Apple farmers exit industry after pocketing a rise of just 50c a kilo in 20 years
Retail fruit prices have barely changed in two decades, exports have dropped to around two per cent of the nation’s crop and producers are fleeing the industry, new data from a NSW Farmers Association survey reveals. ⌘ Read more

How Aussie extra-virgin olive oil is bucking an international trend
The largest producer of olive oil in Australia says it is delighted by the support it is getting from Australian consumers as prices for international competitors rise. ⌘ Read more

The surprising crop of the Moreton Bay region – the Collins family spill the tea
When you think of Moreton Bay agriculture, you might think of strawberries, pineapples and bananas. But do you think of tea? ⌘ Read more

Varroa mite outbreak and response sparks backyard beekeeper exodus
Australia’s decision to abandon efforts to eradicate varroa mite is triggering an exodus of backyard and hobby beekeepers, with thousands already selling their bee smokers and hanging up their bee suits. ⌘ Read more

Australia watching England smoking ban ‘with interest’, as government reforms tobacco laws
Australia will closely monitor a UK plan to ban cigarette sales for future generations, as the government progresses plans to prevent young people from picking up a smoking habit. ⌘ Read more

British PM announces plan to ban cigarettes for younger generations
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the smoking age would be raised by one year every year beginning in 2027, meaning the younger generation would grow up “smoke free”. ⌘ Read more

Herb grower Damien Manno has one of the best-smelling farms in the country
A basil farmer has teamed up with former AFL players to grow native herbs, bridging the gap between traditional and Indigenous farming. ⌘ Read more

How do we stay healthy during the high cost of living? Embrace the onion, this nutritionist says
A nutritionist is encouraging more people to eat onions to boost good gut bacteria and increase their daily vegetable intake, with the added benefit that prices have remained stable despite inflation. ⌘ Read more

This neurotoxin is now suspended from use on mangoes and avocados after harvest, so why not oranges?
Dimethoate is already banned in Europe, and now Australia’s chemical regulator has suspended its post-harvest use on the popular fruits, so what’s the risk if you’ve been eating them for years? ⌘ Read more

Will living with varroa mite make Australian honey and food more expensive?
Research into varroa mite is expected to surge after Australia waved the white flag in its fight to eradicate the pest from New South Wales, a decision that is also expected to increase beekeeping costs. ⌘ Read more

Worried you won’t find cheap mangoes this summer? Here’s some other tropical fruit you can buy
The much-loved Bowen mangoes won’t be overflowing on supermarket shelves this summer due to a warmer than average winter. So, without as many mangoes on the market, what else will be in store? ⌘ Read more

Australia abandons efforts to eradicate deadly parasite varroa mite after 15 months
Australia has decided it is no longer technically feasible to eradicate varroa mite and will move to management of the pest. ⌘ Read more

Leaving city crowds behind, this couple has found contentment by flower farming in country Queensland
After swapping their demanding jobs and cosmopolitan life in inner Melbourne for a bush block in Queensland, Jennifer Nini and Ben McGuire haven’t looked back. ⌘ Read more

As sweet Philippine mangoes touch down in Australia, who is buying them?
The carabao mango, also known as the “Manila mango”, is being imported fresh to Australia for the first time in about two decades. ⌘ Read more

Vapes: health risk and ‘environmental disaster’
NSW Health has seen a 500% increase in the number vapes seized over the past three years. ⌘ Read more

Rather than fundraiser choccies some schools rely on mango sales, but this year’s small harvest could hamper efforts
The Mango Fundraiser initiative from North Queensland sends mangoes straight from the farm to schools and community organisations that need an extra boost of financial support. ⌘ Read more

Australia’s plan for ‘world-leading’ tobacco control
What does the legislation involve, and will it work? ⌘ Read more

Australia’s earliest garlic harvest has barely finished, but Joe is sowing seeds for the next generation
An Indigenous community harvesting Australia’s earliest commercial garlic crop is hoping to pass on farming skills to improve the lives of future generations. ⌘ Read more

Some winemakers are putting their best wines in casks. They say it is better than glass
Winemakers want consumers to stop the snobbery towards cask wine and embrace it as a climate-friendly and cost-effective alternative to glass bottles. ⌘ Read more

With no crop or pasture, Allie wondered if flowers were the blooming solution
Planting flowers in the middle of a drought doesn’t seem like the obvious choice to diversify but this family has said goodbye to sheep and hello to hundreds of Geraldton wax plants. ⌘ Read more

Orange industry in Australia shrinking to the point of collapse as short-term contracts, lower prices hit growers
There are fears that short-term contracts and low prices for Valencia oranges could force some growers out of the industry. ⌘ Read more

Food processor Simplot on top of potatoes
For some, it was tough to get your hands on certain veggies last year. ⌘ Read more

Murray’s 100 million bees are finally on the move after an ‘anxious’ week stuck in a varroa mite surveillance zone
After playing a crucial role in pollinating Victorian almond orchards and a week caught in a varroa mite surveillance zone, Queensland’s Murray Arkadieff and his 1,000 beehives are finally heading home. ⌘ Read more

Hold the pav. North Queensland mangoes set to be in short supply at Christmas after warm winter
A warmer-than-average winter will see fewer Queensland mangoes on supermarket shelves this Christmas, with producers warning a lower yield will lead to a reduced supply of the tropical fruit. ⌘ Read more

