposed
Producers say the detection of the pest could lead to an increase in costs for consumers and impact supply. ⌘ Read more

Nothing to cheer, as two-billion-litre glut of red wine sparks calls for halt on new vine plantings
With the equivalent of more than 860 Olympic swimming pools worth of wine in storage and growers being paid 1970s prices for grapes, the industry is in a crisis bordering on catastrophe. ⌘ Read more

What are the rules around wine labelling?
If you’ve picked up a bottle of wine because the label looked fun and seemed to originate from a wine region you trust, it may be time to take a closer look. ⌘ Read more

‘A lot of contentious issues on the agenda’: Australia and China preparing for high-level talks
Details and dates are still to be determined and announced, but experts say a range of thorny issues could be on the table. ⌘ Read more

China wine tariffs expected to be gone by end of March after trade minister meets with Chinese counterpart
The ABC understands that China will lift wine tariffs it had placed on Australian at the end of March, after Trade Minister Don Farrell met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao overnight. ⌘ Read more

How a clever craft distillery used grapes and rocks to win World’s Best Botanical Vodka
Forget potatoes or the Russians, Australian “underdogs” have taken out the 2024 title of World’s Best Botanical Vodka using grapes and ancient volcanic rocks. ⌘ Read more

Farmers still toiling to fix infrastructure months after Cyclone Jasper flooded the Far North
Daintree farmers have been working for two months to fix infrastructure damaged by Tropical Cyclone Jasper floods, but say there are many more months to go before they will get on top of the repairs. ⌘ Read more

Tourist crops providing selfie solution for famed Queensland sunflower fields
Specially grown sunflower crops are springing up around Southern Queensland to help meet demand from crowds of visitors keen for a photo. ⌘ Read more

Red meat industry questions sustainability ‘remit’ of Australian Dietary Guideline review
Sustainability is on the menu for the official review of the national dietary guidelines, but the red meat industry is concerned it will not recognise its work to reduce greenhouse emissions. ⌘ Read more

Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour
Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour for February 22nd 2024 ⌘ Read more

Hundreds of grape growers being paid 1970s rates at breaking point in Australia’s largest wine region
Growers in South Australia’s Riverland will gather at a crisis meeting as warm inland wine regions are pushed to breaking point by 1970s prices for their grapes. ⌘ Read more

With a bumper harvest underway, wine growers pin their hopes on an end to Chinese tariffs
Producers say ideal conditions have led to a 50 per cent increase in yields this season amid hopes the tariffs on Australian wine to China could be lifted as early as March. ⌘ Read more

Have you heard of tayberries and jostaberries? Some of the least-known berries are the best, according to this Tassie farmer
There are lots of berries to discover beyond blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, Tasmanian farmer Olivia Rundall tells her visitors. ⌘ Read more

The humble spud is now a $1 billion industry but a potato farmer says not all growers are benefitting
Australia consistently produces about 1.4 million tonnes of spuds each year and their value is on the rise. ⌘ Read more

How robots and AI can change the way Australia’s favourite fruit gets harvested
It takes effort to get bananas from the farm to the fruit bowl, with growers relying on a significant workforce to pick and pack. Now scientists are working on technology to make it easier and safer. ⌘ Read more

World-first genetically modified banana given approval as ‘safety-net’ variety in Panama disease battle
Genetically modified cavendish bananas that are nearly immune to a devastating fungal disease have been given approval for commercial production and human consumption in Australia. ⌘ Read more

Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour
Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour for February 16th 2024 ⌘ Read more

Peach trial starts to bear fruit in WA’s iron ore heartland as future beyond mining beckons
While Newman is best known for its central role in WA’s mining industry, locals hope a developing stone fruit orchard will help the town to diversify. ⌘ Read more

Family calls time on ‘gangbusters’ berry haven loved by top chef Matt Golinski
About three tonnes of spray-free blueberries are being enjoyed by wild birds as one of Queensland’s most popular agritourism destinations closes 17 years after opening. ⌘ Read more

Sabrina Hahn’s simple guide to growing chillies
Growing chillies is not only practical but the can also brighten up your garden ⌘ Read more

Banana-infused vodka? How imperfect fruit is leaving the waste stream to make boutique edibles
Tonnes of West Australian bananas that would end up as waste or mulch are being made into freeze-dried snacks and used to make products like vodka as Carnarvon growers look to reduce wastage. ⌘ Read more

Police allegedly seize more than 1,100 illegal cigarette packets from Mansfield store
Victoria Police allege investigators also found drug paraphernalia and $10,000 in cash when they executed a search warrant. ⌘ Read more

NT banana farm expansion
The NT’s largest banana farm is expanding, with an aim of producing 100 per cent of the Top End’s banana needs. ⌘ Read more

Rise in extreme weather events putting huge strain on food charities helping struggling families
Food charities helping struggling families put food on the table can no longer rely on excess produce being available as farmers count their own cost of extreme weather events. ⌘ Read more

