FROM THE EXECUTIVE
From the Executive ...
Peter Hayes , ABA Chairperson and Tim Jackson , ABA CEO |
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Predictions that weather across the growing regions in Victoria , SA and NSW will swing between wet and very dry will pre-empt further planning around drying strategies post-harvest and mid to long-term water management purchasing structures .
Growers facing further weather uncertainty
AFTER enduring high rainfall and flooding , growers are now receiving long-range predictions around weather patterns that suggest normal seasons will be a thing of the past . Predictions that weather across the growing regions in Victoria , SA and NSW will swing between wet and very dry will pre-empt further planning around drying strategies post-harvest and mid to long-term water management purchasing structures . Recent news that the Federal Government is considering buybacks of irrigation water within the Murray Darling Basin has the potential to influence the market and pricing of permanent and short-term leased water . The almond industry continues to be involved in a number of forums to put forward updated solutions that deliver triple bottom line outcomes that meet environmental , social and commercial parameters . The National Irrigators Council and NFF have been advocating for a modernised approach to deliver the desired outcomes from the original Murray Darling Basin Plan . It is worth noting that despite perceptions that irrigators dominate water use in the basin , the actual consumption figures tell a very different story . Only 33 % of all water in the basin is used for consumptive purposes . This includes irrigation and community uses .
Bees
The Varroa mite incursion in Newcastle enters its tenth month . The NSW DPI still believes it is technically feasible to eradicate the mite and plans have been well underway to open interstate borders to facilitate the movement of beehives . Unfortunately , the progress on this harmonised movement has been stalled by recent detections outside the quarantine zone . More work is being done on the traceability of those detections but at this point the NSW DPI believe it is still practical to stick with a National Response Plan that is focused on eradication . Naturally , beekeepers and almond growers are getting increasingly worried about when beehive movements will begin . For a short time , Victoria beekeepers could bring their NSW-based hives back home , but all this has been stopped due to recent detections . These detections were the result of a rogue beekeeper moving hives out of the red zone of the eradication zone and into what has been considered the mite-free blue zone that covers most of NSW . This has had a huge impact on beekeepers and has delayed the interstate movement process as neighbouring states seek further assurances that this is directly attributed to the one rogue beekeeper . The ABA continues to communicate with the various State biosecurity agencies as well as the NSW DPI and Plant Health Australia around seeking solutions that will ensure the 2023 almond pollination season in August goes ahead via a harmonised bee movement permit system .
Crop
The 2023 Australian crop looks like falling short of pre-season expectations . Early season yields have been disappointing . Growers are attributing the downturn to a very poor pollination season and ongoing conditions that have been far from optimal . The industry ’ s tonnage timeline had originally set a target of 165,000 tonnes of kernel weight to be produced in 2023 . Before harvest , the industry reset those expectations at 156,200 tonnes , but it now looks like the crop will be no bigger than 2022 ’ s 143,805 tonnes . More to come on this in the coming weeks as harvest is completed and the ABA aggregates industry outcomes to post a renewed estimate . The industry will also complete a study of the yields within the engine room of Victorian orchards that could not source required stocking rates of beehives during pollination . This will provide further insights into the economic impact of lock down of beehive movements .
4 In A Nutshell - Autumn 2023 Vol 24 Issue 1