Millions of bees are dead as governments continue to scramble to contain varroa mite, so why is the parasite still such a threat?
With bees responsible for pollinating much of the food we find at the supermarket and green grocer, authorities remain committed to trying to eradicate the recently introduced varroa mite before it gains too much of a foothold. ⌘ Read more

Queensland beehives allowed across the border from NSW amid varroa mite concerns
Queensland beekeepers are cleared to bring their hives back home but face 12 months of increased surveillance to ensure their bees are varroa mite free. ⌘ Read more

More winemakers opting out of animal-based purifiers to meet small but growing vegan market
It would be fair to expect wine to be vegan given it’s mostly fruit, but the majority of drops are not. WA winemaker Alexi Christides says it comes down to how impurities are removed. ⌘ Read more

‘That ground is full of bacteria and not all of them are nice to you’: How to avoid consuming parasites from your fresh fruit and vege
An expert in food microbiology says washing with water may be enough to dislodge any harmful bacteria, but it’s all in the process ⌘ Read more

Others pin their hopes on trends, but Renee wants to boost supply to meet local demand for vegetables
Farmer focuses on diversity as agriculture economist says food trends contribute towards waste. ⌘ Read more

Deadly varroa mite parasite found in more beehives near Vic-NSW border
The varroa mite is detected in beehives in another almond orchard at Balranald in southern New South Wales, taking the current outbreak in the Sunraysia and Riverina to four properties. ⌘ Read more

Darwin mango season kicks off, with 2.3 million trays expected to be picked
The Darwin region is forecast to produce about 2.3 million trays this year, according to the Australian Mango Industry Association, down from about 2.6 million last season. ⌘ Read more

Brett Lee, avocados, and India: Could this trade deal prevent a future ‘avoglut’?
It’s not the first time Aussies have put all their hopes on Brett Lee, but this time it’s avocado growers hoping to get a taste of his consistency in India. ⌘ Read more

Beekeeper says eradication ‘impossible’ as varroa mite spreads through coastal region
The number of varroa mite detections in the Kempsey area of the NSW Mid North Coast has grown to 13 in just over a week. ⌘ Read more

Coffee grounds to make stronger concrete
As if Melburnians needed another excuse to enjoy a cuppa joe. ⌘ Read more

APVMA talks about dimethoate suspension
Farmers have used dimethoate for decades. So why is the APVMA looking to suspend its use now? ⌘ Read more

Queensland farmers have grown too many vegetables, but who’s to blame?
Ideal growing conditions this year have seen the volume of vegetables in one of Australia’s largest winter production regions skyrocket, leading to oversupply and low farmgate prices. ⌘ Read more

The Aussie dollar could slump below 60 US cents, bringing with it pain and gain
For foreign tourists? Great. For travellers? Terrible. For the economy? A mix. The fall in the Australian dollar has created winners and losers across the economy. ⌘ Read more

Tropical flower supply looking tight as rain dampens the north’s dry season
Lovers of Australian-grown tropical flowers could have trouble finding them as an usually rainy dry season has put Queensland growers two months behind schedule. ⌘ Read more

Meet an Australian helping Afghan farmers find an alternative to opium poppies
With the Taliban banning poppy production, this agriculture consultant from Darwin helps farmers in Afghanistan find viable and legal alternative crops. ⌘ Read more

Gardening 19 August 2023
Gardening 19 August 2023 ⌘ Read more

Rosa’s been selling produce at the Queen Victoria Market for decades, but now she fears for its future
Traders at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne say they feel “blindsided” by management’s decision to raise licence fees and hand back the cost of utilities, waste disposal and utilities to stallholders. ⌘ Read more

The NT’s mango harvest has begun
The mango harvest is underway in the Northern Territory ⌘ Read more

Chinese tariffs, changing palates see Australian wine stockpile grow to 2.8m bottles
Australian grape growers have produced a stockpile of over 2 billion litres of wine that will take years to bring back into balance. ⌘ Read more

Could this native pollinator be an alternative solution to the under-threat European honey bee?
Australia’s agricultural industry is heavily reliant on European honey bees, but scientists say native species have shown promise as alternative pollinators. ⌘ Read more

Growers warn ‘unworkable’ Pacific Islander worker changes lack critical flexibility required for horticulture
Changes to the Pacific Islander labour scheme mean workers must be guaranteed a minimum of 30 hours of work each week, but the horticulture industry says the seasonal nature of the work and weather events make that unworkable. ⌘ Read more

Border Force seizes 3 million illegal cigarettes in Queensland raids
Authorities say they have dismantled a large-scale illicit tobacco syndicate operating in south-east Queensland, seizing nearly 3 million illegal cigarettes and 380 kilograms of the drug. ⌘ Read more

How Cameron Wilson is growing vines in a district better known for grazing and spuds
During a stint as a rural reporter for the ABC, Cameron Wilson became interested in grape growing. Fast-forward 15 years, he’s now a winemaker tending vines in two states. ⌘ Read more

Could tax perks for donating ‘ugly’ or excess produce help solve Australia’s food waste woes?
Australia’s largest food relief charity wants the federal government to change its tax arrangements to make donating unwanted produce less costly for businesses. ⌘ Read more

Spinach industry rebuilds reputation for producing ‘very safe food’ after contamination event
Dino Borrato lost close to $1 million and continues to plough some of his crop into the ground as the spinach industry recovers from last year’s contamination event. ⌘ Read more

Are you missing out on the best bit of a broccoli?
Fruit Nerd Thanh Truong gives you his tips on how to choose, store and eat the most humble of winter vegetables – the broccoli. ⌘ Read more