Sunflower patch provides pocket money and life lessons for 7yo Charlie
Charlie Smith spent his school holidays growing sunflowers with his dad on their Manjimup farm in WA’s South West and has big aspirations for his little business. ⌘ Read more

Could farmers get a fairer deal with the supermarkets if there was a mandatory code of conduct?
The ACCC is investigating the disparity between supermarket check-out prices and farmgate prices and one thing it could recommend is a mandatory code of conduct. But would it make the market fairer for growers? ⌘ Read more

Bitter news for wine exporters as more people choose not to drink to save money — and health
Australian wine exports have been hit by a global trend in people drinking less alcohol and cutting costs, but hope remains for the re-opening of a major market. ⌘ Read more

Wine grape growers drive tractors through Riverland streets in protest against below-cost prices
Growers in Australia’s largest wine grape producing region are calling for more government support, along with a mandatory code of conduct to ensure the sustainability of their industry, with many letting their fruit rot due to below cost prices. ⌘ Read more

Why is an Australian tomato more expensive than a can flown around the world?
Shoppers have seen the price of local fruit and veg skyrocket, but canned produce remains relatively cheap. One expert says there’s several worrying reasons for this. ⌘ Read more

Fed-up Aussie farmers shun supermarket giants and sell direct to consumers
Some Australian producers turn their backs on the major supermarkets because of what they say are unfair prices at the farm gate. ⌘ Read more

Another tea party: how a US chemist’s salty theory sparked a diplomatic row between the US and UK
Professor Michelle Francl stirred the pot this week when she asserted that, scientifically, tea should have salt in it. ⌘ Read more

Another business falls prey to an Apple Maps wipeout. This time the entire street’s missing
Laura Ridout hoped her blueberry farm would put Scotsburn on the map. Instead, Apple took her farm off it, and it turns out she’s not alone. ⌘ Read more

Consumers may face more hot-chip potato shortages as heatwaves become more widespread
The humble vegetables are susceptible to storms, heavy rainfall and high temperatures. Frequent extreme weather events make the crop vulnerable. ⌘ Read more

Wet summer threatens to create a shortage of Australian-grown dried fruit
Lovers of dried fruit could face shortages of some Australian-grown products this year as unfavourable weather conditions create a global decline in production. ⌘ Read more

It’s a job with overseas travel and regular pay, so why are there so few cut flower growers in the Top End?
Darwin’s once numerous flower farmers have shrunk from 40 in the 1980s to five, with those left inching closer to retirement. ⌘ Read more

Retailers say illicit tobacco trade ‘needs to be stopped’
After a string of firebombing attacks at tobacco stores across Melbourne, the Federal Government have stepped in to tackle illicit tobacco trade on the black market. ⌘ Read more

Government launches illegal tobacco crackdown, as bikie ‘turf war’ on tobacco shops rages on
As another tobacco shop burns in Melbourne, the federal government announces a $188 million crackdown on the tobacco black market, hoping to stop imports before they reach the Australian border. ⌘ Read more

Supply in doubt for summer favourites like plums, peaches and nectarines as storms ravage stone fruit season
Wild weather in Victoria could mean less stone fruit on the shelves after hail and heavy rain smash Australia’s main production regions. ⌘ Read more

Made infamous by former links to the mafia, one of NSW’s biggest wineries is changing hands
Warburn Estate winery, established in 1968 by a man known as the “don of dons”, is sold to a family business best known for processing orange juice. ⌘ Read more

Pressure mounts for ACCC inquiry into alleged supermarket price gouging amid claim farmers being paid 1978 prices
Grocery prices rose and major supermarkets made billion-dollar profits last year, but Bundaberg farmer Trevor Cross fears rock-bottom produce prices will force him to leave the industry he loves — and there are many others like him. ⌘ Read more

‘I’m trying to push mothering ewes through’: Flood plain farmers reflect on emotional and financial impact of floods
A year on from flooding that devastated communities along the River Murray, farmers like Meiqing Lin and Alexandra Westlake are still feeling the impact. ⌘ Read more

It has world-class wines and scenery galore, but a lack of tourist beds could be holding this region back
Tourism leaders say South Australia’s Limestone Coast needs more accommodation to suit a range of budgets to reach its full potential as a holiday destination. ⌘ Read more

Heartbreak for family farmers as rain devastates cherry crop ahead of season peak
Farming can be tough and normally the sound of rain is welcome, but for Tasmanian cherry farmers Gene and Laura, recent downpours had them “swearing and cursing”, knowing their crop was unlikely to survive. ⌘ Read more

After losing crops to floods, banana famers now face an even greater risk
Queensland growers are on high alert this week with devastating floods increasing the possible spread of Panama TR4 fungal disease — the greatest threat to banana production worldwide. ⌘ Read more

Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour
Listen back to the Queensland Country Hour for December 22nd ⌘ Read more