FROM THE EXECUTIVE
From the Executive ...
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Some of the best minds in the industry and beyond have agreed to share their knowledge .
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Peter Hayes , ABA Chairperson and Tim Jackson , ABA CEO
Conference a wealth of industry info
THE biennial Australian Almond Conference program has been designed to help growers at a lot of different levels . It will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from October 2-4 . There will be research-based sessions tackling some of the key issues on farm including disease like hull rot , carpophilus , tree densities , the decline in Monterey , which varieties to plant and optimising your pollination spend , which will all have specific panels . The panels are designed to comprise both experts as well as leading growers who are dealing with all that is happening on farm . There will also be keynote speakers on the issue of water , our most variable input cost , and how the latest iteration of the basin plan could impact the cost of production across all areas . Our marketers will unveil a new-look strategy for export and domestic markets , while taking a look at where pricing is likely to go in the next 12-18 months . Nut quality remains a topic of ongoing interest for all and one of the leaders in the field will share some insights on what the Californians are dealing with via his industry-wide database . There will also be discussions on how growers are meeting their
In A Nutshell - Spring 2025 Vol 25 Issue 3
sustainability commitments , as well as a look at business management , benchmarking and issues like succession planning for family farms . Some of the best minds in the industry and beyond have agreed to share their knowledge . Big picture discussions around water , agri-economics , the world market and making the most informed business decisions are critical components of the program . Once again all sessions will feature the app Slido so questions can be asked of the experts in real time . See page 9 for a rundown of some of the key industry experts who will be attending . You can also view the conference program on pages 10 and 11 . To register for the conference , or find out more about the event , visit www . almondboard . org . au / events .
China trip insights
A recent trip to China by the ABA gave a new insight into our biggest market and the job ahead to maintain a significant slice of market share in the dried fruit and nut category . Hundreds of Chinese industry members converged in Lin ’ nan to attend the China Tree Nut Conference in early August and what became clear from the presentations is that there is work to be done to re-establish a point of difference in consumers ’ eyes . While the Californian almond board pioneered tree nut marketing and promoting the health benefits of eating a handful of nuts a day , this narrative is now commonplace across all nuts and dried fruits . It was clear that the challenge for all key almond stakeholders is to identify and drive a point of difference that helps maintain market share and boost consumption . China and India remain the most educated consumers around the benefits of the regular consumption of tree nuts . India has long recognised the benefit and value of cashews and almonds , while China ’ s huge production of a range of nuts provides a keen self-interest in promoting consumption and researching health benefits . The Almond Board of Australia will continue to dedicate significant resources to lifting the profile of Australian almonds in these key markets , which after five months of the current season represent almost 70 % of the export volume . There is no doubt that the significant tariff advantage over California in both markets has improved Australia ' s almond market share , but we now find ourselves aligned with our Californian colleagues in almond messaging